[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 132 (Wednesday, November 17, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H9836-H9837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR RECLAMATION SAFETY OF DAMS 
                              ACT OF 1978

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1727) to authorize additional appropriations for the 
Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                S. 1727

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE 
                   RECLAMATION SAFETY OF DAMS ACT OF 1978.

       (a) Reimbursement of Certain Modification Costs.--Section 
     4(c) of the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 
     508(c)) is amended by striking ``(c) With respect to'' and 
     all that follows through ``2001'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(c) Reimbursement of Certain Modification Costs.--With 
     respect to the additional amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated by section 5''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 5 of the 
     Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 509) is 
     amended in the first sentence--
       (1) by inserting ``and, effective October 1, 2003, not to 
     exceed an additional $540,000,000 (October 1, 2003, price 
     levels),'' after ``(October 1, 2001, price levels),''; and
       (2) by striking ``$750,000'' and inserting ``$1,250,000 
     (October 1, 2003, price levels), as adjusted to reflect any 
     ordinary fluctuations in construction costs indicated by 
     applicable engineering cost indexes,''.

     SEC. 2. PARTICIPATION BY PROJECT BENEFICIARIES.

       (a) Cost Containment; Modification Status.--Section 4 of 
     the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 508) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e)(1) During the construction of the modification, the 
     Secretary shall consider cost containment measures 
     recommended by a project beneficiary that has elected to 
     consult with the Bureau of Reclamation on a modification.
       ``(2) The Secretary shall provide to project beneficiaries 
     on a periodic basis notice regarding the costs and status of 
     the modification.''.
       (b) Project Beneficiaries.--The Reclamation Safety of Dams 
     Act of 1978 is amended by inserting after section 5 (43 
     U.S.C. 509) the following:
       ``Sec. 5A. (a) On identifying a Bureau of Reclamation 
     facility for modification, the Secretary shall provide to the 
     project beneficiaries written notice--
       ``(1) describing the need for the modification and the 
     process for identifying and implementing the modification; 
     and
       ``(2) summarizing the administrative and legal requirements 
     relating to the modification.
       ``(b) The Secretary shall--
       ``(1) provide project beneficiaries an opportunity to 
     consult with the Bureau of Reclamation on the planning, 
     design, and construction of the proposed modification; and
       ``(2) in consultation with project beneficiaries, develop 
     and provide timeframes for the consultation described in 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(c)(1) Prior to submitting the reports required under 
     section 5, the Secretary shall consider any alternative 
     submitted in writing, in accordance with the timeframes 
     established under subsection (b), by a project beneficiary 
     that has elected to consult with the Bureau of Reclamation on 
     a modification.
       ``(2) The Secretary shall provide to the project 
     beneficiary a timely written response describing proposed 
     actions, if any, to address the recommendation.
       ``(3) The response of the Secretary shall be included in 
     the reports required by section 5.
       ``(d) The Secretary may waive 1 or more of the requirements 
     of subsections (a), (b), and (c), if the Secretary determines 
     that implementation of the requirement could have an adverse 
     impact on dam safety or security.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. 
Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the Senate bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Nevada?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1727, sponsored by Senator Pete Domenici, increases 
the authorization ceiling on the Federal Safety of Dams Program. This 
important program allows the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to make 
necessary structural modifications on aging dams and helps protect the 
public and our natural resources. The House companion

[[Page H9837]]

bill is sponsored by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) 
and the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Approximately 50 percent of the Bureau of Reclamation's dams were 
built between 1900 and 1950 before the state-of-the-art design 
practices were used. With more aging dams needing corrective action, 
the authorization level for the Safety of Dams Program will soon be 
exhausted. This bill not only gives the Bureau of Reclamation added 
financial tools to fix these structural problems for the next 10 years 
but requires the agency to consult with local beneficiaries on 
implementing these projects. I urge my colleagues to support this 
bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I join my colleagues in full 
support of S. 1727.
  Farming communities and urban areas who benefit from Bureau of 
Reclamation projects will now be ensured that ongoing dam safety work 
will continue. In addition, the Bureau will now be required to consider 
ways of reducing cost for new dam safety projects.
  We support the passage of S. 1727.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 1727.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________