[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E949-E950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 2006

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5386) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2007, and for other purposes:

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in reluctant 
support of H.R. 5836, the bill making appropriations for the Department 
of the Interior, Environment, and related agencies for fiscal year 
2007. I support this bill because so many people and places in northern 
New Mexico rely on the funding that is controlled by this bill. But my 
reluctance rests in that very same reason.
  Many people, such as the Native Americans I represent, the Forest 
Service employees who care for the watersheds that are vital to 
everyone in my State, and the Federal land managers who make sure we 
are extracting carefully the oil and gas that is becoming more 
expensive every day, look to Congress year after year for wise guidance 
to help them care for their people and do their jobs. In my opinion, 
this bill we are debating today could do much better.
  We are cutting the funding States and communities need to protect 
their clean water, precious lands and dwindling wildlife. For example, 
the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which provides low-interest loans 
to upgrade sewage treatment plants and improve water

[[Page E950]]

quality, was cut by $241 million. While I would like to commend the 
Committee for increasing the overall amount provided for clean water 
over that requested by the President, it is still far, far below what 
the EPA itself has projected is needed to insure clean water for all 
Americans.
  Again this year, the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund is 
being severely reduced. Since its enactment in 1965, the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund has been instrumental in creating and maintaining 
State, local and national parks--from local recreational field to our 
National Parks. The stateside program, which provides matching grants 
for local and State park land acquisition, recreation facility 
development, and open space conservation, has been entirely zeroed out. 
These relatively small amounts of funding have had an incalculably 
positive impact on the lives of all of our constituents, and it is 
short-sighted and bad budgeting that we are letting these funds 
founder.
  Additionally, this bill zeroes funding for the United Tribes 
Technical College (UTTC) and Crownpoint Institute of Technology (ClT). 
However, I would like to thank Chairman Taylor and Ranking Member Dicks 
for their pledge to work to provide funding in conference for UTTC and 
ClT. These two institutions provide a strong educational foundation for 
students. I also appreciate the statement in the House report 
accompanying today's appropriations bill, which urges OMB, ``to give 
these colleges full consideration in future budget requests and to work 
with these institutions to resolve concerns and disparities over 
funding formulas prior to submission of the fiscal year 2008 budget 
request.'' I look forward to working with Chairman Taylor and Ranking 
Member Dicks in conference to assure funding for these very important 
schools.
  Although I raise these concerns, I again reiterate the importance of 
the funding in this bill to my district. That is why I will reluctantly 
support its passage. I do so with the hope that it is improved in 
conference and that next year we are able to revisit these national and 
regional priorities and do well by our constituents.

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