[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 130 (Monday, September 22, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11749-S11751]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS BILL FOR FISCAL YEAR 
                                  2004

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, last week the Senate passed the annual 
energy and water appropriations bill. As my colleagues well know, the 
energy and water development appropriations bill is perhaps one of the 
most important measures this body considers each year. This bill 
provides funding for our Nation's energy resources, finances much-
needed improvements to our water infrastructure and provides funding 
for critical aspects of our national security needs.
  Let me begin, by commending the managers of this bill, Senator 
Domenici, the chairman of the subcommittee on energy and water 
development, and Senator Reid, the subcommittee's ranking member, for 
their hard work on this legislation. The task before them was great, 
and they successfully completed this bill in a timely fashion, allowing 
the appropriations process to move forward.
  As my colleagues know, this legislation funds critical cleanup 
activities at various sites across the country and continues ongoing 
water infrastructure projects managed by the Army Corps of Engineers 
and the Bureau of Reclamation. Furthermore, the bill increases funding 
for the energy supply, designed to develop new energy technologies and 
improve existing energy programs. These are significant aspects of this 
legislation and seek to ensure a diverse energy supply for our nation.
  Given the energy problems facing our country, these aspects of the 
bill are worthy pursuits. Again, I have tremendous respect for the hard 
work done by the managers in putting this bill together. I am, however, 
disappointed that once again my colleagues on the Appropriations 
Committee have succumbed to temptation and loaded this bill with 
numerous locality-specific earmarks, special deals and unnecessary, 
wasteful porkbarrel spending projects.
  This bill contains nearly $1.2 billion more than what was 
appropriated for fiscal year 2003 and is over $700 million more than 
the administration's budget request. In this bill, I have identified 
over 700 items of unrequested, locality specific earmarks, unauthorized 
spending and special deals for certain states totaling nearly $1.5 
billion. I will post a list of these items on my official Senate 
website.
  Let me highlight just some of the egregious aspects of this bill. 
There is $6.9 million for the New Mexico Education Enrichment 
Foundation. Aren't any of the other 49 States in this country entitled 
to ``Education Enrichment?''. There is $1 million for water management 
in Hawaii. There is $1.5 million above the budget request for oyster 
recovery in Maryland and Virginia. There is $500,000 for exhibits at 
the Atomic Testing History Institute in Nevada. History Institute--a 
pretty fancy name for a museum. There is language directing the Corps 
of Engineers to repair a Fish Viewing Building in Washington State. 
There is $13 million above the budget request for the Kanawha River in 
West Virginia.
  There is $1.5 million for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas to 
conduct safety and risk analysis. There is $20 million for the Lewis 
and Clark Water Project in South Dakota. There is $3 million above the 
budget request for the Tropicana and Flamingo Washes in Nevada. There 
is $105 million to build a ``microsystem and engineering'' facility in 
New Mexico. There is $690 million to build a waste treatment plant in 
Richland, WA. There is $14 million to build an ``immobilized'' interim 
waste storage facility in Richland, WA. Just how many wastes facilities 
does Richland, WA need? Thankfully this one is ``immobilized''--there 
is nothing more disturbing than ``mobilized'' waste.
  There is $20.2 million to build a glass waste storage building in 
Savannah River, SC. There is $38 million above the request for the 
Appalachian Regional Commission. There is $5 million above the budget 
request for the Delta Regional Authority. There is $39 million above 
the budget request for the Denali Commission.
  The Corps of Engineers general construction account itself contains 
128 unrequested, locality-specific projects which total over $382 
million. Let me read a few of those for the Record. I ask unanimous 
consent that the list of these 128 projects be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

        Unrequested Army Corps of Engineer Construction Projects


                                 Alaska

     $4 Million for Dillingham Emergency Bank
     $3 Million for Dillingham Small Boak
     $4 Million for Kake Dam
     $1 Million for Sand Point
     $1 Million for Sitka
     $10 Million for Wrangell


                                Arizona:

     $3.5 Million for Rio De Flagg, Flagstaff
     $7 Million for Tres Rios
     $5 Million for Tucson Drainage Area


                                Arkansas

     An increase of $7 Million over the budget request for 
         Montgomery Point Lock and Dam
     $3 Million for Ozark- Jeta Taylor (Rehabilitation for 
         powerhouse)
     $750,000 for the Red River below Denison Dam
     $1.25 Million for the Red River Emergency Bank


                               California

     An increase of $1 Million over the budget request for 
         Hamilton Airfield Wetlands Restoration
     $4 Million for Harbor South Bay Water Recycling
     $200,000 for Imperial Beach
     An increase of $2.5 Million over the budget request for Napa 
         River
     An increase of $13 Million over the budget request amount for 
         Oakland Harbor
     $15 Million for the Port of Los Angeles Main Deepening


                                Delaware

     $214,000 for the Delaware Cost from Cape Henlopen to Fenwick 
         Island
     $500,000 for the Delaware Bay Coastline, Port Mahon


                                Florida

     $1 Million for Florida Keys Water Quality Improvement
     $500,000 for Tampa Harbor


                                Georgia

     An increase of $1.5 Million over the budget request for 
         Brunswick Harbor
     $3.85 Million for the Richard B. Russell Dam and Lake


                                 Hawaii

     $1 Million for Hawaii Water Management
     $175,000 for Lao Stream Flood Control
     $2.5 Million for Kaumalapau Harbor in Lanai


                                Illinois

     $1 Million for the Chicago Shoreline
     $4 Million for Lock and Dam 24 of the Mississippi River
     $100,000 for Nutwood Levee

[[Page S11750]]

                                Indiana

     $500,000 for the City of Indianapolis


                                  Iowa

     $500,000 for the Des Moines Recreational River and Greenbelt
     $750,000 for Lock and Dam 19
     An increase of $6.6 Million over the budget request for the 
         Missouri River Levee System


                               Louisiana

     $500,000 for Ascension Parish
     An increase of $2 Million over the budget request for Comite 
         River
     $500,000 for East Baton Rouge Parish
     $200,000 for Grand Isle and vicinity
     An increase of $5 Million over the budget request for the 
         Inner Harbor Navigational Canal Lock
     An increase of $1.3 Million over the budget request for the 
         J. Bennett Johnston Waterway
     An increase of $3 Million over the budget request for Lake 
         Pontchartrain and vicinity
     $500,000 for Livingston Parish
     $200,000 for Mississippi River, Gulf Outlet


                                Maryland

     $1.6 Million for Chesapeake Bay Environmental Restitution and 
         Protection
     An increase of $1.5 Million over the budget request for 
         Chesapeake Bay Oyster Recovery
     $4 Million for Cumberland


                             Massachusetts

     $1 Million for Muddy River, Brookline and Boston


                                Michigan

     $200,000 for Genessee County
     $250,000 for Negaunee
     $2 Million for Sault Ste. Marie Lock Replacement
     $388,000 for Twelve Towns Drain Retention Facility


                               Minnesota

     $1 Million for Breckenridge
     $250,000 for Upper Mississippi River, Mississippi Place, and 
         St. Paul


                              Mississippi

     $11 Million for Desoto County
     $2.5 Million for Gulfport Harbor
     $8 Million for Mississippi Environmental Infrastructure


                                Missouri

     An increase of $500,000 over the budget request for Blue 
         River Basin
     An increase of $4 Million over the budget request for Blue 
         River Channel
     $500,000 for Bois Brule Leves and Drainage
     An increase of $1 Million over the budget request for Meramec 
         River Basin
     $3 Million for Missouri and Middle Mississippi Rivers 
         Enhancement
     An increase of $500,000 over the budget request for Table 
         Rock Lake for Dam Safety


                                Montana

     $8 Million for Fort Peck Fish Hatchery
     $3 Million for Rural Montana


                                Nebraska

     $1.5 Million for Antelope Creek
     $500,000 for Sand Creek Watershed
     $500,000 for Western Sarpy and Clear Creek


                                 Nevada

     $10 Million for rural Nevada
     An increase of $3.3 Million over the budget request for the 
         Tropicana and Flamingo Washes


                               New Jersey

     $500,000 for Brigantine Inlet to Great Egg
     An increase of $9.6 Million over the budget request for the 
         Delaware River Main Channel
     An increase of $659,000 for the Lower Cape May Meadows, Cape 
         May Point
     $500,000 for Passaic River Flood Management
     $500,000 for the Passaic River Steambank Restoration
     $250,000 for the Ramapo and Mahwah Rivers
     An increase of $522,000 over the budget request for the 
         Raritan River Basin and the Green Book Sub-basin
     An increase of $800,000 over the budget request for Townsends 
         Inlet to Cap May Inlet


                               New Mexico

     An increase of $700,000 over the budget request for the 
         Acequias Irrigation System
     An increase of $600,000 over the budget request for 
         Alamogordo
     $6 Million for Central New Mexico
     $600,000 for Middle Rio Grande Flood Damage Reduction
     $600,000 for the Rio Grande Floodway, from San Acacia to 
         Bosque Del Apache


                             North Carolina

     $1 Million for Dare County Beaches, and Bodie Island
     $200,000 for West Onslow Beach and New River
     An increase of $10.4 Million over the budget request for 
         Wilmington Harbor


                              North Dakota

     An increase of $482,000 over the budget request for the 
         Buford Trenton Irrigation District Land Acquisition
     $1 Million for Grafton Park River
     An increase of $13.5 Million over the budget request for 
         Grand Forks and East Grand Forks
     $50,000 for Missouri River restoration


                                  Ohio

     $2 Million for Holes Creek in West Carrollton
     $3 Million for the metropolitan region of Cincinnati, Duck 
         Creek


                                Oklahoma

     $2 Million for Canton Lake Dam Safety
     $2.5 Million for Lawton


                                 Oregon

     $5 Million for Bonneville Powerhouse Phase II


                              Pennsylvania

     $1 Million for the Schuykill River Park


                             South Carolina

     $200,000 for Folly Beach
     $350,000 for Lake Marion and Moultrie


                              South Dakota

     An increase of $6.2 Million over the budget request for the 
         Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Lower Brule Sioux
     $500,000 for Missouri River Restoration
     An increase of $1.7 Million for Pierre


                               Tennessee

     $1 Million for Black Fix, Oaklands, and Murfee Springs 
         Wetlands
     $1.7 for the Cumberland County Water Supply


                                 Texas

     An increase of $1.3 Million over the budget request for Brays 
         Bayou
     $9.28 Million for Dallas Floodway extension
     An increase of $21 Million over the budget request for 
         Houston Galveston Navigation Channels
     $5 Million for North Padre Island Packery Channel
     $2 million for Red River Chloride Control


                                Vermont

     $500,000 Lake Champlain Watershed Initiative


                                Virginia

     $3 Million for Embrey Dam
     $3 Million for Lake Merriweather, Little Calfpasture
     $4 Million for Norfolk Channel Harbor


                               Washington

     An increase of $2.1 Million over the budget request for Chief 
         Joseph Dam Gas Abatement
     An increase of $700,000 for Mt St. Helens Sediment Control
     $1.5 Million for Puget Sound and adjacent Waters
     $1 Million for Shoalwater Bay Shoreline Erosion
     An increase of $250,000 over the budget request for the 
         Dalles Powerhouse (Units 1-14)


                             West Virginia

     An increase of $1.7 Million for Bluestone Lake Dam Safety
     $3 Million for Greenbriar River
     An increase of $8.4 Million over the budget request for 
         Levisa and Tug Forks and Upper Cumberland River
     An increase of $13 Million over the budget request for Marmet 
         Lock, on the Kanawha River


                                Wyoming

     $500,000 for Jackson Hole Miscellaneous Provisions


                        miscellaneous provisions

     An increase of $5 Million over the budget request for Aquatic 
         Ecosystem Restoration
     An increase of $6 Million over the budget request for Dam 
         Safety and Seepage/Stability Correction Program
     An increase of $2 Million over the budget request for 
         Emergency Stream bank and Shoreline Protection
     An increase of $10 Million over the budget request for Flood 
         Control Projects
     An increase of $3 Million over the budget request for 
         navigation projects
     An increase of $3 Million over the budget request for project 
         modifications for improving the environment.

  Mr. McCAIN. I am confident that many of my colleagues will maintain 
the importance of the need to fully fund these and many of the other 
projects in their respective States. That is fine. I do not fault them 
for it. In fact, let me state clearly, that I do not question the 
merits of these projects. Most of them, I am sure, are very important 
and worthy of Federal funds.
  It is the process, with which I have a serious problem. The 
Appropriations Committee has effectively usurped the power of the 
authorizing committees and acts as one, all-powerful funding machine. 
Projects are often funded with little or no background study, and are 
approved after simply being requested by a fellow Senator. These same 
projects are directed to certain states and localities, completely 
circumventing the proper, competitive-based awards process. 
Additionally, as is the case throughout this bill, members of the 
Appropriations Committee use directive language to force cabinet 
secretaries and agency heads to use scarce taxpayer dollars to fund 
members' pet projects, while not allotting them a single dime with 
which to fulfill the requirements imposed upon them by the 
appropriators.
  Additionally, this bill deauthorizes 20 inactive corps projects, some 
dating as far back as 1946. While I appreciate the committee 
recognizing the need for inactive projects to be deauthorized, I

[[Page S11751]]

must point out that an appropriations bill is simply not the place for 
this type of language. A project should be deauthorized in the same way 
it is supposed to be authorized--by the appropriate authorizing 
committee, not by the Appropriations Committee.
  As I often do during consideration of the appropriations bills, I had 
planned to offer an amendment to this bill to strip a provision that is 
designed to benefit one specific water project in the State of New 
Mexico. I chose not to offer my amendment in this case for various 
reasons. But I am putting the Senate on notice--I will continue to 
offer amendments to the remaining appropriations bills if these bills 
continue to come before this body loaded with unrequested earmarks or 
other unnecessary or wasteful spending.
  As all of my colleagues know, CBO recently projected a potentially 
debilitating $480 billion deficit for 2004. More importantly, we are at 
war. President Bush is poised to request a supplemental appropriation 
of $87 billion for the ongoing military operations in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. Every one of us has asked ourselves the same question: 
Where is that money going to come from? I have an idea. Let's start 
with this bill. Let's eliminate all of the unrequested earmarks, all of 
the special deals, all of the pork and all of the waste. Let's prove to 
the American taxpayer that we in Washington do not see them as simply a 
cash cow for our every financial whim.
  Both the President and the Vice President have recently called on 
Congress to control spending at this crucial time. Is it too much to 
ask Congress to tighten their own belts in order to benefit the men and 
women of the armed forces who continue to fight--and die--so that 
others may live free of tyranny and oppression? I don't think it is a 
lot to ask, I think it is our responsibility. We simply cannot continue 
to spend hardworking American's tax dollars in such an irresponsible 
manner any longer.

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