[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 191 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S15468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ROBERTS (for himself, Mr. Brownback, and Mr. Inhofe):
  S. 2475. A bill to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 
Act of 1977 to provide an exception for certain States with respect to 
the distribution of amounts by the Secretary of the Interior from the 
Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I rise today to offer legislation to 
allow seven States to more aggressively address the health and safety 
issues that threaten the citizens in their State, and do so 
immediately. I commend my fellow Kansas colleague, Congresswoman Nancy 
Boyda, for introducing similar legislation in the House.
  Last December, Congress passed amendments to the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act in the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 
2006 to extend the Abandoned Mines Land Trust Fund for 15 additional 
years. These amendments established a new distribution formula that 
works through a 4 year,program that phases in funding. Unfortunately, 
there are currently seven States that do not meet the active mining 
threshold to meet the minimum funding threshold. Today, I offer 
legislation that would allow ``minimum program states'' like Kansas to 
receive their full funding levels of $3 million starting in the fiscal 
year 2008, instead of requiring the minimum States to follow the 
percentage distribution formula. This legislation will assist several 
other States including Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alaska, and 
Maryland. With this funding, States can begin to protect their 
residents from the dangers of abandoned mines sooner rather than later.
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