[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 23, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H7150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PROPERTY PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR POWER MARKETING ADMINISTRATIONS

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2924) to provide authority to the Federal Power Marketing 
Administrations to reduce vandalism and destruction of property, and 
for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2924

     SECTION 1. PROPERTY PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR POWER MARKETING 
                   ADMINISTRATIONS.

       (a) In General.--The Administrators of the Western Area 
     Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, 
     and the Southeastern Power Administration may each carry out 
     programs to reduce vandalism, theft, and destruction of 
     property that is under their jurisdiction.
       (b) Provision of Rewards.--In carrying out a program under 
     this section, each Administrator referred to in subsection 
     (a) is authorized to provide rewards (including cash rewards) 
     to individuals who provide information or evidence leading to 
     the arrest and prosecution of individuals causing damage to, 
     or loss of, Federal property under their jurisdiction. The 
     amount of any one such reward paid to any individual may not 
     exceed a value of $1,000.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rahall) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Power Marketing Administration's Western Area Power 
Administration, Southwestern Power Administration, and Southeastern 
Power Administration are responsible for maintaining and operating over 
18,000 miles of high-voltage electrical transmission lines, providing 
an important contribution to the movement of electrical power across 
our country. They also have hundreds of substations and communications 
sites, most located in remote areas. These facilities have been 
subjected to increased incidents of vandalism.
  This bill would give the agencies authority to curb this threat to 
Federal property and our Nation's power infrastructure by vesting them 
with the authority to pay rewards to individuals that offer information 
leading to prosecution of vandals. These rewards would be limited to 
$1,000 each and would be paid out of existing appropriations.
  The Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville 
Power Administration already have such authority. Bonneville estimates 
that they save $800,000 annually by successfully applying this program 
to protect Federal property. The Department of Energy has asked that we 
extend this authority to the other power marketing administrations, and 
I urge my colleagues to do so by adopting this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2924 would authorize the administrators of the 
Western Area and Southeastern and Southwestern Power Administrations to 
carry out reward programs to reduce vandalism and theft at their 
facilities. The bill would authorize agencies to offer up to $1,000 to 
anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of 
individuals charged with vandalism and/or theft at the three power 
market administrations. The Bonneville Power Administration has similar 
authority and its rewards program has helped reduce crime.
  Mr. Speaker, the administration supports H.R. 2924. It is a 
worthwhile bill. I urge its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I certainly urge the passage of the 
legislation. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2924, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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