[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H10048-H10050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1045
WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2419, ENERGY 
             AND WATER DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 539 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

[[Page H10049]]

                              H. Res. 539

       Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be 
     in order to consider the conference report to accompany the 
     bill (H.R. 2419) making appropriations for energy and water 
     development for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, 
     and for other purposes. All points of order against the 
     conference report and against its consideration are waived. 
     The conference report shall be considered as read.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Miller of Michigan). The gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate 
only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Matsui), pending which I yield myself such time as I 
may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded 
is for the purpose of debate only.
  (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 539 
waives all points of order against the conference report and against 
its consideration.
  The resolution also provides that the conference report shall be 
considered as read. The energy and water development appropriations 
conference report provides a total of $30.5 billion to fund the Army 
Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy, Department of Interior, the 
Bureau of Reclamation and several independent agencies for the current 
fiscal year.
  The Bureau of Reclamation receives $1.1 billion to maintain and 
operate water infrastructure projects throughout the West.
  The Department of Energy constitutes the bulk of the bill with 
funding of $24.3 billion. This represents a decrease of $129 million 
from fiscal year 2005.
  Overall, the conference report represents a compromise between the 
House- and Senate-passed bills and deserves the support of my 
colleagues.
  Madam Speaker, included in this bill are a number of projects and 
provisions of importance to my central Washington congressional 
district. The Bureau of Reclamation's budget provides $1.5 million to 
keep pace with a Federal study looking to add more water storage in the 
Yakima River basin and the potential of the Black Rock reservoir. Water 
storage is critical to the farmers and communities in this arid part of 
our Nation, and this year's drought made clear the importance of 
finding solutions for creating additional storage.
  Funds were also provided for the Bureau of Reclamation to continue 
work to address the depletion of the Odessa Subaquifer on the Columbia 
Basin project, as well as needed improvements to the West Canal. 
Finding answers for farmers whose water supply is disappearing requires 
the active participation of the Bureau of Reclamation, and this bill 
continues the involvement that I was able to launch last year.
  The final conference report also provides $18 million for the 
Department of Energy's budget for the transition of Pacific Northwest 
National Lab scientists and capabilities into new lab space. The 
buildings in which the scientists currently work are located in the 
Hanford site's 300 Area and will be torn down in the next few years to 
clean up this contaminated area.
  The $18 million represents an increase of $10 million above DOE's 
budget request that I worked to add to make certain this effort remains 
on track and that construction activity can begin this year.
  Ensuring the new lab space is ready and available before cleanup of 
Hanford requires the destruction of the scientists' current lab space 
is a top priority of mine, and I will continue to work hand-in-hand 
with the leaders of Pacific Northwest National Lab to make this happen.
  This bill also funds the cleanup of the Hanford site. In February, I 
was disappointed with the Department of Energy's proposed funding for 
Hanford, and I have worked for months to restore some of that funding.
  I am pleased that this bill provides increases above DOE's requested 
budget for several important cleanup projects in Hanford, including the 
River Corridor initiative, tank waste retrieval, groundwater 
protection, preserving the historic B Reactor, and continuing the 
important safety and training work of the Volpentest HAMMER facility.
  There are very real cleanup successes being achieved at Hanford, and 
it is important to keep progress moving forward. This bill does, 
however, reduce funding for construction of the Waste Treatment Plant 
by $100 million, which is a reduction that DOE proposed. I have made my 
dissatisfaction with the situation created by the Department very 
clear, and I intend to keep pressing DOE to be open in providing 
answers on its plan for the Waste Treatment Plant.
  DOE has repeatedly stated their commitment to building and completing 
the vitrification plant, and we simply cannot afford to have a lack of 
information from the Department create further challenges for this 
project.
  Madam Speaker, this conference report comes to us with bipartisan 
support from the House-Senate conference committee, and I urge my 
colleagues to give bipartisan support for this rule and passage of the 
conference agreement.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for 
yielding me this time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Ms. MATSUI asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I look forward to today's consideration of 
H.R. 2419, which reflects much thought and long-term planning on behalf 
of the Committee on Appropriations. This year's energy and water bill 
means a great deal to my constituents in my hometown of Sacramento.
  This year, we pointedly witnessed just how important the water 
funding included in the energy and water appropriations funding 
legislation is. And we must now embrace the lessons this year's 
unprecedented hurricane season have taught us about the essential need 
to invest in our Nation's flood control infrastructure, dollars that 
are necessary to examine, maintain and strengthen our levee and dam 
systems.
  Federal officials must look expeditiously at the significant role 
infrastructure plays to reduce catastrophic loss in a flood event. I 
commend the committee for calling on the Corps of Engineers to identify 
and create a list of the Nation's 10 most critical water resource needs 
in the country.
  While hurricane season has ended, the flooding season in Sacramento 
and all of California will begin shortly. And as I have consistently 
spoken about the unacceptable risk of flooding my constituents face, I 
am certain you understand the concern I have about this upcoming 
season. Despite years of dedicated efforts, Sacramento still remains 
one of the most flood-prone and threatened cities in the country, 
paling in comparison to the level of protection enjoyed by other river 
cities.
  According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento's flood 
risk is among the highest of urban areas in the country. This bill 
makes a significant investment in Sacramento's flood reduction efforts. 
It keeps the region on track to achieve our short-term goal, through 
levee work, of reaching 100-year protection. Moreover, this legislation 
ensures our other projects move forward, through which Sacramento will 
more than double the current level of flood protection. This increased 
protection is essential.
  With thousands of lives and the capital of the Nation's largest State 
at risk, the need for this critically important investment is clear. We 
cannot afford to delay this work. This legislation recognizes the 
immediate need for progress on our flood control by directing our Corps 
of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation to continue the 
collaborative work addressing improvements to Folsom Dam. On behalf of 
Sacramento, I appreciate their dedication to this goal.
  Each of our flood control partners, the Sacramento Area Flood Control 
Agency, the Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the 
State of California, recognize the dire need for improved flood control 
and have personally invested in finding a solution; and I thank them 
for this. They, as I, who live in Sacramento, understand that lives are 
at risk and delays only add to our vulnerability.

[[Page H10050]]

  I cannot proceed without also expressing my gratitude to the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Doolittle), and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky). Their 
commitment to improving our Nation's water infrastructure is evident in 
this legislation. I thank both of California's Senators for their 
efforts on Sacramento and California's flood control needs. I 
appreciate Senator Feinstein's leadership in the conference committee. 
To the energy and water appropriations staff, particularly Peder 
Maarbjerg and John Blazey, your long hours and hard work are much 
appreciated.
  Their efforts reflect not only the incredible investments that must 
be made to improve our infrastructure across the Nation, but also an 
acknowledgment that we must wisely spend each dollar. This legislation 
adds new measures to ensure that the Corps manages each dollar 
efficiently.
  To improve the execution of projects, the Corps is directed to 
develop a 5-year comprehensive budget plan and vision for water 
infrastructure in the country to comprehensively integrate financial 
planning and project management. Further, while the Corps will still 
have the flexibility to occasionally shift project funding as needed, 
the Corps will no longer be able to consistently use this practice.
  By working together, the Congress, the administration, and the Corps 
of Engineers will be better prepared to ensured that limited Federal 
resources are spent efficiently, commitments to local sponsors are 
honored, and projects remain on schedule.
  This bill moves our country forward on many levels, from improving 
local water infrastructure to bigger-picture Corps of Engineer 
financial management and efficiency issues.
  In light of the realities our Nation faced this year, I hope Congress 
will continue this commitment to public safety and significantly invest 
in water infrastructure. I strongly support the underlying conference 
report and look forward to voting in support of the measure.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance 
of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam 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 question will 
be postponed.

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