[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23744]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         CHEYENNE RIVER SIOUX TRIBE EQUITABLE COMPENSATION ACT

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                               speech of

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 17, 2000

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I submit for the benefit of the 
Members, copies of letters between the Committee on Resources, and Tom 
Bliley, Chairman, Committee on Commerce, regarding the jurisdiction of 
S. 964.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                        Committee on Commerce,

                                 Washington, DC, October 17, 2000.
     Hon. Don Young,
     Chairman, Committee on Resources,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Don: I am writing with regard to S. 964, the Cheyenne 
     River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Act. I understand 
     that this legislation, as considered by the House, includes 
     the text of S. 2439, a bill to authorize the appropriation of 
     funds for the construction of the Southeastern Alaska 
     Intertie system, and for other purposes. As you know, S. 2439 
     falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Commerce pursuant to Rule X of the Rules of the House of 
     Representatives.
       Because of the importance of this legislation, I recognize 
     your desire to bring it before the House in an expeditious 
     manner. By agreeing to waive its consideration of the bill, 
     however, the Committee on Commerce does not waive its 
     jurisdiction over S. 964. In addition, the Commerce Committee 
     reserves its authority to seek conferees on any provisions of 
     the bill that are within its jurisdiction during any House-
     Senate conference that may be convened on this legislation. I 
     ask for your commitment to support any request by the 
     Commerce Committee for conferees on S. 964 or similar 
     legislation.
       I request that you include this letter and your response as 
     part of the Record during consideration of the legislation on 
     the House floor.
       Thank you for your attention to these matters.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Tom Bliley,
                                                         Chairman.

                                 ______
                                 

                                         House of Representatives,


                                       Committee on Resources,

                                 Washington, DC, October 18, 2000.
     Hon. Tom Bliley,
     Chairman, Committee on Commerce,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the 
     amendments to S. 964, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe 
     Equitable Compensation Act. You are correct that the 
     amendment to that bill includes the text of S. 2439, a bill 
     to authorize the appropriation of funds for the construction 
     of the Southeastern Alaska Intertie system, and for other 
     purposes. S. 2439 was referred to the Committee on Commerce.
       The Alaska Intertie system is critically important to my 
     constituents, so I appreciate your willingness not to insist 
     on a referral of S. 964 so that it can be voted on by the 
     House of Representatives today. I agree that your forbearance 
     does not affect any jurisdictional interest that you would 
     have in S. 964 as amended, and if a conference on the bill 
     becomes necessary, I would support your request to have the 
     Committee on Commerce be represented on the conference 
     committee.
       Thank you again for your cooperation on this matter and on 
     many others during my service as Chairman of the Committee on 
     Resources. It has been a privilege and a pleasure working 
     with you and your staff these last six years.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Don Young,
                                                         Chairman.

     

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