[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26010]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                           MISSED OPPORTUNITY

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                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 3, 2000

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I stayed in Washington until the last 
possible moment, hoping that Congress could finish the business of the 
people of the Central Coast and all Americans. There are critical 
unresolved issues still on the table--including school modernization, 
common-sense tax relief, and adequate funding for Medicare.
  I am deeply dismayed that the congressional leadership has decided to 
push these issues off to a lame duck session. The American people 
deserve better. I support the Water Resources Development Act for a 
number of reasons. The bill authorizes a historic environmental 
restoration of our national treasure, the Everglades. Here on the 
Central Coast, I was pleased to help include $9.2 million in federally 
authorized funding for the Lower Mission Creek Area flood control 
project.
  I am, however, very disappointed that two additional provisions that 
I secured in the House bill were stripped out by the Senate Leadership. 
I fought for authorization to fund the Los Osos sewage treatment. I 
also secured a $10.3 million authorization for a desalination project 
in Cambria. Both of these projects are important to the quality of life 
for thousands of San Luis Obispo county residents.
  At this time, I am pleased to note that the leadership of both the 
House and Senate have pledged to include these projects in the final 
appropriations legislation that will pass when Congress reconvene after 
the election. My constituents can rests assured that I will work very 
hard to see that these critical programs are enacted.

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