[House Report 104-173]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



104th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    104-173
_______________________________________________________________________


 
 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 
                                  1996

                                _______


 June 30, 1995.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


    Mr. Regula, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                            DISSENTING VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 1977]
    The Committee on Appropriations submits the following 
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making 
appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1996, the 
bill provides regular annual appropriations for the Department 
of the Interior (except the Bureau of Reclamation) and for 
other related agencies, including the Forest Service, the 
Department of Energy, the Indian Health Service, the 
Smithsonian Institution, and the National Foundation on the 
Arts and the Humanities.
                                CONTENTS

_______________________________________________________________________


                                                            Page number

                                                            Bill Report
Department of the Interior:
        Bureau of Land Management..........................     2
                                                                     12
        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.....................     9
                                                                     22
        National Biological Service..............................
                                                                     30
        National Park Service..............................    15
                                                                     30
        U.S. Geological Survey.............................    18
                                                                     39
        Minerals Management Service........................    21
                                                                     43
        Bureau of Mines....................................    23
                                                                     47
        Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
            Enforcement....................................    24
                                                                     48
        Bureau of Indian Affairs...........................    27
                                                                     51
        Territorial and International Affairs..............    34
                                                                     59
        Departmental Offices...............................    37
                                                                     62
        General Provisions.................................    39
                                                                     65
Related Agencies:
        Forest Service, USDA...............................    45
                                                                     66
Department of Energy:
        Clean Coal Technology....................................
                                                                     78
        Fossil Energy Research and Development.............    54
                                                                     78
        Alternative Fuels Production.......................    55
                                                                     82
        Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves.............    55
                                                                     82
        Energy Conservation................................    56
                                                                     83
        Economic Regulation................................    56
                                                                     91
        Emergency Preparedness...................................
                                                                     92
        Strategic Petroleum Reserve........................    57
                                                                     92
        Energy Information Administration..................    58
                                                                     93
Indian Health Service, DHHS................................    60
                                                                     94
Indian Education, DEd......................................    66
                                                                     98
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation................    66
                                                                     99
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and 
    Arts Development.......................................    67
                                                                    100
Smithsonian Institution....................................    68
                                                                    100
National Gallery of Art....................................    70
                                                                    103
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.............    71
                                                                    104
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars...........    72
                                                                    105
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities.........    72
                                                                    106
Commission of Fine Arts....................................    75
                                                                    108
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation..................    75
                                                                    109
National Capital Planning Commission.......................    75
                                                                    110
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission..............    76
                                                                    110
Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation................    76
                                                                    111
United States Holocaust Memorial Council...................    76
                                                                    112
Title III--General Provisions..............................    76
                                                                    112
                   Comparison With Budget Resolution

    Section 308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget and 
Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as 
amended, requires that the report accompanying a bill providing 
new budget authority contain a statement detailing how the 
authority compares with the reports submitted under section 602 
of the Act for the most recently agreed to concurrent 
resolution on the budget for the fiscal year. This information 
follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Sec. 602(b)                     This bill--         
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Discretionary     Mandatory     Discretionary     Mandatory  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority................................          12,700              65          12,033              59
Outlays.........................................          13,191              55          13,174              49
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The bill provides no new spending authority as described in 
section 401(c)(2) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as amended.
                          Summary of the Bill

    The Committee has conducted extensive hearings on the 
programs and projects provided for in the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations bill for 1996. The hearings are 
contained in 11 published volumes totaling nearly 12,000 pages.
    During the course of the hearings testimony was taken on 32 
days from nearly 800 witnesses, not only from agencies which 
come under the jurisdiction of the Interior Subcommittee, but 
also from Members of Congress, State and local government 
officials, and private citizens.
    The bill which is recommended for 1996 has been developed 
after careful consideration of all the facts and details 
available to the Committee.

                                  BUDGET AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED IN BILL BY TITLE                                 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                Committee bill  
                      Activity                         Budget estimates,    Committee bill,      compared with  
                                                       fiscal year 1996    fiscal year 1996    budget estimates 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title I, Department of the Interior: New Budget                                                                 
 (obligational) authority...........................      $6,855,935,000      $6,006,534,000       -$849,401,000
Title II, related agencies: New Budget                                                                          
 (obligational) authority...........................       6,961,469,000       5,956,141,000      -1,160,347,000
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
Grand total, New Budget (obligational) authority....      13,817,404,000      11,962,675,000      -1,854,729,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Total Appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related 
                                Agencies

    In addition to the amounts in the accompanying bill, which 
are reflected in the table above, permanent legislation 
authorizes the continuation of certain government activities 
without consideration by the Congress during the annual 
appropriations process.
    Details of these activities are listed in tables at the end 
of this report. In fiscal year 1995, these activities are 
estimated to total $3,053,416,000. The estimate for fiscal year 
1996 is $2,706,477,000.
    The following table reflects the total budget 
(obligational) authority contained both in this bill and in 
permanent appropriations for fiscal years 1995 and 1996.

         DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES TOTAL BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEARS 1995-96        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Item                           Fiscal year 1995    Fiscal year 1996         Change      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interior and related agencies appropriations bill...     $13,519,230,000     $11,962,675,000     -$1,556,555,000
Permanent appropriations, Federal funds.............       2,109,700,000       1,822,596,000        -287,104,000
Permanent appropriations, trust funds...............         943,716,000         883,881,000         -59,835,000
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
      Total budget authority........................      16,572,646,000      14,669,152,000      -1,903,494,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 Revenue Generated by Agencies in Bill

    The following tabulation indicates total new obligational 
authority to date for fiscal years 1994 and 1995, and the 
amount recommended in the bill for fiscal year 1996. It 
compares receipts generated by activities in this bill on an 
actual basis for fiscal year 1994 and on an estimated basis for 
fiscal years 1995 and 1996.

                                                                                                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Fiscal year--                      
                        Item                         -----------------------------------------------------------
                                                             1994                1995                1996       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New obligational authority..........................     $12,524,207,000     $13,519,230,000     $11,962,675,000
Receipts:                                                                                                       
    Department of the Interior......................       5,741,677,000       5,482,347,000       6,898,968,000
    Forest Service..................................         998,610,000         969,911,000         947,909,000
    Naval petroleum reserves........................         402,000,000         461,000,000         461,000,000
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
      Total receipts................................       7,132,287,000       6,913,258,000       8,307,877,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                   Application of General Reductions

    The level at which sequestration reductions shall be taken 
pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 
Act of 1985, if such reductions are required in fiscal year 
1996, is defined by the Committee as follows:
    As provided for by section 256(l)(2) of Public Law 99-177, 
as amended, and for the purpose of a Presidential Order issued 
pursuant to section 254 of said Act, the term ``program, 
project, and activity'' for items under the jurisdiction of the 
Appropriations Subcommittees on the Department of the Interior 
and Related Agencies of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate is defined as (1) any item specifically identified in 
tables or written material set forth in the Interior and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, or accompanying committee 
reports or the conference report and accompanying joint 
explanatory statement of the managers of the committee of 
conference; (2) any Government-owned or Government-operated 
facility; and (3) management units, such as national parks, 
national forests, fish hatcheries, wildlife refuges, research 
units, regional, state and other administrative units and the 
like, for which funds are provided in fiscal year 1996.
    The Committee emphasizes that any item for which a specific 
dollar amount is mentioned in any accompanying report, 
including all increases over the budget estimate approved by 
the Committee, shall be subject to a percentage reduction no 
greater or less than the percentage reduction applied to all 
domestic discretionary accounts.

                    Land and Water Conservation Fund

    Following is a comparison of the Land and Water 
Conservation Fund by agency. More specific information can be 
found in each agency's land acquisition account.

                                        LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND                                        
                                            [In thousands of dollars]                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Enacted fiscal    Estimated fiscal                     
                                                           year 1995           year 1996          Recommended   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assistance to States:                                                                                           
    Matching grants.................................              24,750              25,000                   0
    Administrative expenses.........................               3,240               3,000               1,500
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, assistance to States................              27,940              28,000               1,500
                                                     ===========================================================
Federal programs:                                                                                               
    Bureau of Land Management.......................              14,750              25,473               8,500
    Fish and Wildlife Service.......................              67,300              62,912              14,100
    National Park Service...........................              59,800              54,696              12,800
    Forest Service..................................              65,310              65,311              14,600
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Federal programs....................             207,160             208,392              50,000
                                                     ===========================================================
      Total L&WCF...................................             235,117             236,392              51,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee received many requests for land acquisition 
projects throughout the country. These were worthy projects, 
all involving willing sellers, many were inholders. 
Unfortunately, the Committee's allocation made it impossible to 
provide additional funding for this purpose. In addition, the 
House Budget Resolution, contained a provision which suggested 
a five-year moratorium on new land purchases to enable the land 
management agencies time to improve their stewardship of land 
already owned before facing the added management 
responsibilities of new purchases.
    The Committee has included $51,500,000 to cover both 
acquisition management and emergency land acquisitions for all 
four land management agencies including the Bureau of Land 
Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park 
Service and the U.S. Forest Service. Bill language is included 
in General Provisions, Department of the Interior, which allows 
the Secretary of the Interior authority to transfer the limited 
funds between the Interior agencies. All transfers are subject 
to the Committee's reprogramming guidelines which were 
published in the Committee report accompanying the fiscal year 
1995 appropriation, House Report 103-551, with the 
understanding that only the highest priority projects involving 
willing sellers will be considered. The Committee continues to 
encourage land exchanges.
    Realizing that emergency and hardship cases do arise each 
year, the Committee felt compelled to provide a minimum level 
of funds for each agency. Funds were also necessary for 
staffing because of previously appropriated dollars for land 
acquisition projects that have not been completed. However, the 
dollars provided for FTEs have been reduced.

                            Indian Programs

    Spending for Indian Services by the Federal Government in 
total is included in the following table:

                                       FEDERAL FUNDING OF INDIAN PROGRAMS                                       
                                            [In thousands of dollars]                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Fiscal year 1994,   Fiscal year 1995,   Fiscal year 1996,
                  Budget authority                          actual             estimate         budget estimate 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Agriculture...........................             305,517             276,878             361,022
Department of Commerce..............................               6,279               5,218               4,825
Department of Defense...............................               8,400               8,000                   0
Department of Justice...............................               5,138               3,448               4,483
Department of Education.............................             473,744             542,679             555,753
Department of HHS...................................           2,316,092           2,373,303           2,488,196
Department of HUD...................................             416,450             452,000             485,000
Department of Veterans Affairs......................                 156                 218                 455
Department of the Interior..........................           2,034,774           1,906,262           2,053,439
Department of Labor.................................              79,986              79,929              79,302
Department of Transportation........................             204,523             202,090             202,741
Environmental Protection Agency.....................              36,493              47,861              85,790
Smithsonian Institution.............................              22,900              40,700              46,600
Army Corps of Engineers.............................              20,339              17,345              20,631
Other Independent Agencies..........................              39,599              36,149              37,558
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
      Total.........................................           5,970,390           5,992,080           6,425,795
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     Reducing Levels of Management

    The Committee's recommendations for fiscal year 1996, in 
most cases, assume that fixed cost increases will be absorbed 
by agencies. The Committee expects each agency to reduce levels 
of review and management in order to cover the costs associated 
with pay raises and inflation. In particular, the Committee 
directs each agency to ensure that administrative practices 
that consume a large amount of staff time are eliminated or 
greatly reduced and the resulting savings are reflected in the 
reduction of staff and in budget reductions. For example, chain 
of review, concurrence and ``sign-offs'' for correspondence and 
for programmatic documents should be limited to no more than 
four reviewers except in rare cases involving a major policy 
issue, a complex legal situation or an agency-wide directive. 
For routine correspondence there should not be more than one 
level of review. The Committee expects that, as levels of 
review are reduced and employees are empowered to do their 
jobs, many positions will be eliminated. These positions should 
not be converted into additional program staff but should truly 
result in a reduction of FTEs.
    The Committee also expects that administrative positions; 
especially those involving Congressional and public affairs 
work, will be reduced. For example, reductions have been made 
in the Office of the Secretary of the Interior to reduce 
congressional and public affairs staffing and similar 
reductions should be applied to congressional and public 
affairs staffing in each Department of the Interior bureau. 
Each agency should report in its fiscal year 1997 budget 
justification on the number and costs of congressional and 
public affairs staffing in fiscal years 1995, 1996 and 1997 and 
where those positions are located in the agency. The Committee 
believes these positions should not be preserved at the expense 
of staffing for direct mission-related programs.

      Improving Efficiencies Through Consolidation and Procedural 
               Restructuring of Land Management Agencies

    While the reduction in fiscal year 1996 appropriations for 
the four primary federal land management agencies--the National 
Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and 
Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service, required to meet the 
committee allocation, is significant and will require that 
difficult choices be made within the bureaus, the Committee 
believes that its impact can be mitigated to a great extent by 
increasing efficiency and reducing costs both within and among 
the four agencies. The Committee expects that efforts already 
underway within the Administration will continue and will 
result in a federal land management structure that works better 
and costs less.
    Specifically, each of the four agencies has proposed a plan 
to streamline and restructure its organizations to operate more 
efficiently, and the Committee would expect these restructuring 
efforts to begin to reduce costs in fiscal year 1996. In 
addition, each of the four agencies is in the process of 
identifying the functions and programs that it could terminate, 
privatize, or transfer to state or local governments. The 
Committee believes that a thorough sorting out of the functions 
and programs that are not essentialto the agencies' stewardship 
missions could significantly reduce costs and increase 
efficiency.
    The Committee is concerned, however, that the agencies may 
not be adequately exploring opportunities that exist, and have 
been outlined in GAO and other reports, to collocate and 
combine certain functions, systems, programs, activities, or 
field locations. The Committee believes that joint efforts in 
planning and budgeting, joint use of administrative, technical, 
and management systems, and joint stewardship of natural and 
cultural resources could lead to greater efficiencies. The 
Committee encourages experiments to build support for 
consolidating the management of adjacent federal lands and 
believes that the four agencies must develop a strategy to 
coordinate and integrate functions, systems, activities, 
programs and regulations so that they begin to operate as a 
unit at the local level and improve and simplify service to the 
public.
    The Committee is also concerned that the agencies may not 
be adequately exploring opportunities to change fundamentally 
their approach to fulfilling their stewardship missions. The 
vast majority of public land users want to be good stewards. 
Federal agencies should work with local citizens, and federal 
land management agencies should promote good land stewardship 
primarily through voluntary cooperation, technical and 
financial assistance, education research, and public awareness 
rather than through the more traditional and labor-intensive 
control and regulation. The Committee believes that such a 
fundamental change in culture could allow the agencies to make 
better use of their limited resources. The Committee recognizes 
that there are efforts ongoing throughout the four agencies 
which reflect these goals and philosophies. These unfortunately 
are often isolated cases that have not been recognized and 
adopted by the agency leadership as a means to change 
dramatically the way the land management agencies are 
managed.Each land management agency continues to function as a 
separate unit, reluctant to consider, on a major scale, a 
collaborative federal effort.
    The Committee is also aware of ongoing efforts by the 
agencies to simplify and expedite planning and other procedural 
requirements, provide more certainty to the outcome of the 
planning process, and provide federal land managers with 
greater flexibility in meeting their respective missions and 
serving the public. These efforts include eco-region 
assessments by the Forest Service and other agencies and 
simplified and streamlined Forest Service and Bureau of Land 
Management budget structures. Another excellent example is the 
extent to which the U.S. Forest Service has aggressively 
embraced the goals of P.L. 103-62, the Government Performance 
and Results Act, which requires federal agencies over the next 
several years to develop measurable goals for each program and 
publish annual performance plans with measurable goals and 
program results. This good government initiative will identify 
for the American taxpayers exactly how their tax dollars are 
spent and enable the Congress and the Administration to make 
appropriate adjustments to programs that are not working as 
effectively and efficiently as they could. The Committee 
strongly encourages the Department of the Interior to take 
steps to implement this law as quickly as possible. 
Implementation of these types of measures could further reduce 
costs and increase efficiency and accountability.
    The Committee has attempted to minimize the effects of the 
1996 reductions on the federal land management agencies, 
particularly the operating accounts. However, the Committee 
strongly encourages these bureaus to take the above mentioned 
concerns and suggestions seriously as they prepare their 1997 
budget submissions. The reductions in the Committees allocation 
over the next several years will necessitate a broad and bold 
rethinking of how best to manage our nation's public lands into 
the next century.

                 Recreational Fee Demonstration Program

    The Nation's public lands afford the American public with a 
unique opportunity for a quality recreational experience. 
Recreation on our public lands provides large direct and 
indirect economic benefits to States and local communities 
across the Nation and helps support a multi-billion dollar 
recreation industry. However, there is a tremendous backlog of 
operational and construction needs in our parks, forests, 
refuges and public lands that have gone unmet, while at the 
same time visits by the American public continue to rise.
    The Committee has recommended a pilot fee program designed 
to improve our public lands by allowing 80 percent of fees 
generated to stay with the parks, forests, refuges and public 
lands where the fees are collected.
    The Committee has recommended language in Title III--
General Provisions which allows the Bureau of Land Management, 
Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and the Forest 
Service to establish recreational fee collections at 10 to 30 
sites or projects so that the funds collected are used directly 
to operate and enhance the sites where they are collected. 
Presently various restrictions either prevent such programs, or 
return most of the funds collected to the Treasury rather than 
to the sites where the payments are made. This is a one-year 
demonstration testing a variety of new user-fee collection 
methods which can foster incentive-based collections to enhance 
recreation and habitat.
    All Federal land management agencies have large backlogs of 
deferred maintenance. In some cases, facilities must be closed 
for health and safety reasons. In others, services and habitats 
provided are less than desirable. It is not possible to finance 
adequately this maintenance requirement from the Treasury given 
the need to reduce Federal spending. The public is better 
served and more willing to pay reasonable user fees if they are 
assured that the fees are being used to manage and enhance the 
sites where the fees are collected. This also creates a direct 
incentive for federal agencies to better serve the public.
    The Committee recommends that demonstration sites or 
projects include a portion of an administrative unit, such as a 
National Park, National Forest, National Wildlife Refuge, or 
Public Land District. A site would typically relate to a large 
campground or complex, visitor center, watershed or natural 
area. In order to increase the testing-power of this proposal, 
the Committee encourages the Secretaries to utilize a research-
based design when selecting the sites and projects as well as 
the fee-collection mechanisms. The Committee expects that the 
sites and projects should be representative of the agency 
spectrum, including facility, interpretation, and fish and 
wildlife habitat enhancement projects.
    The Committee recommends that the Secretaries exempt from 
fee charges persons engaged in conduct of official Federal, 
State, or local government business or others authorized by the 
Secretary to conduct administrative duties in the area, such as 
contractors.
    The Committee recognizes that user fees may be established 
for sites in this program which currently have free access. 
Volunteers may collect funds. As incentives to enhance the 
distribution and availability of the fee collection tools, 
vendors may charge a reasonable mark-up to cover their costs 
and provide a profit. Where the demonstration site had fee 
charges prior to implementation of this provision, only those 
funds collected that are in excess of 104% of those collected 
in 1995 are to be handled in accordance with this provision. 
The first 104% of fees collected are to be treated as they were 
during the previous fiscal year.
    The Committee expects that the agencies will keep funds 
distinct for each of the demonstration sites or areas and 
provide a clear accounting of both the funds collected at each 
site or area and the manner in which the funds were 
subsequently expended for the benefit of the site or area. The 
Secretaries should also provide distinct and clear accounting 
of the collections in the agencywide accounts and the place and 
manner of their utilization.
    The Committee also expects each agency to initiate a 
program to explain why fees are charged at these areas and how 
the revenues are used. The agencies should also measure overall 
public satisfaction with the services provided at these sites 
by both public and private providers. The Committee encourages 
the Secretaries to work together by providing a unified 
monitoring and public education program.
    The Committee requests that each Secretary provide the 
Congress a brief report describing the selected sites, and fee 
recovery methods to be used, by March 31, 1996, and a report 
which evaluates the pilot demonstrations, and including 
recommendations for further legislation, by March 31, 1997. The 
reports to Congress should include a discussion of the 
different sites selected and how they represent the 
geographical and programmatic spectrum of recreational sites 
and habitats managed by the agencies. The diversity of fee 
collection methods and fair market valuation methods should 
also be explained.
    The Committee also encourages the Secretaries to implement 
several demonstration areas per agency that include cost 
recovery methods that serve multi-agency purposes and 
customers. The Committee expects that fees collected from 
multi-agency areas or sites will be divided in a manner agreed 
upon beforehand by the agencies involved and returned to the 
accounts of the sites or projects in question.
    The Committee recommends that agencies solicit and 
establish visitor services, including films, exhibits and other 
programs, which are sponsored by private and non-profit 
organizations, providing the agreements do not extend beyond 
the term covered by this act. The Committee also recommends 
that the limited use of private logos or symbols, if they do 
not distract from the presentations, be allowed as part of this 
demonstration.
    The Committee recommends that the fee systems should 
respect the purpose of the Golden Eagle passports, Golden 
Access passports, and Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and 
Conservation Stamps although the Secretaries may limit the use 
of these passports and stamps during pre-established seasonal 
peak times or establish fee premiums to be assessed to holders 
of these passports and stamps when utilizing the demonstration 
sites established under this provision.
    It is the intent of the Committee to foster innovation and 
creativity among the agencies with the hope that some of the 
new programs may prove to be exciting and beneficial management 
tools that can help spread the costs of federal land management 
among those obtaining direct benefits.
                    Agency and Program Eliminations

    In order to stay within the budget allocation for fiscal 
year 1996, the Committee recommendations include the 
elimination of several agencies and many individual programs. 
This approach was taken to ensure that core operating accounts 
in the remaining programs in the bill were adequately funded. 
These actions are necessary to move toward balancing the budget 
through a smaller, more efficient and more effective government 
which is less bureaucratic and does not duplicate other 
government programs or activities which are more appropriately 
left to the private sector. The agencies recommended for 
elimination are:
          Department of the Interior, National Biological 
        Service;
          Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines;
          Department of Energy, Emergency Preparedness;
          Department of Education, Office of Indian Education;
          Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; and
          Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation.
    The following list contains many of the programs that are 
proposed for elimination. It is not all inclusive but 
represents the major program eliminations.

                       fish and wildlife service

    Endangered Species Act listing and prelisting.
    Applied technology transfer to rural areas.

                         national park service

    Urban park and recreation fund.
    State grants/land and water conservation fund.

                         u.s. geological survey

    Grants to universities for earthquake research.

                        bureau of indian affairs

    Community and economic development grants.
    Community development technical assistance.
    Indian arts and crafts board.
    Special higher education scholarships.
    Indian guaranteed loan program.
    Technical assistance of Indian enterprises.
    Business enterprise development grants.
    Indian direct loan program.
    Navajo rehabilitation trust fund.

                        office of surface mining

    Rural abandoned mine program.

                             forest service

    International forestry.
    Forest legacy.
    Stewardship incentives program.
    Economic diversification studies.
    Timber bridge initiative.

                   department of energy/fossil energy

    Advanced computational technology initiative.
    Coalbed methane program.
    Planar solid oxide fuel cells program.
    Mild gasification process development unit.
    Gasifier improvement facility.

                department of energy/energy conservation

    Advanced absorption fluids.
    Microcogeneration.
    Lighting collaboratives.
    Appliance development and commercialization.
    Federal energy efficiency fund.
    Cool communities.
    Training for commercial building operators.
    Pressure calciner project.
    High temperature fibers commercialization.
    Development of coatings using biomimetic processing.
    Advanced fluid catalytic cracker.
    Pulse combustion black liquor gasification process.
    Food, textiles and agriculture program.
    Grants to industrial associations.
    Industrial assessments.
    Industrial technology strategic plan.
    CNG adsorbent systems and tank design.
    Federal fleet vehicle acquisitions (eliminate central DOE 
fund).
    Collaborative effort with DOT on crash behavior.
    Automotive piston technologies.
    On-board hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
    Locomotive fuel cell program.
    Fuel cells for buses.
    Integrated resource planning (utility sector programs).

                     Inflationary Impact Statement

    Clause 2(l)(4), of rule XI of the House of Representatives, 
requires that each Committee report on a bill or resolution 
contain a statement as to whether enactment of such bill or 
resolution may have an inflationary impact on price and costs 
in the operation of the national economy. Many of the funds 
provided in this bill permit increased production, will 
increase supply and, thus, reduce the inflationary demand that 
results when a material is in short supply. These programs also 
generate revenue for the Federal Government which is estimated 
at $8.3 billion for fiscal year 1996. Therefore, the 
expenditures proposed in this bill will contribute to the 
economic stability, rather than inflation.

                  TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

                       Bureau of Land Management

    The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the 
multiple use management, protection, and development of a full 
range of natural resources, including minerals, timber, 
rangeland, fish and wildlife habitat, and wilderness on about 
270 million acres of the Nation's public lands and for 
management of 300 million additional acres of federally owned 
subsurface mineral rights. The Bureau is the second largest 
supplier of public outdoor recreation in the Western United 
States, with an estimated 65 million visits totaling 570 
million visitor hours of recreation use on the public lands 
under the Bureau's management.
    Under the multiple-use and ecosystem management concept the 
Bureau administers the grazing of approximately 4.3 million 
head of livestock on some 164 million acres of public land 
ranges, and manages over 39,000 wild horses and burros, some 
270 million acres of wildlife habitat, and over 150,000 miles 
of fisheries habitat. Grazing receipts are estimated to be 
about $17.3 million in fiscal year 1996, compared to an 
estimated $18.2 million in fiscal year 1995 and actual receipts 
of $19.8 million in fiscal year 1994. The Bureau also 
administers about 4 million acres of commercial forest lands 
through the ``Management of lands and resources'' and ``Oregon 
and California grant lands'' appropriations. Timber receipts 
(including salvage) are estimated to be $99.6 million in fiscal 
year 1996 compared to estimated receipts of $73.6 million in 
fiscal year 1995 and actual receipts of $75.4 million in fiscal 
year 1994, because of reduced timber harvest levels in the 
Pacific Northwest. The Bureau has an active program of soil and 
watershed management on 175 million acres in the lower 48 
States and 92 million acres in Alaska. Practices such as 
revegetation, protective fencing, and water developments are 
designed to conserve, enhance, and develop public land, soil, 
and watershed resources. The Bureau is also responsible for 
fire protection on the public lands and on all Department of 
the Interior managed lands in Alaska, and for the suppression 
of wildfires on the public lands in Alaska and the western 
States.

                   management of lands and resources
Appropriation enacted, 1995 ............................    $597,236,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     616,547,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     570,017,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -27,219,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -46,530,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $570,017,000 
for management of lands and resources, a decrease of 
$46,530,000 below the budget request and $27,219,000 below the 
1995 funding level. The comparisons of the recommendation and 
the budget estimates by activity is shown in the following 
table:


    Land resources.--The Committee recommends $114,328,000 for 
land resources, which is $6,260,000 below the request, and 
$451,000 below the 1995 funding level. The Committee recognizes 
rangeland and riparian management as a priority, and has 
provided a 4.9% increase for rangeland and a 3.5% increase for 
riparian. The Committee encourages the Bureau to use up to 
$500,000 of funds within range management for the Rangelands 
Ecosystem Group component of the Environmental Monitoring and 
Assessment Program (EMAP) in cooperation with other agencies.
    Wildlife and fisheries.--The Committee recommends 
$25,100,000 for wildlife and fisheries, which is a decrease of 
$5,119,000 below the request, and $745,000 over the 1995 
funding level. The Committee supports the goals of a new 
recreational fisheries initiative, for which $4,000,000 was 
requested, but was unable to provide additional funding for 
this purpose due to the severe budget constraints imposed by 
the budget resolution.
    Recreation management.--The Committee recommends 
$45,587,000 for recreation management, which is $2,998,000 
below the request, and $4,850,000 over 1995. The Committee has 
included bill language requested by the administration which 
will generate about $2,500,000 in additional receipts to be 
used for recreation operations. This will provide approximately 
a 10.7% increase in funding over the 1995 level for recreation 
management, and indicates the Committee's support for this 
activity in light of the increasing public demand for these 
services. The Committee has provided $2,000,000 within 
wilderness management to support implementation of the 
California Desert Protection Act which is $3,000,000 below the 
Administration's requested increase for this purpose. The 
amount provided for California Desert includes $500,000 for the 
management of East Mojave National Scenic Area, which was 
funded in the Park Service in 1995; and there is an additional 
$100,000 included in facilities maintenance that was also 
formerly in the Park Service. Implementation of the Act 
requires new activities such as survey and installation of 
boundary signs, preparation of wilderness maps for 69 new 
areas, law enforcement patrol, surveillance and resource 
protection of these areas including the closure of previously 
used access routes. Due to severe budget constraints, 
additional funds were not available for this purpose.
    Bill language is included in Title III, General Provisions, 
establishing a recreational fee test program that allows fees 
to be charged at 10 to 30 sites or areas and provides for the 
use of a portion of those fees, without further appropriation, 
for facility or habitat enhancment, operation, or 
interpretation, with a focus on reducing the backlog of repair 
and maintenance. This fee demonstration program is explained in 
more detail in the front of this report.
    Energy and minerals.--The Committee recommends $67,261,000 
for energy and minerals, which is $699,000 above the request, 
and $962,000 below the 1995 funding level. The increases 
provided for oil and gas, and other mineral resources, will 
allow BLM to address increased workloads. The Committee is 
concerned about continuing conflicts between potash mining and 
the oil and gas industry in southeast New Mexico, and 
encourages the Bureau to use up to $100,000 to complete a study 
to resolve the controversy between the two industries.
    Realty and ownership management.--The Committee recommends 
$64,940,000 for realty and ownership management, which is 
$4,012,000 below the request, and $7,657,000 below the 1995 
funding level.
    Resource protection and maintenance.--The Committee 
recommends $63,801,000 for resource protection and maintenance, 
which is $6,398,000 below the request, and $5,797,000 below the 
1995 funding level. The Committee expects that the reduction of 
$1,908,000 below the request for hazardous materials management 
be applied to the lowest priority activity.
    Automated land and mineral records system.--The Committee 
recommends $55,000,000 for automated land and mineral records 
system (ALMRS), which is $14,503,000 below the request, and 
$14,181,000 below the 1995 funding level. Based on a review by 
the General Accounting Office, the Committee believes that the 
budget is based on an optimistic implementation schedule in 
1996, for the development and implementation of this new 
technology that does not allow time for unexpected delays and 
complete testing prior to full implementation. Therefore, the 
Committee has reduced funding compatible with deferring all 
ALMRS deployment sites, except pilot sites in New Mexico, 
National Training Center, Washington Office, and the Office of 
IRM/Modernization, until 1997 in order to fully test and 
validate ALMRS before it is deployed throughout BLM.
    The Committee expects BLM to use funding provided in 1996 
to finish the development of the system, finish data collection 
and conversion efforts, install ALMRS at the pilot sites, and 
thoroughly test, verify, and validate that ALMRS operates as 
specified and as needed by the Bureau.
    Prior to Committee hearings on the 1997 budget, the 
Committee requests a report on the Bureau's testing, 
verification, and validation reports, as well as certification 
that ALMRS performs accurately and effectively, and provides 
the expected capabilities.
    Mining law administration.--The Committee recommends 
$32,650,000 for mining law administration, which is the same as 
the request, and an increase of $6,051,000 over the 1995 
funding level. This activity is supported by offsetting fees 
equal to the amount made available in the bill.
    The Committee is concerned that, although the Fiscal Year 
1995 Interior Appropriations Act provided for the exemption of 
a class of pending mineral patent applications from the 
limitation on accepting and processing applications for patents 
and on the patenting of Federal land, a severe backlog of 
unprocessed patent applications exists within the Department of 
the Interior. The Committee expects the patent application 
backlog to be cleared in a timely manner. Accordingly, the 
Committee instructs the Secretary of the Interior to file a 
plan with the Committee, due no later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, detailing how the Department of 
the Interior will process the currently pending patent 
applications within four years of the date of enactment of this 
Act. The Committee also directs the Secretary to file annual 
reports to the Committee detailing actions taken by the 
Department of the Interior to carry out this plan.
    The Committee has not continued a limitation on accepting 
and processing applications for patents and on the patenting of 
Federal land to claimants. The Administration requested 
continuation of the moratorium that was included in the 1995 
appropriations Act.
    General.--In recent years there has been a growing movement 
to give public lands to the states. There may be alternatives 
to a wholesale transfer of lands which could include leasing or 
some form of cooperative management for those lands that do not 
have national interests. In recognition of the growing concern 
that some of these lands can and should be administered 
differently, and in recognition of the Secretary's partnerships 
agreement with the Western States Land Commissioners 
Association, the Committee directs the Secretary to develop a 
pilot plan for joint federal/state management for one or more 
selected BLM resources areas or counties. The Secretary is to 
select an area(s) in consultation with affected state(s) or 
county(s) and report to the Committee on the strategic goals, 
the duration of the pilot effort, and the applicability of the 
lessons learned for other BLM administered lands. These plans 
should include opportunities for sharing management 
responsibilities and the cost savings of the proposed joint 
management agreements.
    The Committee has again provided funds in the ``management 
of lands and resources'' account ``to remain available until 
expended.'' This will increase the flexibility of the Bureau in 
managing funds, avoid end-of-the-year spending and the 
requirement for mandatory reserves necessary for annual 
accounts.

                            fire protection
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $114,748,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     114,763,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    -114,748,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -114,763,000

    The Committee has eliminated this account and included 
funding for this activity under Wildland Fire Management.

         emergency department of the interior firefighting fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $121,176,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     131,482,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    -121,176,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -131,482,000

    The Committee has eliminated this account and included 
funding for this activity under Wildland Fire Management.

                        wildland fire management
Appropriated enacted, 1995..............................................
Budget estimate, 1996...................................................
Recommended, 1996.......................................    $235,924,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    +235,924,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    +235,924,000

    The Committee recommends $235,924,000 for a new 
consolidated firefighting account, Wildland Fire Management, 
which combines Fire Protection and Emergency Department of the 
Interior Firefighting Fund. The funding provided is the same as 
the 1995 funding level for these two accounts, and $10,321,000 
below the request. The Committee has taken this action to 
improve Congressional oversight of presuppression and 
suppression expenditures, and streamline administrative cost 
reporting. This new account includes all activities related to 
wildland fire management previously covered by the two 
accounts, including management, planning, fire use, prescribed 
fire and hazard fuel reduction, pre-season readiness and 
preparedness, operations, and emergency rehabilitation. The 
operations function includes activities related to monitoring 
and managing naturally occuring prescribed fires. High priority 
renovation or construction of fire facilities to correct 
critical health and safety problems and to improve the overall 
effectiveness and efficiency of wildland fire management is 
permitted as proposed in the request.
    The appropriation includes $130,931,000 for preparedness 
and fire use and $104,993,000 for suppression operations. The 
Committee expects the Department to submit a short statement of 
the scope of each activity by December 1, 1995.
    The Committee endorses the concept of using the ``most 
efficient level'' (MEL) to minimize total wildland fire costs 
over time. The fire use and management activity is funded at 
84% of the estimated 1996 MEL. Funding for the operations 
activity is set at 84% of the ten-year average actual costs for 
this activity. Should additional funding be required, the 
Department should first use the $50.2 million contingency fund 
appropriated in 1993. Beyond that, the Secretary's authority 
under section 102 of this Act should be invoked. The Committee 
has included language in section 102 which requires that 
supplementals be submitted as promptly as possible.
    Finally, the Committee is concerned that the growing costs 
of fighting wildlife fires are due in part to fire suppression 
tactics that are not commensurate with the resources protected 
and to the high level of fuels in many areas. The Committee 
urges the wildland fire management agencies to undertake fire 
protection and suppression activities that protect public and 
firefighter safety and that are reasonable when compared to the 
resource and other values at risk. Within the funds available, 
the Committee urges the agencies to undertake aggressive 
efforts to reduce fuel loads through prescribed fire or other 
means to reduce future fire suppression costs and to improve 
the health of the lands and resources.

                    Central Hazardous Materials Fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $13,409,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      14,024,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      10,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -3,409,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -4,024,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimates by activity is shown in 
the following table:


    The Central hazardous materials fund is established to 
include funding for remedial investigations/feasibility studies 
and cleanup of hazardous waste sites for which the Department 
of the Interior is liable pursuant to the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and 
includes sums recovered from or paid by a party as 
reimbursement for remedial action or response activities.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $10,000,000 
for the Central hazardous materials fund, which is $4,024,000 
below the request, and $3,409,000 below the 1995 funding level. 
The Committee expects the Department to fund the highest 
priority, on-going or emergency projects within this funding 
level, and not start new, non-emergency projects.

                        construction and access
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $12,068,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       3,019,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       2,515,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -9,553,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -504,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $2,515,000 for 
construction and access, which is $504,000 below the request, 
and $9,553,000 below the 1995 funding level. These funds should 
be used to fund the highest priority construction needs as 
stated in the budget justifications.

                       payments in lieu of taxes
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $101,409,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     113,911,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     111,409,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     +10,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -2,502,000

    Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) provides for payments to 
local units of government containing certain federally owned 
lands. These payments are designed to supplement other Federal 
land receipt sharing payments local governments may be 
receiving. Payments received may be used by the recipients for 
any governmental purpose.
    The Committee recommends $111,409,000 for PILT, which is 
$2,502,000 below the request, and $10,000,000 above the 1995 
funding level.
    The Committee directs the Secretary to submit a report on 
the implementation of the PILT Act by September 30, 1997, which 
includes the following information:
          (1) the extent to which payments under the PILT Act 
        exceed the tax revenues that States and local 
        governments would receive from entitlement lands (as 
        defined in such Act) if such lands were taxed at the 
        same rates as other lands;
          (2) the nature and extent of services provided by 
        units of local government to visitors to entitlement 
        lands, and the economic benefits resulting from the 
        presence of such visitors;
          (3) other economic benefits to communities in areas 
        where Federal lands are located; and
          (4) recommendations concerning the feasibility and 
        desirability of amending the PILT Act and other laws 
        under which payments are made to local governments on 
        the basis of the location of Federal lands and the 
        revenues derived from such lands, in order to provide 
        assistance to local governments that is more uniform 
        and consistent and less subject to fluctuation because 
        of changes in management of such lands or the revenues 
        derived from such lands.

                            land acquisition
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $14,757,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      24,473,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       8,500,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -6,257,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -15,973,000

    The Committee recommends $8,500,000 for land acquisition, a 
decrease of $6,257,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level and 
$15,973,000 below the budget request. The amount recommended 
includes $4,500,000 for acquisition, in accordance with the 
guidance provided in the front of this report, and $4,000,000 
for acquisition management.
    The Committee has included bill language in the General 
Provisions section which gives the Secretary authority to 
transfer the limited acquisition funds between Interior 
agencies.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of the Interior to 
identify all BLM lands within the State of New Mexico which are 
potentially suitable for disposal through sale or exchange and 
to complete site specific resources evaluations, clearances and 
appraisals for these parcels. The Secretary is further directed 
to enter into negotiations with the State of New Mexico, BLM 
lease holders, and other private landowners for the purpose of 
exchange or sale of these lands. The Secretary shall set up a 
timetable and cost estimates for these procedures and keep the 
Committee apprised of any progress.

                   oregon and california grant lands
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $97,364,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     112,752,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      91,387,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -5,977,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -21,365,000

    The amounts recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimates by activity are as 
follows:


    The Committee recommends $91,387,000 for the Oregon and 
California grant lands, which is $21,365,000 below the request, 
and $5,977,000 below the 1995 funding level.These funds are 
provided for construction and acquisition, operation and 
maintenance, and management activities on the revested lands in 
the 18 Oregon and California land grant counties of western 
Oregon.
    The Committee urges BLM to make every effort to comply with 
the statutory requirements of the Oregon and California Grant 
Lands Act to provide economic benefits to the counties adjacent 
to O&C forestlands. The Committee has included funding for the 
Forest Management activities at the FY 1995 level of 
$20,838,000. These funds should be sufficient to reach a timber 
sale level of at least 185 MMBF for FY 1996. The agency should 
make every effort to refill the timber sale preparation 
pipeline to insure accomplishment of the Potential Sale 
Quantity by FY 1997.
    The Committee is also concerned about BLM's inability to 
meet the timber harvest goals that were laid out as part of the 
President's Forest Plan for the Pacific Northwest even though 
sufficient funding has been provided to reach those goals. The 
Committee expects BLM to take every action possible to reach 
the harvest levels promised by the President for the region in 
the option 9 plan.
    The Committee is concerned that some of the money provided 
for the ``Jobs in the Woods'' program has not been used for its 
intended purpose. The Committee urges BLM to take appropriate 
actions to use project dollars to hire dislocated timber and 
forest workers from forest dependent communities and to provide 
job training in support of those workers.

                           range improvements

                 (indefinite appropriation of receipts)
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $10,350,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       9,113,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       9,113,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,237,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of not 
less than $9,113,000 to be derived from public lands receipts 
and Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act lands grazing receipts. 
Receipts are used for construction, purchase, and maintenance 
of range improvements, such as seeding, fence construction, 
weed control, water development, fish and wildlife habitat 
improvement, and planning and design of these projects.

               Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures

                              (Indefinite)
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $8,883,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       8,993,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       8,993,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        +110,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends $8,993,000, the budget estimate, 
for service charges, deposits, and forfeitures. This account 
uses the revenues collected under specified sections of the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and other Acts 
to pay for reasonable administrative and other costs in 
connection with rights-of-way applications from the private 
sector, miscellaneous cost-recoverable realty cases, timber 
contract expenses, repair of damaged lands, the adopt-a-horse 
program, and the provision of copies of official public land 
documents.

                       Miscellaneous Trust Funds

                              (Indefinite)
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $7,605,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       7,605,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       7,605,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $7,605,000, 
the budget estimate, for miscellaneous trust funds. The Federal 
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 provides for the receipt 
and expenditure of moneys received as donations or gifts 
(section 307). Funds in this trust fund are derived from the 
administrative and survey costs paid by applicants for 
conveyance of omitted lands (lands fraudulently or erroneously 
omitted from original cadastral surveys), from advances for 
other types of surveys requested by individuals, and from 
contributions made by users of Federal rangelands. Amounts 
received from the sale of Alaska town lots are also available 
for expenses of sale and maintenance of townsites. Revenue from 
unsurveyed lands, and surveys of omitted lands, administrative 
costs of conveyance, and gifts and donations must be 
appropriated before it can be used.

                United States Fish and Wildlife Service

    The mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service is to 
conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their 
habitats for the continuing benefit of people. The Service has 
responsibility for migratory birds, threatened and endangered 
species, certain marine mammals, and land under Service 
control.
    The Service manages 92 million acres encompassing a 505 
unit National Wildlife Refuge System, 35 waterfowl production 
areas and 50 coordination areas. The Service also operates 73 
National Fish Hatcheries and nine Fish Health Centers. A 
network of law enforcement agents and port inspectors enforce 
Federal laws for the protection of fish and wildlife.
                          resource management
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $511,334,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     535,018,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     498,035,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -13,299,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -36,983,000

    The Committee recommends $498,035,000 for Resource 
Management, which is $36,983,000 below the request, and 
$13,299,000 below the 1995 funding level. The comparisons of 
the recommendation and the budget estimates by activity are 
shown in the following table:


    Endangered Species.--The Committee recommends $53,000,000 
for endangered species activities within the Fish and Wildlife 
Service enhancement program, which is $24,170,000 below the 
request and $15,947,000 below the 1995 funding level. The 
Committee has not provided funding for endangered species 
listing and prelisting activities pending the reauthorization 
of the Endangered Species Act. Funding for permit activities 
has been provided under the new international affairs activity 
in general administration as requested by the Administration.
    The Committee encourages the Service to provide the same 
level of assistance in fiscal year 1996 as was provided in 
fiscal year 1995 for the Upper Colorado River Basin endangered 
fish recovery program, and The Peregrine Fund to continue 
activities related to the California condor and the peregrine 
falcon. The Committee also urges the Fish and Wildlife Service 
to provide the same level of assistance for the habitat 
conservation program in southern California (NCCP) using the 
same distribution to governmental agencies as in 1995. These 
funds are to be equally matched by private resources.
    The Committee is concerned that some of the money provided 
for the ``Jobs in the Woods'' program has not been used for its 
intended purpose. The Committee urges FWS to take appropriate 
actions to use project dollars to hire dislocated timber and 
forest workers from forest dependent communities and to provide 
job training in support of those workers.
    Habitat Conservation.--The Committee recommends $51,575,000 
for habitat conservation, which is $8,116,000 below the 
request, and $6,076,000 below the 1995 funding level.
    The amount provided includes $1,490,000 for the Washington 
State Ecosystem project, $400,000 for station number 30124 and 
$300,000 for Portland Greenspaces.
    The Committee commends the habitat conservation work done 
in region 3 and urges the service to continue funding projects 
in that region that focus on urban ecosystems at no less than 
the FY 1995 level.
    The Committee recommends $4,000,000 for the national 
wetlands inventory, which is $3,750,000 below the request, and 
$3,822,000 below the 1995 funding level. This level will allow 
for the continued distribution of maps and dissemination of 
information, archival work and mapping of the lower 48 States.
    No funds are included for Applied Technology Transfer to 
Rural Areas (ATTRA) consistent with the statement of managers 
accompanying the 1995 Appropriations Act and the 
Administration's budget request.
    Environmental Contaminants.--The Committee recommends 
$9,051,000 for the environmental contaminants program, which is 
$117,000 below the request, and $566,000 below the 1995 funding 
level. The funding level provided includes $1,417,000 for the 
Patuxent Analytical Control Facility which was previously 
funded in the National Biological Survey, and $410,000 for off-
refuge investigations.
    Refuges and Wildlife.--The Committee recommends 
$225,129,000 for refuges and wildlife, which is $4,281,000 
above the request, and $7,418,000 over the 1995 funding level.
    The Committee is concerned about the pace of the 
remediation of the Laguna Cartegena NWR to remove physical 
obstructions to drainage channels and open waters and to 
restore wildlife habitat. Despite the offers of several Federal 
and local agencies and institutions to provide services and 
materials to assist in the remediation in a cost-effective way, 
the Service has not taken the administrative steps necessary to 
allow this cooperation to proceed. The Committee directs the 
Service to report on the progress of the remediation and its 
timetable for completion.
    Bill language is included in Title III, General Provisions, 
establishing a recreational fee test program that allows fees 
to be charged at 10 to 30 sites or areas and provides for the 
use of a portion of those fees, without further appropriation, 
for facility or habitat enhancement, operation, or 
interpretation, with a focus on reducing the backlog of repair 
and maintenance. This fee demonstration program is explained in 
more detail in the front of this report.
    Fisheries.--The Committee recommends $63,351,000 for 
fisheries, which is $5,419,000 below the request, and 
$2,604,000 below the 1995 funding level.
    The Committee has approved the Administration's request to 
transfer 11 fish hatcheries to the States and one Native 
American tribe. Based on a review by the Fish and Wildlife 
Service which established criteria to determine the lowest 
priority hatcheries, these facilities were identified because 
their production primarily supports resident State programs. 
The Administration had proposed to transfer the hatcheries 
effective September 30, 1995. The Committee has included an 
additional $2,700,000 in 1996 to delay the effective date of 
transfer until April 1, 1996. This will give States additional 
time to prepare for the transfer. The facilities will be closed 
if States are unwilling to accept the transfer. The Committee 
has also included $1,000,000 in general administration to cover 
transition expenses such as employee severance and moving 
costs.
    The Administration has also proposed a three year grant 
program to support State operations of these hatcheries at no 
cost the first year and on a declining rate the subsequent two 
years. The grant program will provide time for the States to 
accommodate operations and maintenance expenses within their 
own budgets through increased revenues, or other State revenue 
sources. The Committee directs the Service to work with the 
States to establish State brood stock programs, and to provide 
brood stock, eggs and fry to these hatcheries that is 100% of 
the 1995 level for 2 years beginning on April 1, 1996, and a 
phased down level over the succeeding several years. The 
Committee does not object to the use of Sport Fish Restoration 
funds for these grants.
    The Committee encourages the Fish and Wildlife Service to 
provide assistance to the Mescalero Apache Tribe in the 
transition of the Mescalero NFH, and work with the Tribe to 
develop an intertribal governing system for operation of the 
facility and fish production/distribution that considers the 
requirements of the 11 tribes currently receiving fish from 
this hatchery.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Estimated value                    
             Hatchery                      \1\           Operating cost 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inks Dam NFH, TX..................         $4,012,000           $264,000
Mescalero NFH, NM.................          1,627,000            277,000
Bo Ginn NFH, GA...................          4,000,000            192,000
Carbon Hill NFH, AL...............          3,500,000            159,000
Chattahoochee Forest NFH, GA......          5,000,000            292,000
McKinney Lake NFH, NC.............          4,000,000            179,000
Meridian NFH, MS..................          3,500,000            225,000
Walhalla NFH, SC..................          5,000,000            223,000
Wolf Creek NFH, KY................          8,000,000            278,000
Bowden NFH, WV....................          9,151,000            313,000
Valley City NFH, ND...............          6,769,500            191,000
                                   -------------------------------------
      Total.......................         54,559,500          2,593,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Based on estimated value of land, buildings, residences, and other  
  capital improvements.                                                 

    The Committee supports the goals of a new recreational 
fisheries initiative, for which $4,000,000 was requested, but 
was unable to provide additional funding for this purpose due 
to the severe budget constraints imposed by the budget 
resolution.
    General Administration.--The Committee recommends 
$95,929,000 for general administration, which is $3,422,000 
below the request, and $4,476,000 above the 1995 funding level. 
The funding provided includes $5,301,000 for international 
affairs, which was largely funded through other activities in 
1995. Servicewide administrative support includes $4,000,000 
for the final year of funding to be provided to the National 
Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and $1,000,000 for severance 
costs of employees related to the transfer of 11 fish 
hatcheries to the States as proposed in the Administration's 
request.
    The Committee has provided two year availability of funds 
for the Resource Management account, and allowed expiring 1995 
balances to be merged with 1996 appropriations. This is 
intended to provide additional flexibility to manage reductions 
and address maintenance funding requirements.
    General.--Language is included under Administrative 
provisions which requires that the establishment of new refuges 
with funds made available in this bill be approved by the 
Committee through the reprogramming process. Language is also 
included which prohibits the Fish and Wildlife Service from 
delaying the issuance of a wetlands permit by the Army Corps of 
Engineers for a public golf course in the City of Lake Jackson, 
TX. Additional language is included which allows the Fish and 
Wildlife Service to retain all entrance fees collected, rather 
than only 30% of collections available under current law.
    The Committee urges the Service to maintain the 1995 
funding level for the South Florida Ecosystem and the Pacific 
Northwest Forest Plan.

                              Construction
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $53,768,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      34,095,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      26,355,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -27,413,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -7,740,000

    The Committee recommends $26,355,000 for construction, 
which is $7,740,000 below the request, and $27,413,000 below 
the 1995 funding level. The recommendation is detailed in the 
table below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Site, State, description     Budget request    Committeerecommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bear River MBR, UT, flood                                               
 repair....................                   0             $1,000,000  
Bosque del Apache NWR, NM.                                              
 repair....................                   0             $1,820,000  
Bridge safety, inspections.            $395,000                395,000  
Construction management....           4,540,000              4,400,000  
Dam safety, inspections....             460,000                460,000  
Hawaii captive propogation                                              
 facility..................                   0              1,000,000  
National Education Training                                             
 Center, WV, construction..          28,000,000             15,580,000  
Southeast Louisiana                                                     
 Refuges, rehabilitation...                   0              1,000,000  
Wichita Mts. WR, OK:                                                    
    Grama Lake & Comanche                                               
     Dams, repair..........             700,000                700,000  
                            --------------------------------------------
      Total................          34,095,000             26,355,000  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                natural resource damage assessment fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $6,687,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       6,700,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       6,019,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -668,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -681,000

    The purpose of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund 
is to provide the basis for claims against responsible parties 
for the restoration of injured natural resources. Assessments 
ultimately will lead to the restoration of injured resources, 
natural resource damages, and reimbursement for reasonable 
assessment costs from responsible parties through negotiated 
settlements or other legal actions.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,019,000, 
which is $681,000 below the budget request, and $688,000 below 
the 1995 funding level.

                            land acquisition
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $67,141,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      62,912,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      14,100,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -53,041,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -48,812,000

    The Committee recommends $14,100,000 for land acquisition, 
a decrease of $53,041,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level and 
$48,812,000 below the budget request. The amount recommended 
includes $6,000,000 for acquisition, in accordance with the 
guidance provided in the front of this report, and $8,100,000 
for acquisition management.
    The Committee has included bill language in the General 
Provisions section which gives the Secretary authority to 
transfer the limited acquisition funds between Interior 
agencies.

            cooperative endangered species conservation fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $8,983,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      38,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       8,085,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -898,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -29,915,000

    The Committee recommends $8,085,000 for the Cooperative 
Endangered Species Conservation Fund, which is $29,915,000 
below the request, and $898,000 below the 1995 funding level. 
This appropriation provides grants to the States and 
territories as defined in the Endangered Species Act for 
conservation of threatened and endangered species and for 
monitoring the status of candidate and recovered species. The 
Administration requested $27,363,000 for a new grant program 
for state land acquisition to implement habitat conservation 
plans. Due to the lack of an authorization for the Endangered 
Species Act, and the drastic reductions in Federal land 
acquisition funding due to severe budget constraints, the 
Committee has not provided funding for this new program.

                     national wildlife refuge fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $11,977,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      11,371,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      10,779,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,198,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -592,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $10,779,000, 
for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund, which is $592,000 below 
the request, and $1,198,000 below the 1995 funding level.
    Through this program the Service makes payments to counties 
in which Service lands are located based on their fair market 
value. Payments to counties will be $15,409,000 in fiscal year 
1996 with $10,779,000 derived from this appropriation and 
$4,630,000 from net refuge receipts estimated to be collected 
in fiscal year 1995.

                         rewards and operations
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $1,167,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       1,169,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................         600,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -567,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -569,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $600,000 for 
African Elephant Conservation, which is $569,000 below the 
request, and $567,000 below the 1995 funding level. The African 
Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 established a fund for 
assisting nations and organizations involved with conservation 
of African elephants. With this funding, the Service will 
provide grants to African nations with elephants and to 
qualified organizations and individuals with proposals to 
protect and manage critical populations of African elephants.
    The African elephant's 60% population decline in the 1980s, 
from 1.3 million to less than 600,000 animals, has been 
stabilized by a successful international effort led by the 
United States to stop the ivory trade and provide antipoaching 
assistance through this fund. The modest support provided 
through this appropriation is critical to assisting rangers 
fight poaching and maintaining current population levels of the 
species. The Committee expects these funds to be matched by 
non-Federal funding to leverage private contributions to the 
maximum extent possible.

               north american wetlands conservation fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $8,983,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      12,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       4,500,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -4,483,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -7,500,000

    The Committee recommends $4,500,000 to initiate the 
phaseout of appropriations for the North American Wetlands 
Conservation Fund, which is $7,500,000 below the request and 
$4,483,000 below the 1995 funding level. The Committee intends 
this to be the final year of annual appropriations for this 
program. An additional $17,875,000 will become available in 
1996 through a permanent appropriation.

        lahontan valley and pyramid lake fish and wildlife fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................................
Budget estimate, 1996...................................        $152,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................         152,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        +152,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends $152,000 to establish the Lahontan 
Valley and Pyramid Lake Fish and Wildlife Fund, which is the 
same as the request. The Truckee-Carson Pyramid Lake Water 
Settlement Act, enacted in 1990, created this fund to receive 
revenues from non-federal parties to support the restoration 
and enhancement of wetlands in the Lahontan Valley and to 
restore and protect the Pyramid Lake fishery, including the 
recovery of cui-ui and Lahontan cutthroat trout. The budget 
proposes to use the funds appropriated in 1996 for water rights 
acquisition.

                 Rhinoceros and tiger conservation fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................................
Budget estimate, 1996...................................        $400,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................         200,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        +200,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -200,000

    The Committee recommends $200,000 to establish the 
Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, which is $200,000 below 
the request. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act 
authorized the establishment of this fund to encourage 
conservation programs that enhance compliance with CITES and 
U.S. or foreign laws prohibiting the taking or trade of 
rhinoceros, tigers, or their habitat.
    Rhino and tiger populations have declined by more then 90% 
since 1970, and experts now predict the extinction of several 
species in the wild before the turn of the century unless there 
is greatly increased international assistance for antipoaching 
and conservation programs. The Committee expects this new fund 
to be managed so as to emphasize assistance to countries which 
have a proven conservation record and which have the greatest 
chance of producing immediate results. The Committee further 
expects these funds to be matched by non-Federal funding to 
leverage private contributions to the maximum extent possible.

              wildlife conservation and appreciation fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................        $998,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       1,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................         998,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................          -2,000

    The Committee recommends $998,000 for the Wildlife 
Conservation and Appreciation Fund, which is $2,000 below the 
request and the same as the 1995 level.
    The Partnerships for Wildlife Act authorizes the 
establishment of the Wildlife Conservation and Appreciation 
Fund account to provide grants to State fish and wildlife 
agencies for wildlife and conservation appreciation projects. 
The Act aims to conserve the entire array of diverse fish and 
wildlife species in the United States and to provide 
opportunities for the public to use and enjoy these fish and 
wildlife species through non-consumptive activities.
                      National Biological Service

                   Research, Inventories, and Surveys
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $162,041,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     172,696,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................               0
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    -162,041,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -172,696,000

    The Committee has provided no funds for the National 
Biological Service. Core research functions as well as the 
current university based cooperative research programs have 
been transferred to the U.S. Geological Survey. This program is 
discussed in greater detail in the Geological Survey section of 
the report.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                        FY 1995   Budgetestimates  Committee     from   
                        enacted                       bill     estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research:                                                               
    Species biology..     19,866        18,326     .........     -18,326
    Population                                                          
     dynamics........     13,735        13,874     .........     -13,874
    Ecosystems.......     48,411        52,377     .........     -52,377
    General reduction       -849  ...............  .........  ..........
                      --------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal,                                                         
       research......     81,163        84,577     .........     -84,577
                      ==================================================
Inventory and                                                           
 monitoring..........     19,479        22,736     .........     -22,736
Information transfer.     12,738        16,536     .........     -16,536
Cooperative research                                                    
 units...............     15,238        15,827     .........     -15,827
Facilities operation                                                    
 and maintenance.....     16,594        15,725     .........     -15,725
Administration.......     16,878        15,545     .........     -15,545
Construction.........        299         1,750     .........      -1,750
GSA rent reduction...        -86  ...............  .........  ..........
Procurement reform...       -262  ...............  .........  ..........
General reduction....  .........  ...............  .........  ..........
                      --------------------------------------------------
      Total, National                                                   
       Biological                                                       
       Service.......    162,041       172,696     .........    -172,696
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                         National Park Service

    The world has witnessed a staggering level and pace of 
change since the first national park was created at Yellowstone 
over 100 years ago. But the parks endure and continue to grow 
in importance, especially for the contrast they provide to that 
change. Noting this rapid change, Frederick Law Olmsted long 
ago observed that were there no place like national parks, 
there would be nothing against which to measure change. Today 
the complexity and speed of this change is mirrored in the 
National Park System which is now comprised of 368 areas, 
encompassing more than 80 million acres, in 49 States and the 
District of Columbia. The areas range in size and character 
from the immense roadless wilderness of Gates of the Arctic 
National Park in Alaska to the small Federal Hall National 
Memorial in lower Manhattan. Visitation exceeded 268 million in 
1994 and is expected to exceed 270 million in 1995.

                 operation of the national park system
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................  $1,077,900,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................   1,157,738,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................   1,088,249,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     +10,349,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -69,489,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1995 compared with the 1996 budget estimates by activity is 
shown in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Park Management:                                                        
    Resource stewardship     172,251     192,792     172,225     -20,567
    Visitor services....     250,323     267,590     251,128     -16,462
    Maintenance.........     347,430     367,053     352,681     -14,372
    Park support........     221,112     240,054     222,743     -17,311
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Park                                                    
       Management.......     991,116   1,067,489     998,777     -68,712
                         ===============================================
External administrative                                                 
 costs..................      86,784      90,249      89,472        -777
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, Operation                                                  
       of the National                                                  
       Park System......   1,077,900   1,157,738   1,088,249     -69,489
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends an increase of $10,349,000 over 
the fiscal year 1995 enacted level for the Operations of the 
National Park System. This decrease represents fixed costs and 
the initial cost decreases associated with downsizing as staff 
and resources are relocated from the central and regional 
offices to the field. All other increases in the 1996 request 
related to operations are not approved. The Committee expects 
that funds will not be realigned to initiate new programs or 
program expansions which have not been agreed to by the 
Committee. The Committee anticipates that the Service will 
comply with the guidance outlined in the front of the report 
which strongly recommends reducing levels of management and 
review. It should be noted that the National Park Service was 
the only Interior bureau to receive fixed cost increases. This 
action reflects the importance of the National Park Service to 
the American public.
    The Committee recognizes that visitation to the parks has 
increased over the last few years and that the backlog of 
maintenance needs continues to grow. Previous Committee reports 
have noted that the strains on the parks are beginning to be 
visible. As visitation increases, the number of park rangers 
available to interpret the parks to the public, provide for 
safe visits, and preserve the cultural and natural resources is 
decreasing. However, since the goal of the Service's 
reorganization plan is to relocate staff from the central and 
regional offices to the parks, this shortage should be somewhat 
alleviated.
    While the Committee is supportive of the Service's goal to 
downsize central offices and enhance staffing at the parks, the 
Committee continues to be concerned about the direct and 
indirect costs of implementing the reorganization plan. 
Officials of the Service and the Department have testified that 
the cost to implement the plan will be minimal. However, the 
Committee has learned that there may still be numerous and 
costly task forces, work groups and employee details that are 
taking funds and staff from parks and other program areas. The 
Service must exercise great restraint in using funds or staff 
from program activities for any task force, work group or 
special assignment for the purpose of implementing the 
reorganization.
    In addition, the Committee is concerned that the Service 
has been creating an excess of special assistants and other 
positions that may not be completely necessary for the 
efficient functioning of the Service. It is the sense of the 
Committee that there should be as few such positions as 
possible, and these positions should not impact on the limited 
resources that are available to operate the Service, 
particularly the parks themselves. The Committee directs the 
Service to report in its fiscal year 1997 budget on the history 
of funding and staffing associated with the reorganization plan 
and the current and future costs associated with task forces, 
work groups and special assistants.
    While the Committee was unable to earmark funds for the 
Little River Canyon Field School, the Committee notes that 
significant long-term savings, projected at $4 million over 20 
years, can be achieved through an innovative cooperative 
agreement between the National Park Service and the Little 
River Canyon Field School to share facilities and personnel. 
The Committee encourages the National Park Service to actively 
seek such an arrangement.
    The Construction budget is $114,868,000 which is 
$65,015,000 below the 1996 request and $52,820,000 below the 
enacted level. Similarly, the land acquisition budget is 
$14,300,000, reflecting a decrease of $68,396,000 below the 
request and $73,073,000 below the 1995 level. New program funds 
are not provided for State Assistance Programs, however, $1.5 
million remains available for Administrative Expenses. 
Authority is granted to the Secretary of the Interior to enable 
funds to be transferred from Interior land acquisition accounts 
in order to fund the highest priority projects. The Committee 
urges the Department to continue funding the South Florida 
Restoration project.
    The Service should also carefully note the section in the 
front of the report entitled Improving Efficiencies through 
Consolidation and Procedural Restructuring of Land Management 
Agencies. The recommendations and directions aimed at achieving 
the greatest possible savings and efficiencies through close 
coordination with the other federal land and resource 
management agencies will hopefully result in a federal land 
management structure that works better and costs less. The 
Committee's allocation over the next several years will 
necessitate a broad and bold rethinking of how best to manage 
our nation's public land into the next century.
    Bill language has been included in Title III which 
transfers lands, including open spaces, plazas and sidewalks, 
currently under the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia to 
the National Park Service.
    The National Park Service currently performs basic 
maintenance along Pennsylvania Avenue and the Pennsylvania 
Avenue Development Corporation has used its funds to enhance 
maintenance and fund special events. The National Park Service 
will now be solely responsible for providing these functions 
with the exception of maintaining Pennsylvania Avenue itself 
which continues to be the responsibility of the District of 
Columbia.
    The Service should also note that there is a provision in 
Title III of the bill which states that none of the funds 
appropriated in this bill may be used to implement the 
Americorps program. Specifically, the Committee has denied the 
$1,750,000 request for funding of Americorps projects at 
National Park Service sites. Given the size of the federal 
deficit and the recent mandate from the American people to 
downsize the government, the Committee believes that all 
activities not central to the basic operation of the National 
Parks should be discontinued.
    The General Provisions, Department of the Interior section 
contains a provision relating to the Presidio. The language 
states that any funds appropriated in this bill which are not 
obligated as of the date on which the Presidio Trust is 
established by an Act of Congress shall be transferred 
immediately to and available only for the Presidio Trust.
    The Committee has retained only $1 for expenditure of funds 
for the Mojave National Preserve and has transferred $600,000 
and 12 FTE's to BLM to continue operations.
    The Committee is concerned about reports of fee inequities 
charged to users of the Blue Ridge Parkway and encourages the 
Superintendent to resolve any bias in this area. The Committee 
expects fees charged to be distributed fairly and equitably 
among all users of the Parkway.
    The Committee has provided funding for the National Council 
on Traditional Arts at the 1995 funding level of $175,000.
    The Committee is aware that the National Park Service has 
under consideration a proposal with a non-profit 501(c)(3) 
organization and a private entity to build the National Museum 
of the American Civil War, which Congress designated Gettysburg 
as the official site in 1989. The Committee further understands 
that this will be the first private-public partnership with the 
Park Service on constructing a national museum. The Committee 
supports and encourages efforts to involve the private sector 
in these efforts, with approprite Park supervision of the 
project. As federal discretionary funding continues to 
decrease, the Committee realizes that these types of private-
public partnerships become more important to enable these 
projects to be undertaken.
    Funding for the Urban Parks Program is not provided. As 
stated in H.R. 1158, this program is a state or local 
responsibility. The Committee strongly urges the Service not to 
consider funding for this program in the fiscal year 1997 
budget.
    In order to provide for an increase in the parks operating 
budget an overall reduction of 9.3% to the remaining Park 
Service accounts was necessary. The specifics are provided 
under each heading.
    Bill language is included in Title III, General Provisions, 
establishing a recreational fee test program that allows fees 
to be charged at 10 to 30 sites or areas and provides for the 
use of a portion of those fees, without further appropriation, 
for facility or habitat enhancement, operation, or 
interpretation, with a focus on reducing the backlog of repair 
and maintenance. This fee demonstration program is explained in 
more detail in the front of this report.
    Resources stewardship.--The committee recommends an 
appropriation of $172,225,000 for this activity. All programs 
should con
tinue at the fiscal year 1995 level of funding. No program 
increases are approved.
    Visitor services.--The committee recommends an 
appropriations of $251,128,000. All programs should continue at 
the enacted level of funding. No program increases are 
approved.
    Maintenance.--The Committee recommends an appropriation of 
$351,681,000. All programs should continue to be funded at the 
fiscal year 1995 level of funding. No program increases are 
approved.
    Park support.--The Committee recommends an appropriation of 
$222,743,000. All programs should continue to be funded at the 
fiscal year 1995 level. No program increases are approved. As 
directed in the current year's bill, at least one-third of the 
Challenge Cost Share program should be devoted to projects 
which benefit the National Trails System.
    External administrative costs.--The Committee provides 
$89,472,000 for this activity, which reflects uncontrollable 
costs and no program increases.

                  national recreation and preservation

Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $42,941,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      39,305,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      35,725,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -7,216,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -3,580,000


    The National Recreation and Preservation appropriation 
within the National Park Service provides for the outdoor 
recreation planning, preservation of cultural and national 
heritage resources, technical assistance to Federal, State and 
local agencies, administration of Historic Preservation Fund 
grants and statutory and contractual aid.
    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the 1996 budget estimates by the activity is 
shown in the following table:


    Statutory or contractual aid.--The Committee recommends 
$4,449,000 for statutory or contractual aid, a reduction of 
$2,362,000 below the fiscal year 1996 request. No money has 
been
provided for the Wheeling National Heritage Area, the Lowell 
Historic Preservation Canal Commission, the Maine Acadian 
Cultural Preservation Commission, the Native Hawaiian Culture 
and Arts Program, and the Steel Industry Heritage project. 
Funds have been denied for the above mentioned projects for 
several reasons including a lack of specific authorization, 
budget constraints and lack of direct involvement of the 
activity with the National Park Service. Reductions made to 
this account for budgetary reasons allowed the Committee to 
provide the other National Recreation and Preservation accounts 
with uncontrollable costs and maintain program activities at 
the 1995 enacted levels. The Committee has provided $248,000 
for the William O. Douglas Outdoor Education Center. These 
funds are subject to a specific authorization. Funding for all 
new initiatives including the $500,000 Greenway Initiative in 
Natural Programs, the $148,000 for International Park Affairs 
and the $405,000 for the S.W. Border program are not funded.
    The Committee recognizes the effort and leadership provided 
by the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program in 
conducting urban initiatives in the midwest region and expects 
continued involvement to serve as a national model for 
enhancing highly degraded urban waterways and ensuring the 
availability of quality natural resources for all people. The 
Committee urges the Service to continue these assistance 
programs in the midwest region.

                       historic preservation fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $41,421,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      43,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      37,934,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -3,487,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -5,066,000

    The Historic Preservation Fund supports the State historic 
preservation offices to perform a variety of functions, 
including: State management and administration of existing 
grant obligations, review and advice on Federal projects and 
actions, determinations, and nominations to the National 
Register, Tax Act certifications and technical preservation 
services. The States also review properties within States to 
develop data for planning use.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $37,934,000, a 
reduction of $5,066,000 below the budget request, as detailed 
in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grants-in-aid...........      34,434      36,000      34,434      -1,566
National Trust for                                                      
 Historic Preservation..       6,987       7,000       3,500      -3,500
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, Historic                                                   
       Preservation Fund      41,421      43,000      37,934      -5,066
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The appropriation continues the Grants-in-aid program to 
the States at the 1995 enacted level. The Committee has 
included $3.5 million for the National Trust, a reduction of 
$3.5 million below the budget request. Although the Trust 
performs an important function, the Committee felt that rather 
than reduce the grants to the States which rely heavily on 
these support funds to carry out various activities, the 
reduction would be more appropriate to the National Trust which 
raises private funds in excess of $30 million annually. The 
Committee strongly urges the National Trust to seek alternative 
sources of funds to replace federal funding in fiscal year 1997 
and beyond. The Committee does not intend to provide funding in 
fiscal year 1997.

                              construction
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $167,688,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     179,883,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     114,868,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -52,820,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -65,015,000

    The recommendation is $114,868,000, a decrease of 
$65,015,000 below the fiscal year 1996 request and $52,820,000 
below the fiscal year 1995 enacted level. The recommendation 
includes the following areas and activities:

                    NATIONAL PARK SERVICE--CONSTRUCTION                 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Park unit, State, and                                Committee    
           description              Budget request      recommendation  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska Parks, AK (employee                                              
 housing).......................          $6,000,000                $-0-
Andersonville NHS, GA (Prisoner                                         
 of War)........................                 -0-           2,800,000
Blue Ridge Parkway, Hemphill                                            
 Knob, NC (Admin. Building).....                 -0-           1,030,000
Crater Lake NP, OR (dormitories                                         
 construction)..................          11,000,000                 -0-
Chamizal NM, TX (rehab).........                 -0-           1,000,000
Cuyahoga NRA, OH (site and                                              
 structure rehabilitation)......                 -0-           2,500,000
Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA                                              
 (trails rehabilitation)........                 -0-           2,000,000
Denali NP and Preserve, AK                                              
 (rehabilitation)...............           5,200,000                 -0-
Everglades NP, FL (modify water                                         
 delivery system)...............           7,500,000           6,000,000
Fort Necessity NB, PA (rehab)...                 -0-             265,000
Gateway NRA, NY (rehabilitation)           5,800,000                 -0-
General Grant NM, NY (complete                                          
 rehabilitation)................           2,800,000           2,800,000
Gettysburg NMP, PA (water and                                           
 sewer lines)...................           2,550,000           2,550,000
Grand Canyon NP, AZ (employee                                           
 housing).......................           4,200,000           3,350,000
Grand Canyon NP, AZ                                                     
 (transportation)...............           1,700,000           1,000,000
James A. Garfield NHS, OH                                               
 (rehabilitation/development)...                 -0-           3,600,000
Jean Lafitte NHP, LA (complete                                          
 repairs).......................           2,100,000           2,100,000
Klondike Gold Rush NHP, AK                                              
 (Skagway District).............             850,000             850,000
Lackawanna Valley, PA (technical                                        
 assistance)....................                 -0-             400,000
Little River Canyon NP, AL                                              
 (health and safety)............                 -0-             460,000
Mount Rainier NP, WA (replace                                           
 employees dormitory)...........           6,050,000                 -0-
National Capital Parks--Central,                                        
 DC (Lincoln/Jefferson).........           4,000,000           4,000,000
President's Park, DC (replace                                           
 White House electrical system).           1,100,000           1,100,000
President's Park, DC (replace                                           
 sidewalks).....................           1,000,000                 -0-
Sagamore Hill NHS, NY (water and                                        
 sewer line)....................             800,000             800,000
Salem Maritime NHS, MA, (vessel                                         
 exhibit).......................                 -0-           2,200,000
Saratoga Monument, NY,                                                  
 (rehabilitation)...............                 -0-           2,000,000
Sequoia NP, CA (replace Giant                                           
 Sequoia facilities)............           8,900,000           3,700,000
Shenandoah NP, VA (construct/                                           
 rehab park facilities).........           5,900,000                 -0-
Southwestern Pennsylvania                                               
 Commission (various projects)..                 -0-           2,000,000
Stones River NB, TN                                                     
 (stabilization)................                 -0-             200,000
Thomas Stone HS, MD (rehab).....                 -0-             250,000
Western Trails Center, IA.......                 -0-           3,000,000
Yosemite NP, CA (El Portal).....           9,650,000           9,650,000
Zion NP, UT (transportation                                             
 system facilities).............           7,600,000           5,200,000
Emergency, unscheduled, housing.          39,000,000          13,973,000
Planning........................          22,405,000          12,000,000
Equipment Replacement...........          15,078,000          14,365,000
General Management Plans........           7,100,000           6,600,000
Special Resource Studies........           1,200,000             825,000
Strategic Planning Office.......             400,000             300,000
                                 ---------------------------------------
      Total.....................         179,883,000         114,868,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee is aware of the White House directive to the 
National Park Service to redesign Pennsylvania Avenue in front 
of the White House. No funds have been requested by the 
Administration and none were provided in this bill for this 
purpose. The Committee expects that the normal budget process, 
including reprogramming procedures, will be followed before 
funds are used to develop such a plan.
    The Committee has included a total of $265,000 for 
rehabilitation of facilities and interpretive signage and 
exhibits at Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Included in 
this amount is $115,000 for the design of trails, parking and 
other improvements to the Braddock's Grave and Jamonville Glen 
area and $150,000 for interpretive signage and exhibits.
    A total of $2.8 million is provided for the construction of 
the Prisoner of War Museum in Andersonville, Georgia. The 
Committee is pleased that the fundraising associated with the 
sale of a commemorative coin was so successful. To date over 
$2.7 million has been collected and the U.S. Department of the 
Treasury has transferred those funds to the National Park 
Service to initiate construction. In addition, the Committee 
commends the Friends of Andersonville and the Ex-POW 
Organization which have jointly raised over $600,000 for this 
important project.
    A total of $2 million is provided for health and safety and 
other improvement projects in the Delaware Water Gap National 
Recreation Area. The Committee has provided $1.2 million for 
the rehabilitation of the Dingmans Falls facilities which do 
not meet the Americans with Disabilities Act standards and for 
other deficiencies. Another $800,000 is included for ongoing 
design of riverside trails which will provide greater access to 
the Recreation Area. Currently access for hiking, biking, and 
horseback riding is limited.
    The Committee has provided $1 million to improve the 
visitor transportation system at the Grand Canyon National 
Park. These funds will be used to construct the necessary 
infrastructure for the new system. The Committee hopes that 
this system will result in a more pleasurable visitor 
experience and protect natural resources.
    The Committee has included $5.2 million to implement a 
similar visitor transportation system at Zion National Park. 
These funds are to fund facilities associated with the new 
system.
    A total of $2.2 million is included for the completion of 
the Salem Maritime National Historic Site vessel exhibit. These 
funds continue to be subject to the 25 percent cost-sharing by 
non-Federal sources as articulated in P.L. 103-332.
    The Committee provided $1,000,000 in Public Law 103-332 to 
be matched with $300,000 in private funds to rehabilitate the 
visitor center at Kennesaw National Battlefield. The Committee 
urges the National Park Service to begin construction as soon 
as the private matching funds become available and keep the 
Committee advised on the progress of this project.
    The Committee included $1,000,000 for facility 
rehabilitation and safety improvements at Chamizal National 
Memorial in Texas. Also included is $250,000 to continue 
ongoing rehabilitation work at the Thomas Stone Historic Site 
in Maryland.
    The Committee has attempted to provide a minimal amount of 
direction within the planning activities. A total of $7,725,000 
is appropriated for General Management Plans and related 
activities. This is a $975,000 reduction below the budget 
request. Contained in those reductions is -$500,000 for the 
Mojave General Management Plan, -$375,000 for Special Resource 
Studies, and -$100,000 for the Strategic Planning Office which 
is directed to continue its focus on implementation of the 
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993. The Committee 
urges the Department to concentrate on ongoing studies.
    The Committee strongly encourages the Service to complete 
the baseline environmental impact statement for the Elwha Dam 
within available funds.

                    Land and Water Conservation Fund

                   (Rescission of Contract Authority)
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    -$30,000,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     -30,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     -30,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends rescission of $30,000,000 in 
annual contract authority provided by 16 U.S.C. 460l-10a. This 
authority has not been used in years and there are no plans to 
use it in fiscal year 1996.

                 land acquisition and state assistance
Appropriation enacted, 1996.............................     $87,373,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      82,696,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      14,300,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -73,073,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -68,396,000

    For land acquisition and State assistance, the Committee 
recommends $14,300,000 as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Fiscal year 1996        Committee    
         Area and State                 request         recommendation  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acquisition Management..........          $7,600,000          $6,800,000
Inholdings/emergencies & other..          47,096,000           6,000,000
                                 ---------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Federal.........          54,696,000          12,800,000
Matching State grants...........          25,000,000                 -0-
Administrative expenses.........           3,000,000           1,500,000
                                 ---------------------------------------
      Grand Total...............          82,696,000          14,300,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends $14,300,000 for land acquisition, 
a decrease of $68,396,000 below the budget request and 
$73,073,000 below the fiscal year 1995 enacted level. The 
amount recommended includes $6,000,000 for federal acquisition, 
$6,800,000 for federal acquisition management, and $1,500,000 
for State grant administration. There are no funds provided for 
the State grant program.
    The Committee has included bill language in the General 
Provisions section which gives the Secretary authority to 
transfer the limited acquisition funds between Interior 
agencies.
    The Committee directs the National Park Service, as part of 
its land acquisition process for the East St. Louis Jefferson 
National Expansion Memorial, to share its appraisal upon 
completion with Continental Grain for initiatives that would 
directly impact the grain elevator; prepare a report to 
Congress which outlines the Service's schedule for acquisition 
of the land under the grain elevator; and which evaluates any 
other potential private development or changes to the current 
land acquisition plan which would have a direct impact on the 
grain elevator.
    The Committee directs that no funds should be allocated to 
either plan or acquire additional lands in the City of St. 
Marys, Georgia until Millers Dock and the Bachlott House have 
been fully restored by the National Park Service.
                    United States Geological Survey

    The United States Geological Survey was established by an 
act of Congress on March 3, 1879 to provide a permanent Federal 
agency to conduct the systematic and scientific 
``classification of the public lands, and examination of the 
geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the 
National domain''. The USGS is the Federal Government's largest 
earth-science research agency, the Nation's largest civilian 
mapmaking agency, and the primary source of data on the 
Nation's surface and ground water resources. Its activities 
include conducting detailed assessments of the energy and 
mineral potential of the Nation's land and offshore areas; 
investigating and issuing of warnings of earthquakes, volcanic 
eruptions, landslides, and other geologic and hydrologic 
hazards; research on the geologic structure of the Nation; 
studies of the geologic features, structure, processes, and 
history of other planets of our solar system; topographic 
surveys of the Nation and preparation of topographic and 
thematic maps and related cartographic products; development 
and production of digital cartographic data bases and products; 
collection on a routine basis of data on the quantity, quality, 
and use of surface and ground water; research in hydraulics and 
hydrology; the coordination of all Federal water data 
acquisition; and the application of remotely sensed data to the 
development of new cartographic, geologic, and hydrologic 
research techniques for natural resources planning and 
management.

                 surveys, investigations, and research
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $571,462,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     586,369,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     686,944,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    +115,482,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    +100,575,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Mapping,                                                       
 Geography and Surveys:                                                 
    National map and                                                    
     digital data                                                       
     production.........      56,425      62,407      61,416        -991
    Information and data                                                
     systems............      21,711      17,894      17,894  ..........
    Research and                                                        
     technology.........      21,044      22,725      22,538        -187
    Advanced                                                            
     cartographic                                                       
     systems............      24,414      24,364      24,364  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, National                                                
       Mapping,                                                         
       Geography &                                                      
       Surveys..........     123,594     127,390     126,212      -1,178
                         ===============================================
Geologic and Mineral                                                    
 Resource Surveys and                                                   
 Mapping:                                                               
    Earthquake hazards                                                  
     reduction..........      49,103      50,842      42,122      -8,720
    Volcano hazards.....      20,085      20,326      20,031        -295
    Landslide hazards...       2,307       2,339       2,305         -34
    National geologic                                                   
     mapping............      21,923      22,204      21,882        -322
    Deep continental                                                    
     studies............       2,740       2,888       2,848         -40
    Magnetic field                                                      
     monitoring and                                                     
     charting...........       1,784       1,808       1,784         -24
    Marine and coastal                                                  
     geologic surveys...      35,233      39,689      39,172        -517
    Global change and                                                   
     climate history....       9,687       9,831       9,687        -144
    Mineral resource                                                    
     surveys............      44,718      43,792      43,136        -656
    Energy resource                                                     
     surveys............      25,320      25,623      25,252        -371
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Geologic                                                
       & Mineral Surveys                                                
       & Mapping........     212,900     219,342     208,219     -11,123
                         ===============================================
Water Resources                                                         
 Investigations:                                                        
    Federal program.....     117,419     125,991     124,750      -1,241
    Federal-State                                                       
     program............      62,011      64,478      62,130      -2,348
    Water resources                                                     
     research institutes       4,552  ..........       4,553      +4,553
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Water                                                   
       Resources                                                        
       Investigations...     183,982     190,469     191,433        +964
                         ===============================================
Natural resources                                                       
 research...............  ..........  ..........     112,888    +112,888
Critical ecosystems                                                     
 research and                                                           
 assessments............       5,040  ..........  ..........  ..........
General administration..      24,439      25,830      25,373        -457
Facilities..............      24,555      23,338      22,819        -519
GSA rent reduction......      -2,185  ..........  ..........  ..........
Procurement reform......        -863  ..........  ..........  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, United                                                     
       States Geological                                                
       Survey...........     571,462     586,369     686,944    +100,575
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $686,944,000 
for surveys, investigations, and research, an increase of 
$100,575,000 above the budget estimate of $586,369,000.
    The Committee's recommendation includes increases of 
$4,553,000 for the water resources research institutes program 
and $112,888,000 for natural resources research formerly funded 
in the National Biological Survey, and decreases of $8,000,000 
for earthquake research grants to universities and $8,866,000 
for the absorption of fixed cost increases in accordance with 
the guidance provided in the front of this report. Reductions 
for fixed cost absorption includes $991,000 for national map 
and digital data production, $187,000 for research and 
technology, $720,000 for earthquake hazards reduction, $295,000 
for volcano and geothermal investigations, $34,000 for 
landslide hazards, $322,000 for National cooperative geologic 
mapping, $40,000 for continental surveys, $24,000 for magnetic 
field monitoring and charting, $144,000 for global change and 
climate history, $517,000 for marine and coastal geologic 
surveys, $656,000 for mineral resource surveys, $371,000 for 
energy resource surveys, $1,241,000 for the Federal water 
resources program, $2,348,000 for the Federal/State cooperative 
water resources program, $457,000 for general administration, 
and $519,000 for facilities.
    The Committee commends the Survey for its efforts to live 
within decreasing budget levels over the past few years without 
compromising the quality of its work. Further reductions are 
likely in fiscal year 1997 and the Committee expects the Survey 
to identify how best to achieve additional program reductions 
in its fiscal year 1997 budget request.
    The Committee has included $4,553,000 for the water 
resources research institutes program. The Committee expects 
the Survey to continue to work with the Institutes to ensure 
the relevancy of Institute research to State and National 
issues and to ensure that funds are distributed on a 
competitive basis beginning in fiscal year 1996 and are matched 
on at least a 50-50 basis with non-Federal funds. The amount 
recommended by the Committee is the same as in fiscal year 1995 
and the division of funds between grants and program 
administration should be the same as in fiscal year 1995.
    None of the funds provided for the marine and coastal 
program should be used for the proposed relocation of the 
Pacific Marine Geology Branch to the University of California 
at Santa Cruz. Given the current budget constraints this move 
is not a wise use of limited resources. Moreover, given the 
downsizing that is currently ongoing at the main Menlo Park 
center, space is likely to be available at that facility 
without incurring the relocation costs associated with the 
proposed move.
    The Committee understands that there are sufficient funds 
in the base budget for a study of the ground water and surface 
water hydrology of the Walker River drainage basin in Nevada. 
The study would be conducted over a five-year period through 
the Federal/State cooperative program and Federal funding of 
$80,000 a year would be matched by State or other non-Federal 
sources.
    The Committee expects the Survey to continue to increase 
its contracting of map and digital data production, with the 
goal of no less than 50 percent contracting by the end of 
fiscal year 1997 and no less than 60 percent contracting by the 
end of fiscal year 1999. The survey should not be competing 
with the private sector for map production contracts. When 
services of equal quality and cost are available from the 
private sector, the Survey should use the private sector.
    The Committee also expects the Survey to provide 20 percent 
of the funds available for the National cooperative geologic 
mapping program to the States and these funds should be matched 
on at least a one-for-one basis by the States and used for 
geologic mapping by the States.
    The Survey should clearly articulate its policy for 
charging administrative costs to other agencies for 
reimbursable work, and make every effort to ensure that these 
costs are reasonable and equitably applied.
    The Committee expects the Survey to explore methods to more 
aggressively price its products and to implement a new pricing 
policy as soon as possible.
    The Survey should work within the Department to identify 
options for consolidating Federal mapping functions at the 
Department of the Interior and work with the Office of 
Management and Budget on consolidating these functions 
government-wide.
    Natural Resources Research.--The Committee recommends an 
appropriation $112,888,000 for natural resources research and 
for cooperative research units.
    The Committee directs the Survey to use these funds only 
for the highest priority research needs on lands administered 
by the Interior bureaus. Examples of high priority needs 
include the South Florida Restoration effort, the migratory 
bird programs and research on nonindigenous species. The 
Committee also expects that existing cooperative research units 
will continue to be funded at current levels.
    It is the Committee's understanding that authorizing 
legislation defining the need for and the appropriate role of 
science in the management of natural resources and public lands 
will be considered this session. In the absence of specific 
organic legislation, however, it is the Committee's view that 
resource research in the Department should be organized in a 
manner that will ensure that it is independent from regulatory 
control and scientifically excellent. The Committee therefore 
recommends that in the interim appropriate scientific studies 
relating to the land management agencies be conducted by the 
U.S. Geological Survey. If specific organic legislation is 
enacted during or before the start of the fiscal year, these 
directives will be superceded by that legislation.
    As scientific peer review is a primary tool for ensuring 
the validity and reliability of research and data collection, 
the Committee directs the Department to develop and implement 
internal guidelines to maximize and standardize its use of peer 
review in the development of research initiatives as well as in 
the publication and dissemination of scientific results. Peer 
reviews should be from outside the Survey where possible and in 
cases where Survey scientists are involved they should be 
independent of the research project under review.
    The Survey should also maximize its use of competition in 
awarding these research funds so as to ensure that research 
dollars are provided to the most qualified scientists from 
within and outside the federal government. Increased 
competition should expand the opportunities available to non-
federal scientists to compete for research funds. Clearly, 
selecting from a wider pool of scientific talent will lead to 
improvements in the quality of the science.
    The Committee has also included bill language which 
prohibits the conduct of new natural resources research surveys 
on private lands and prohibits the use of volunteers.
    Finally, the Committee believes there should be periodic 
independent reviews of the overall scientific mission and the 
quality of the research. It is imperative that the organization 
be subject to regular and impartial review to ensure that it is 
conducting research that is relevant to key natural resources 
issues facing the nation and that it is producing the highest 
quality scientific products. Therefore, every five years, the 
National Academy of Sciences shall review and report on the 
activities of the program. That report should include an 
analysis of how the agency is meeting the needs of the Interior 
Department agencies and other constituent groups within and 
outside government and the overall scientific quality of the 
agency's work.
    The Department and the Survey is prohibited from 
reprogramming funds from other Survey programs and activities 
or any other program or activity within the Interior Department 
for use in this subactivity entitled natural resources 
research.

                      Minerals Management Service

    The Minerals Management Service is responsible for 
collecting, distributing, accounting and auditing revenues from 
mineral leases on Federal and Indian lands. In fiscal year 
1996, MMS expects to collect and distribute about $5.2 billion 
from over 101,000 Federal and Indian leases. In addition, about 
$165 million in unpaid and underpaid royalties are expected to 
be collected through the MMS audit and negotiated settlement 
programs.
    The MMS also manages the offshore energy and mineral 
resources on the Nation's Outer Continental Shelf. To date, the 
OCS program has been focused primarily on oil and gas leasing. 
Over the past few years, MMS has begun exploring the possible 
development of other marine mineral resources, especially sand 
and gravel.
    With the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, MMS 
assumed increased responsibility for oil spill research, 
including the promotion of increased oil spill response 
capabilities, and for oil spill financial responsibility 
certifications of offshore platforms and pipelines.

                royalty and offshore minerals management
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $188,181,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     193,348,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     186,556,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,625,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -6,792,000

    The Committee recommends $186,556,000 for royalty and 
offshore minerals management, a decrease of $1,625,000 below 
the fiscal year 1995 appropriation of $188,181,000 and 
$6,792,000 below the fiscal year 1996 budget request of 
$193,348,000. The amount recommended by the Committee for 
fiscal year 1996, as compared with the budget request, is shown 
in the following table:


    The Committee recommendation for the Minerals Management 
Service assumes that the MMS will offset within existing funds 
in fiscal year 1996 $2,452,000 in fixed cost increases and 
reduce administrative operations by an additional $1,000,000. 
The Committee expects that these savings will be achieved in 
accordance with the guidance provided in the front of this 
report.
    Leasing and Environmental Program.--The Committee 
recommends a decrease of $2,565,000 for the leasing and 
environmental program including reductions of $2,040,000 to 
maintain environmental studies at the fiscal year 1995 level, 
$325,000 for fixed cost absorption, $100,000 for OCS 
committees, and $100,000 for the U.S./Mexico initiative.
    Resource Evaluation.--The Committee recommends a decrease 
of $926,000 for resource evaluation including reductions of 
$326,000 for fixed cost absorption and $600,000 to maintain the 
marine minerals program at the fiscal year 1995 level.
    Regulatory Program.--The Committee recommends a decrease of 
$1,035,000 for the regulatory program including reductions of 
$535,000 for fixed cost absorption and $500,000 for alternative 
dispute resolution.
    Office of Management Support.--The Committee recommends a 
decrease of $300,000 for the office of management support in 
the OCS Lands activity. The Committee has shown this 
administrative office as a separate line on the budget table 
above and expects the Service to justify this office as a 
separate budget subactivity beginning in fiscal year 1997.
    Valuation and Operations.--The Committee recommends a 
decrease of $518,000 for fixed cost absorption in the valuation 
and operations program.
    Compliance.--The Committee recommends a decrease of 
$606,000 for fixed cost absorption in the compliance program.
    Program Services Office.--The Committee recommends a 
decrease of $300,000 for the program services office in the 
royalty management activity. The Committee has shown this 
administrative office as a separate line on the budget table 
above and expects the Service to justify this office as a 
separate budget subactivity beginning in fiscal year 1997.
    General Administration.--The Committee recommends a 
decrease of $542,000 for general administration including 
reductions of $68,000 for fixed cost absorption in executive 
direction, $74,000 for fixed cost absorption in policy and 
management improvement, $300,000 for administrative operations, 
and $100,000 in general support services.
    General.--The Committee encourages the MMS to work with the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to the extent 
practicable, on data collection associated with the newly 
established Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary.
    The Committee has had a longstanding concern with respect 
to the MMS royalty audit program and the adequacy of the 
funding and staffing for that program. In fiscal year 1990 the 
MMS initiated a three-year initiative to place the royalty 
audit program on a more timely cycle. At the Committee's 
direction, and as a part of that initiative, the MMS developed 
an annual audit plan for fiscal year 1990 and each succeeding 
year outlining the audits to be conducted in each of those 
fiscal years. The Committee expects the MMS to continue to 
develop an annual audit plan, and to report quarterly on actual 
audit activity, including completed audits by category compared 
with the audit plan, the status of staffing and hiring for the 
audit program, and any key areas of concern. The 1996 plan also 
should address specifically contract buyout and buydown audits 
and negotiated settlements.
    The Committee is skeptical of recent efforts to ``devolve'' 
the Minerals Management Service by turning over 
responsibilities to the States and to other entities. The 
Committee strongly urges the Department to review carefully the 
recommendations of the Linowes Commission which resulted in the 
establishment of the MMS. Those recommendations still apply. 
The royalty management program, in particular, has made 
tremendous strides over the past few years to improve the 
effectiveness and timeliness of its activities and has reduced 
error rates to an admirable extent. The Committee believes that 
further improvements can and should be made to the royalty 
management program but, on the whole, the program is very well 
run and should not be dismantled simply for the sake of change.
    Discussion has been ongoing over the best way to carry out 
the onshore minerals functions of the Department of the 
Interior and whether efficiencies could be achieved by 
streamlining activities and sharing more responsibilities with 
the onshore mineral producing States. The Committee directs the 
Department to contract with a management consulting firm to 
conduct a study of its current onshore minerals leasing-related 
and revenue collection activities. The study should identify 
improvements that could be undertaken to ensure that revenues 
from Federal oil and gas leases are maximized by efficient 
leasing and collection operations which strive for the lowest 
administrative costs practicable to the States and Federal 
Government, thereby maximizing the return for the taxpayers, 
the States, and the Federal Treasury. The Department should 
report the results of this study back to the Committee within 
nine months from the date of enactment of this provision. 
Funding of up to $375,000 may be used to cover the cost of this 
study.
    Bill Language.--Bill language has been included under 
General Provisions, Department of the Interior, which would 
repeal the Outer Banks Protection Act which was included in the 
Oil Pollution Act of 1990. This provision of law placed a 
moratorium on leases off North Carolina until certain 
environmental studies were completed. The Service has completed 
the necessary environmental studies for the area which was of 
interest to the oil and gas industry for exploration, and those 
leases are no longer subject to the moratorium. Several other 
leases are still subject to the moratorium because there has 
not been interest in developing the leases and, as a result, 
the Service has not devoted its limited environmental studies 
budget to additional studies for those areas. The Committee 
believes that the two or three years remaining on each of these 
leases should be allowed to run its course and, if industry 
expresses an interest in pursuing exploration on the leases, 
the Service should conduct whatever studies are needed.
    Under Department-wide provisions, bill language is included 
to prohibit the use of funds for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
leasing activities in several areas. In those areas where the 
Committee has recommended restrictions on preleasing 
activities, those restrictions apply to the formal steps 
identified by the Department of the Interior as part of the 
actual lease sale process. These formal steps include such 
activities as the publication of sale-specific environmental 
impact statements, the conduct of public hearings directly 
associated with the EIS process, issuance of notices of sale, 
and receipt of bids.
    The leasing restrictions included for fiscal year 1996 are 
the same as those in fiscal year 1995. The Administration has 
supported continuing these provisions for another year.
    The areas covered by the Committee's recommendation include 
those identified by President Bush in his June 26, 1990 
statement--namely, Northern, Central and Southern California, 
the North Atlantic, Washington-Oregon, and Florida south of 26 
degrees north latitude--as well as the Mid and South Atlantic, 
the Eastern Gulf of Mexico north of 26 degrees, and the North 
Aleutian Basin in Alaska.
                           Oil Spill Research
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $6,440,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       7,892,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       6,440,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -1,452,000

    The Committee recommends $6,440,000, to be derived from the 
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to conduct oil spill research 
and financial responsibility and inspection activities 
associated with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Public Law 101-
380. The Committee recommendation is the same as the fiscal 
year 1995 level and a decrease of $1,452,000 below the fiscal 
year 1996 budget request.
                            Bureau of Mines

    The mission of the Bureau of Mines is to help ensure that 
the United States has an adequate and dependable supply of 
minerals to meet its defense and economic needs at low social, 
environmental, energy, and economic costs.

                           Mines and Minerals
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $152,427,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     132,507,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      87,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -65,427,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -45,507,000

    The Committee recommends $87,000,000 for the orderly 
termination of the Bureau of Mines. The amount recommended by 
the Committee as compared to the budget estimate by activity is 
shown in the following table:


    The Committee is faced with a very large decrease in its 
allocation for fiscal year 1996 and has recommended that 
several agencies within the bill be eliminated, rather than 
mandating large reductions in each of the agencies under the 
jurisdiction of Interior and Related Agencies. The Bureau of 
Mines has been targeted for years by the Department and by the 
various Administrations for large program reductions in annual 
budget submissions and, since fiscal year 1991, the Bureau has 
been experiencing ever-decreasing budgets.
    Over the past couple of years the Bureau has undergone a 
program review which resulted in a recommended downsizing of 
Bureau programs and the recommended closing of many of its 
research centers.
    The Committee recognizes the important work the Bureau has 
conducted in health and safety research, materials research, 
minerals information, and in the development of environmental 
technologies for pollution prevention and remediation. The 
Committee also recognizes the efficiency and expertise of the 
Bureau.
    Last year, the Administration assured the Committee that it 
believed the Bureau played a constructive role. The 
Administration also assured the Committee that there would be 
no further programmatic reductions in fiscal year 1996.
    Through the Bureau's program review, the Administration 
revealed a lack or commitment to the essential functions of the 
Bureau. The budget request for fiscal year 1996 includes a 
reduction of $20 million and the Committee has learned through 
conversations with Department officials, even further 
reductions have been identified by the Department for the 
Bureau in fiscal year 1996. The Committee believes that further 
decreases in the Bureau's programs in fiscal year 1996, as 
proposed by the Administration, and almost assuredly, further 
cuts to be proposed for each succeeding fiscal year, would 
compromise the mission of the Bureau.
    The Committee recommends that the orderly shut down of the 
Bureau be accomplished within 90 days from the date of 
enactment of this Act. Most of the staff should be off the 
roles after 90 days. Only a very small staff should remain 
after 90 days for the orderly closing of facilities and the 
oversight of environmental cleanup. No staff should be 
maintained beyond September 30, 1996. Any responsibilities 
which have not been completed by the end of fiscal year 1996, 
should be assumed by the Secretary in fiscal year 1997 and 
beyond.
    The Committee encourages the Department and the Bureau to 
work with the Office of Management and Budget to identify those 
essential elements of the Bureau which should be incorporated 
into programs in the Department of the Interior and in other 
Federal agencies. Also, every effort should be made to document 
carefully the Bureau's research and information activities to 
ease the transfer of these functions, where appropriate, to 
other public or private entities.
    Bill Language.--The Committee has recommended bill language 
permitting the no cost transfer of Bureau properties to local 
universities and to State and local governments.

          Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

    The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 
(OSM), through its regulation and technology account, regulates 
surface coal mining operations to ensure that the environment 
is protected during those operations and that the land is 
adequately reclaimed once mining is completed. The OSM 
accomplishes this mission by providing grants to those States 
that maintain their own regulatory and reclamation programs and 
by conducting oversight of State programs. Further, the OSM 
administers the regulatory programs in the States that do not 
have their own programs and on Federal and tribal lands.
    Through its abandoned mine reclamation fund account, the 
OSM provides environmental restoration at abandoned coal mines 
using tonnage-based fees collected from current coal production 
operations. In their unreclaimed condition these abandoned 
sites may endanger public health and safety or prevent the 
beneficial use of land and water resources.

                       regulation and technology

Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $110,984,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     107,653,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      93,251,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -17,733,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -14,402,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $93,251,000 
for regulation and technology, a decrease of $14,402,000 below 
the budget request, and $17,733,000 below the 1995 funding 
level. The comparisons of the recommendation and the budget 
estimates by activity is shown in the following table:



    The reductions proposed in the federal regulatory program 
are to be applied specifically in states which have primacy. 
Despite the fact that the 1977 Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act clearly intended for the regulatory authority 
for surface mining and reclamation operations to reside with 
the States, the federal presence continues to grow. For example 
in 1994 OSM conducted 2,882 inspections in primacy states. In 
fiscal year 1996 OSM proposes to conduct 5,000 federal 
inspections in primacy states. In fiscal year 1994 OSM offices 
issued 114 Notice of Violations in the 23 states with state 
programs up from 103 in FY 1993. The Committee directs OSM to 
reduce the regulatory duplication and to move to implement more 
aggressively the intent of SMCRA with respect to primacy. 
Because OSM maintains the authority to issue cessation orders 
and to take over a state program this action should have no 
negative environmental consequences.
    As requested by the Administration, the Committee has not 
included language carried in previous appropriations acts 
prohibiting the expenditure of funds to publish final rules 
defining valid existing rights from a National perspective or 
disapproving existing State definitions of valid existing 
rights.
    The Committee expects the Office of Surface Mining to make 
the VER rulemaking a top priority and to complete its 
environmental impact statement on VER and publish a proposed 
notice of rulemaking in fiscal year 1996.

                    abandoned mine reclamation fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $182,423,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     185,120,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     176,327,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -6,096,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -8,793,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $176,327,000 
for the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, a decrease of 
$8,793,000 below the budget request and $6,096,000 below the 
1995 funding level. The comparisons of the recommendation and 
the budget estimates by activity is shown in the following 
table:




    The Committee has included $5,000,000 to initiate the 
Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative to address acid mine 
drainage problems which have destroyed over 7,000 miles of 
streams. The Administration requested $11,000,000 for this 
purpose.
    The Committee has approved the Administration's request to 
eliminate the rural abandoned mine program (RAMP), which was 
funded at $7,853,000 in 1995. States have established 
capabilities to address various types of reclamation projects 
including those carried out under RAMP. Therefore, in the 
interests of eliminating a duplicative delivery mechanism and 
administrative costs, the Committee has eliminated RAMP.
    No funds have been provided for the Small Operator 
Assistance Program (SOAP) as requested by the Administration, 
since sufficient carryover funding will be available in 1996 to 
maintain an adequate program level. The Committee will review 
the need for additional funds for this program in 1997.
    Bill Language.--The Committee has recommended continuing 
bill language, carried in previous years, maintaining the 
Federal emergency reclamation program and limiting expenditures 
in any one State to 25 percent of the total appropriated for 
Federal and State-run emergency programs. The total recommended 
for fiscal year 1996 is $18,000,000. Bill language also is 
included to permit States to use prior year carryover funds 
from the emergency program without being subject to the 25 
percent statutory limitation per State. The Committee also has 
recommended bill language which would fund minimum program 
State grants at $1,500,000 per State.

                        Bureau of Indian Affairs

                      operation of indian programs
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................  $1,519,012,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................   1,609,842,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................   1,508,777,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -10,235,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -101,065,000

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs was created in 1824, its 
mission is founded on a government-to-government relationship 
and trust responsibility that results from treaties with Native 
groups. The Bureau delivers services to over one million Native 
Americans through 12 area offices and 83 agency offices. In 
addition, the Bureau provides education programs to Native 
Americans through the operation of 117 day schools, 56 boarding 
schools, and 14 dormitories. Lastly the Bureau administers more 
than 46 million acres of tribally owned land.
    Budgetary constraints coupled with significant reductions 
in domestic discretionary spending has resulted in the need to 
achieve savings for all of the agencies under the jurisdiction 
of the Interior Subcommittee. In light of this fact, the 
Committee's recommendation for the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
assumes that pay and fixed cost increases will be absorbed by 
the Bureau and that no new initiatives will be funded in fiscal 
year 1996.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimates by activity are as 
follows:


    Tribal priority allocations.--The Committee recommends 
$751,788,000 for Tribal priority allocations, of which 
$218,009,000 represents a transfer from other activities 
including $103,126,000 for contract support and $100,255,000 
for welfare assistance. The Committee believes that all 
programs in the Bureau of Indian Affairs should assume their 
share of any pay and fixed cost reductions, therefore, Tribal 
priority allocation are reduced by $9,285,000 for pay and fixed 
costs. The Bureau should make the necessary adjustments to 
ensure that fiscal year 1996 transfers to self governance 
tribes are made after final adjustments for any pay, fixed 
cost, or program reductions to ensure that self governance 
tribes share equally in changes to the budget estimate.
    The Committee has provided $106,126,000 for contract 
support including a $3,000,000 increase over the fiscal year 
1995 enacted level. In addition, the Committee has provided an 
increase of $2,000,000 for small and needy tribes and a 
reduction of $4,000,000 for new tribes. As was the case last 
year, the Committee believes that minimum base funding is 
needed by small tribes to permit them to establish basic 
operations and services. The Joint Reorganization Task force 
noted that 264 tribes lack minimum base funding to meet their 
needs. The Bureau should distribute these funds in accordance 
with the needs identified by the Task Force's assessment of 
most needy small tribes.
    With regard to the programs transferred within this bill, 
the Bureau is directed to afford these programs consistent 
treatment with other Tribal priority allocations programs, and 
to distribute them by the current distribution methods while 
determining the amount to be made a part of each tribe's 
recurring base funding. In determining these amounts, the 
Bureau is directed to publish the proposed method of 
determining each tribe's portion of such programs in the 
Federal Register and to consult with and obtain comments from 
tribes prior to finalizing such distribution.
    The Committee directs the Bureau, within 60 days of 
enactment of this Act, to provide a detailed assessment of 
those tribes benefiting from gaming activities. The report 
should provide both the gross revenues from gaming operations 
by tribe and the amount of federal funding each gaming tribe is 
receiving.
    Other recurring programs.--The Committee recommends 
$497,248,000 for other recurring programs of which $213,621,000 
represents a transfer to Tribal priority allocations. The 
Committee recommends decreases of $1,830,000 for pay and fixed 
costs, $2,000,000 for the Indian Self Determination Fund, 
$5,000,000 for the Indian Tribal Justice Act, and $5,000,000 
for the Child Protection and Family Violence Act.
    The Committee recommends $436,297,000 for education 
programs within other recurring programs inclusive of pay and 
fixed cost reductions. This funding level includes $330,711,000 
for forward-funded school operations, with reductions of 
$15,919,000 for ISEP formula funds, $3,815,000 for student 
transportation, and $5,600,000 for administrative cost grants. 
Other school operations are funded at $78,175,000 with 
decreases of $4,356,000 for facilities operation and 
maintenance, $9,000 for institutionalized disabled, $1,000,000 
for model schools and school statistics, and $500,000 for 
tribal departments of education.
    Given the limited resources available to the Committee in 
fiscal year 1996 and for the foreseeable future, the Committee 
is concerned about maintaining an adequate educational system 
for the students currently in the Bureau's school system. An 
increasing demand on already scarce resources could result in 
diminishing the educational services available to the 
approximately 50,000 children that are now served by Bureau 
schools. Accordingly, the Committee has continued the fiscal 
year 1995 bill language which limits the number of schools to 
be funded to those in the Bureau of Indian Affairs school 
system as of September 1, 1995. Bill language is also included 
to prohibit using Bureau funds for any additional grades beyond 
the grade structure in place at each school as of October 1, 
1995. The intent is to preclude expansions such as when a 
school which currently enrolls students in the primary grades 
(K through grade 6) expands its grade structure by adding a 
junior high (grades 7 and 8) or high school (grades 9 through 
12).
    Furthermore, the Committee believes Bureau operated schools 
should be permitted to adopt their own salary schedules in the 
same manner as contract and grant schools. Currently, Bureau 
operated schools are required to pay teachers according to the 
Department of Defense (DOD) salary schedule; however, contract 
and grant schools are exempt from this requirement. Given that 
school operations funds are distributed equally to all schools, 
the DOD teacher salary requirement results in an additional 
burden on Bureau operated schools that is not shared by the 
contract and grant schools. Therefore, bill language is 
included to provide all Bureau school boards equal flexibility 
to set teacher salary rates.
    The Committee recognizes that the recommended funding 
levels will place constraints on Bureau funded schools. 
However, the funds available in this bill apply to the 1996-97 
school year, therefore, the Bureau and schools have over a year 
to develop a plan for making the most efficient use of 
appropriated funds.
    For resource management there is an increase of $250,000 
for the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society. This funding 
level will ensure that NAFWS will be able to support 
development and protection of tribal fish and wildlife 
resources.
    Non-recurring programs.--The Committee recommends 
$62,696,000 for non-recurring programs, of which $14,472,000 
represents a transfer from miscellaneous payments for water 
rights studies and negotiations. This funding level includes 
decreases of $540,000 for pay and fixed costs, $4,000,000 for 
water rights studies and negotiations, and $4,000,000 from 
self-governance grants. In order to provide core funding for 
Tribal priority allocations and education programs no funding 
is provided for community development grants. Reductions 
include $5,946,000 for community and economic development 
grants, $3,000,000 for small business venture capital grants, 
and $770,000 for community development technical assistance.
    Within the $3,000,000 provided for the ``jobs in the 
woods'' initiative, $400,000 should continue to be used by the 
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for the Wildstock 
Restoration Initiative.
    Within resources management wildlife and parks, $600,000 is 
available to the Bering Sea Fisherman's Association (BSFA) to 
provide for monitoring and enhancement of salmon returns. The 
Committee directs BSFA to continue working closely with 
individual tribes and regional Native associations in the 
development of this program.
    Central office operation.--The Committee recommends 
$62,114,000 for central office operations, of which $795,000 
for American Indian Trust, $847,000 for Office of Self-
Determination, and $1,321,000 for Audit and Evaluation 
represent a transfer from the Office of the Secretary to 
general administration, executive direction. This funding level 
includes decreases of $1,269,000 for pay and fixed costs, 
$2,900,000 from land record improvement, $4,200,000 from 
financial trust services, $2,622,000 from general 
administration for ADP purchases, and a general reduction of 
$17,857,000. In addition, within education program management, 
$297,000 is available for a grant to the Close Up Foundation.
    The Committee's recommendation includes a $4,200,000 
reduction for financial trust services for reconciliation tasks 
relating to Individual Indian Money Accounts. The Committee 
understands that requested funds are primarily for the systemic 
reconciliation of the Bureau's general ledger to the IIM 
subsidiary ledger. The Department plans to forward a report on 
approaches to IIM account reconciliation this September. The 
Department's report should recommend alternative, less costly 
approaches to the reconciliation and clarify the implications 
of not reconciling these accounts.
    Bill language is included that will extend the period for 
the Secretary to submit the reconciliation report required 
under the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 
1994 from May 31, 1996 to November 30, 1997. The deadlines 
required in the Act do not allow sufficient time for tribes to 
review the reconciliation results. The proposed extension 
assumes that all reconciliation work will be completed in 
fiscal year 1996. The Committee believes that reconciliation 
should be completed before a legislative settlement is pursued. 
In the reconciliation report, the Secretary should include cost 
estimates associated with his recommendation for a final 
solution to this ongoing issue.
    Further, in September 1994, the Bureau established a 
comprehensive loss policy as recommended by the Inspector 
General, the General Accounting Office, and the House Committee 
on Government Operations. The Committee is concerned that the 
Bureau does not have the authority to cover losses that are 
incurred in the realm of normal trust operations. Delays in 
reimbursing these losses increase the ultimate cost of 
correcting these errors. The Department should consider as part 
of its fiscal year 1997 budget a legislative proposal to 
require the Office of Trust Fund Management to cover such 
losses within its operating budget. This would create an 
incentive to keep these losses at a minimum.
    The Committee's recommendation includes a $17,857,000 
general reduction in central office operations. Such a 
reduction is necessary to preserve funding for priority 
programs at the tribal level. Because of the magnitude of this 
reduction, the Bureau should not move forward with its plan to 
distribute shares of central office and pooled overhead funding 
to tribes as required under the Indian Self-Determination Act 
and Tribal Self-Governance Act. The Committee is concerned that 
implementation of the formula in an era of declining budgets 
will have a negative impact on non-contracting/compacting 
tribes. However, the Committee concurs with the notion that 
central office be downsized to a level commensurate with the 
reduction in functions resulting from tribal operation of 
programs. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Bureau, by 
August 15, 1995, to provide a detailed analysis of central 
office and pooled overhead residual funding levels necessary to 
carry out inherently Federal and trust responsibilities, and 
provide required services to tribes. This analysis should 
include the Bureau's recommendation on the allocation of the 
proposed general reduction in central office, including offices 
and positions that will be eliminated. If there are programs 
funded in central office operations and pooled overhead that 
are truly programmatic in nature, the Bureau should inform the 
Committee of such, and propose transferring these programs to 
other budget categories so as not to prevent compacting/
contracting of these programs.
    Funds are transferred to the Bureau's central office 
activity from the Office of the Secretary to accommodate the 
costs of the Office of Audit and Evaluation; American Indian 
trust; and Self-Governance. Department programs which benefit 
Indian tribes should be funded with the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs appropriation. These three offices, which serve to 
improve the delivery to tribal management, will continue to 
report to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, in 
keeping with recommendations of the Joint Tribal Task Force on 
Reorganization.
    Area office operations.--The Committee recommends 
$51,028,000 for area office operations including decreases of 
$1,466,000 for pay and fixed costs and $2,500,000 from general 
administration.
    The Committee has preserved funding for area office 
operations at a level which makes implementation of the tribal 
shares concept possible. The Bureau should continue to 
implement this proposal as required by the Indian Self-
Determination Act and Tribal Self-Governance Act.
    The Committee is concerned about delays that have been 
experienced in a study that the United States Geological Survey 
is conducting for the Hopland Band of the Pomo Indians in 
California. Being performed pursuant to a grant from the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the study will help identify a 
clean, reliable water source for the Tribe, which is facing a 
severe shortage. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, as trustee for 
the Tribe, is administering the grant on the Tribe's behalf. 
The Committee directs the Bureau to take all necessary action 
to assure that the study moves forward to swift conclusion.
    Special programs and pooled overhead.--The Committee 
recommends $83,903,000 for special programs and pooled overhead 
including decreases of $3,248,000 for pay and fixed costs, 
$1,216,000 from intra-government transfers, and $2,065,000 from 
general administration. In order to provide core funding for 
Tribal priority allocations and school operations no funding is 
provided for the Indian Arts and Crafts Board ($1,172,000) and 
Special Higher Education Scholarships ($2,674,000). The 
Committee has provided an increase of $2,500,000 for employee 
displacement costs. These funds will cover the cost of 
severance pay, lump sum leave payments, and relocation costs 
associated with downsizing and transferring programs to tribes 
through contracts.

                              construction
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $120,450,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     125,424,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      98,033,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -22,417,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -27,391,000

    The amounts recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimates by activity are as 
follows:




    Tribal government.--The Committee recommends a reduction of 
$4,394,000 for tribal government. The Committee believes that 
construction funding should cover the entire cost of a given 
project and hence there is no need for a separate appropriation 
for contract support.
    Education.--The Committee recommends $38,039,000 for 
education construction including decreases of $10,000,000 for 
facilities improvement and repair, $13,500,000 for Many Farms 
school, $7,500,000 for the Chief Leschi school, and $134,000 
for pay and fixed costs.
    The Committee recommends $14,000,000 for the construction 
of the Chief Leschi school complex. The Committee 
recommendation assumes that this project will be phased in over 
a two-year period.
    The Committee has continued the fiscal year 1995 bill 
language related to implementing the process to award grants 
for construction of new schools or facilities improvement and 
repair projects in excess of $100,000. The language ensures 
that the Department can continue to implement the grant process 
while the permanent implementation process is under development 
in fiscal year 1996. The Committee expects the Department and 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs to continue to work cooperatively 
with the tribes in the development of a final implementation 
process. Given that the language is clear concerning 
negotiating the schedule of payments, the Committee has not 
continued the language limiting payments to two per year.
    Public safety and justice.--The committee recommends 
$3,500,000 for public safety and justice including decreases of 
$8,900,000 for the Ute Mountain detention center and $3,000,000 
for the Bureau's fire protection program.
    The Committee has included $1,800,000 for the Bureau to 
expand its fire safety program. The Committee concurs with the 
Bureau on the need to establish a separate fire safety program. 
It is especially important to have a fire safety and prevention 
program in all Bureau schools. The Committee expects the Bureau 
to develop a comprehensive inventory detailing all of its fire 
safety needs, and to develop a priority system for allocating 
these resources.
    General Administration.--The Committee has included a 
transfer of $1,500,000 to the Bureau's construction activity 
from the Office of the Secretary to accommodate the costs of 
the Office of Construction Management. Department programs 
which benefit Indian tribes should be funded with the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs appropriation.
    Resources management.--The Committee recommends $51,445,000 
for resources management of which $34,200,000 for the Navajo 
Indian Irrigation Project and $3,000,000 for the Southern 
Arizona Project represent a transfer from the Indian Settlement 
Account. The Committee's recommendation includes decreases of 
$12,000,000 for the safety of dams program, $5,000,000 for the 
Navajo Indian Irrigation Project, $1,500,000 for Southern 
Arizona Water Rights Settlement Project, and $163,000 for pay 
and fixed costs.

 indian land and water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to 
                                indians
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $77,096,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     151,025,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      67,145,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -9,951,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -83,880,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $67,145,000 
for Indian land and water claim settlements and miscellaneous 
payments to Indians of which $14,472,000 for water rights 
studies/negotiations has been transferred back to the Operation 
of Indian Programs, and $34,200,000 for the Navajo Indian 
Irrigation Project and $3,000,000 for the Southern Arizona 
Project which have been transferred to the Construction 
account.
    The Committee's recommendation includes decreases of 
$40,000 for pay and fixed costs, $12,668,000 for trust fund 
interest payments, $5,500,000 for the Ute Indian Rights 
Settlement, and $8,000,000 for the Pyramid Lake Water Rights 
Settlement.
    In addition, the Committee recommends a decrease of 
$6,000,000 for the Three Affiliated Tribes Recovery Fund. The 
Committee understands that no more than $149,200,000 is to be 
paid into the Three Tribe's Economic Recovery Fund from two 
sources: 1) receipts from the Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin 
Project; and 2) appropriated funds authorized at $6,000,000 per 
year for ten years. It is the Committee's understanding that 
the tribe has received over $80,000,000 from receipts in the 
past three years, and that two more years of receipts can fully 
fund the Government's obligation. The Bureau should take the 
necessary steps to ensure the receipts are deposited in the 
tribe's recovery fund over the next three years.

                    navajo rehabilitation trust fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $1,996,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................................
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,996,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends no appropriation for the Navajo 
Rehabilitation Trust Fund, the same as the budget estimate.

               technical assistance of Indian enterprises
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $1,966,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       1,966,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,966,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -1,966,000

    The Committee recommends no appropriation for Technical 
Assistance of Indian Enterprises.

                   Indian direct Loan Program Account
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................        $779,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................................
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -779,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends no appropriation for the Indian 
Direct Loan Program.

                 Indian Guaranteed Loan Program Account
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $9,671,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       9,684,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -9,671,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -9,684,000

    The Committee recommends no appropriation for the Indian 
Guaranteed Loan Program.
    To preserve funding for core programs at the tribal level 
no funding is provided for the loan programs. The Bureau should 
maintain sufficient staffing, funded through central and area 
office operations, to ensure that the existing portfolio of 
loans is adequately managed and serviced.

                 Territorial and International Affairs

                       assistance to territories
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $78,201,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      69,232,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      69,232,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -8,969,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The amounts recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996, compared to the budget estimates by activity, are shown 
in the following table:




    Guam.--As is requested in the budget, the Committee has not 
included any funding to offset costs incurred by Guam resulting 
from implementation of the Compacts of Free Association with 
the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands. Guam has estimated the cumulative costs since 
implementation of the Compacts in 1996 to be in excess of 
$70,000,000. Recent implementation of the Compact of Free 
Association with the Republic of Palau could further exacerbate 
this problem. The Committee believes the problem needs to be 
dealt with legislatively and expects the Department to work 
with the Government of Guam to develop a comprehensive proposal 
to address the various control, social, and cost aspects of the 
impact issue. This should be accomplished within existing 
budget constraints.
    American Samoa.--The Committee recommends $24,090,000 for 
American Samoa, the budget estimate. This includes an increase 
of $1,000,000 to implement recommendations for financial 
recovery developed by the Joint Working Group. The Committee is 
very concerned about the slow progress by the American Samoa 
Government in addressing its financial situation. The Committee 
fully expects the American Samoa Government to move forward 
with due speed in implementing significant revenue enhancements 
and cost cutting measures by all branches of the American Samoa 
government. The Committee was pleased to hear the Governor and 
the Department have employed an expert to assist in developing 
a financial recovery plan and expects the next report of the 
Joint Working Group to identify specific quantifiable proposals 
and time schedules for implementation.
    The Committee is particularly concerned about the lack of 
funding in the budget for essential infrastructure needs. If 
pending legislation is not enacted, these needs will not be 
met. The Committee hopes that differing legislative approaches 
can be reconciled and a bill enacted this fiscal year. The 
Committee believes the legislation should address all of the 
insular areas, with American Samoa's infrastructure needs 
identified as a priority.
    Virgin Islands.--The Committee is not recommending any 
funding for the Virgin Islands. To the extent the Virgin 
Islands has special programmatic or infrastructure needs that 
cannot be funded through technical assistance programs, these 
needs should be addressed in the pending legislation.
    Northern Mariana Islands.--The Committee recommends 
$27,720,000, the same as the budget estimate, for the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. These funds are 
included in the bill under the existing authorization, since 
Congress has not taken action on pending legislation to change 
the allocation of this mandatory funding.
    However, as recommended in the Department's April 24, 1995 
report to Congress regarding CNMI immigration and labor issues, 
$3,000,000 of the funds appropriated for CNMI Covenant grants 
may be reserved by the Secretary of the Interior for use by 
Federal agencies and the CNMI to continue the Immigration, 
Labor and Law Enforcement Initiative in the CNMI. The balance 
shall be granted to the CNMI for needed infrastructure, 
including prison and detention facility needs, with matching 
requirements as determined by the Secretary.
    Territorial Assistance.--The Committee recommends 
$17,422,000, the same as the budget estimate. The Committee has 
agreed to the Department's proposal to abolish OTIA and the 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Territorial and 
International Affairs and to transfer remaining 
responsibilities to a new Office of Insular Affairs in the 
Office of the Secretary. The Committee believes it is 
important, however, that the new office retain sufficient 
expertise to deal with insular issues and to provide proper 
oversight of Federal funds. The Committee expects the new 
office to be headed by a senior-level official who can deal 
with these issues.
    The Committee has been told that certain budget functions 
will be transferred to the Department's Office of Budget, 
although these functions were not described in the 
justification. The Committee expects the Department to ensure 
that essential budget and financial responsibilities are not 
sacrificed as a result of the reorganization. The Committee 
expects to continue receiving comprehensive justifications and 
financial reports on all insular programs and activities.
    The Committee was able to recommend the budget estimate 
because it included a 16-percent reduction in funding for 
technical assistance programs, consistent with the Committee's 
objective to identify cost savings.

                 trust territory of the pacific islands
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $19,800,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................................
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
 Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -19,800,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................                

    The Committee does not recommend any funding. The 
implementation of the Compact of Free Association with the 
Republic of Palau, the final entity of the Trust Territory, 
precludes the need for any additional budget authority in this 
appropriation.

                      compact of free association
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $23,574,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      24,938,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      24,938,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      +1,364,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The amounts recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996, compared with the budget estimate by activity, follow:


    Federal services assistance.--The Committee recommends 
$6,964,000. This funding level reflects a decrease despite the 
additional services and costs associated with the 
implementation of the Compact of Free Association for Palau. 
The Committee understands that the Department will be able to 
cover these costs with unobligated balances available from 
prior years.
    Program grant assistance.--The Committee recommends 
$14,900,000 for program grant assistance. The increase is due 
to the implementation of the Compact of Free Association for 
Palau.
    Enewetak support.--The Committee recommends $1,091,000 for 
the Enewetak agricultural and food support program.
    Rongelap Atoll.--The Committee recommends $1,983,000, the 
same as the budget estimate. Despite budgetary constraints, the 
Committee recognizes the responsibility of the Federal 
government to provide a reasonable contribution to the 
resettlement of Rongelap Atoll. The Committee expects the 
Department to continue working with the Rongelap Local 
Government Council to agree upon a final and reasonable cost 
estimate of the Federal contribution to the resettlement 
effort. The Department is expected to provide the Committee 
with the estimates and a time schedule for rehabilitation and 
resettlement by March 15, 1996.
    Palau Compact Section 212(a)-Palau Road.--The Committee has 
included bill language that would allow the Department to 
negotiate changes with the Palau government in engineering 
specifications for the Palau road promised under Section 212(a) 
of the Compact. The language makes it clear that changes in 
these specifications are not to result in additional costs to 
the Federal government.

                          Departmental Offices

                        Office of the Secretary

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $62,479,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      64,772,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      55,982,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -6,497,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -8,790,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $55,982,000 
for fiscal year 1996, a decrease of $8,790,000 below the 1996 
budget request and $6,497,000 below the 1995 appropriation. The 
Committee acknowledges that funding for this account has been 
restrained over the years and that coordination of the 
activities of the Department's ten bureaus is critical to 
ensure the overall effectiveness of the Department's programs. 
However, given the size of the reduction being addressed by 
this Committee, it's appropriate that these activities be 
significantly reduced as are all of the Department's 
activities. Consequently, the amount recommended by the 
Committee for fiscal year 1996 compared with the budget 
estimate follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                       FY 1995   Budgetestimates   Committee     from   
                       enacted                       bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Departmental                                                            
 direction.........      14,185         13,872         9,177      -4,695
Policy, management                                                      
 and budget........      23,383         24,520        21,652      -2,868
Hearings and                                                            
 appeals...........       6,818          7,399         6,818        -581
Central services...      18,335         18,981        18,335        -646
GSA rent reduction.         -41  ...............  ..........  ..........
Procurement reform.         -97  ...............  ..........  ..........
Locality pay.......        -104  ...............  ..........  ..........
                    ----------------------------------------------------
      Total, Office                                                     
       of the                                                           
       Secretary...      62,479         64,772        55,982      -8,790
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee does not provide for any program increases in 
the fiscal year 1996 budget and all uncontrollable costs should 
be absorbed within the amounts provided. All program activities 
are funded at the 1995 enacted level except the following 
offices: the Secretary's immediate office, Congressional 
relations, Communications, Assistant Secretary for Policy, 
management and budget, environmental affairs, and acquisition 
and property management. The office of policy analysis was also 
reduced, however, an additional $250,000 was then added to fund 
the transfer of three FTE's from the Assistant Secretary for 
Territorial and international affairs. In addition, $76,000 was 
added to the office of budget for the transfer of another FTE 
from the Assistant Secretary for Territorial and international 
affairs. These specific reductions were taken with the 
expectation that levels of review and duplication will be 
eliminated. The Committee direction is consistent with the 
governmentwide National Performance Review, which urges the 
empowering of individual federal employees.
    Included in the Policy, Management and Budget activity is a 
small core policy function from the Office of Construction 
Management to continue its Departmental activities. The 
remaining functions of the Office of Construction Management 
including responsibility for oversight of the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs construction activity are funded within the BIA's 
Construction appropriation. Management responsibility for 
oversight of construction and facilities operation and 
maintenance policy for BIA schools and other bureau facilities 
will be transferred to the BIA over the next three years, in an 
effort to bring management closer to the program. The Committee 
expects this transition to be orderly and the Committee should 
be kept informed of the Department's progress in this matter.
    The Committee also recommends the transfer of funding for 
the Offices of American Indian Trust, Self-Governance and Audit 
and Evaluation to the BIA's Operation of Indian Programs 
appropriation. The Committee expects that the transfer of the 
Offices of American Indian Trust, Self-Governance and Audit and 
Evaluation to BIA will not affect their ongoing reporting 
relationships within the Office of the Secretary. They will all 
continue to report directly to the Assistant Secretary--Indian 
Affairs, but the costs of these programs will be funded from 
appropriations available for Indian activities, which comprise 
the principal work of all three offices.
    The Committee also recommends shifting the training and 
safety portions of the Office of Aircraft Services into the 
Working Capital Fund-centralized billing, while leaving policy 
management under the Policy, Management and Budget activity. 
Other reductions are made within the Working Capital Fund to 
offset this increase so as not to cause an increase in charges 
to the bureaus.
    The Committee is further aware that the level of funding 
provided could result in a reduction-in-force in the Office of 
the Secretary. Therefore, in order to provide greater 
management flexibility to make adjustments among the various 
offices which comprise the account, the Committee has 
simplified the overly complex budget account structure with 
funding now provided in four budget activities. More detailed 
information should continue to be available to the Committee as 
needed.
    All staffing throughout the Department will be affected by 
the fiscal year 1996 recommendations. The Committee urges the 
Office of the Secretary to live within its FTE allocation and 
limit any details from the bureaus to the Office of the 
Secretary to very extraordinary circumstances and for very 
limited time periods.

                        Office of the Solicitor

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $34,608,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      35,361,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      34,608,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -753,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $34,608,000 
for the Office of the Solicitor, a net reduction of $753,000 
below the 1996 budget request. The Committee understands that 
the office provides essential legal services to the 
Department's bureaus and has experienced a steady growth in 
workload in recent years. The Committee expects the office to 
use any savings from administrative streamlining to enhance its 
program staffing.

                      Office of Inspector General

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $23,939,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      25,485,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      23,939,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -1,546,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $23,939,000, a 
net reduction of $1,546,000 below the 1996 budget request.

                   National Indian Gaming Commission

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       1,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       1,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,000,000, 
the budget request, for the National Indian Gaming Commission.
             general provisions, department of the interior

    The Committee recommends continuing several provisions 
carried in previous bills as follows. Sections 101 and 102 
provide for emergency transfer authority with the approval of 
the Secretary. Section 103 provides for warehouse and garage 
operations and for reimbursement for those services. Section 
104 provides for vehicle and other services. Section 105 
provides for uniform allowances. Section 106 provides for 
twelve month contracts with the General Services Administration 
for services and rentals.
    The Committee has not continued the moratoria on the use of 
funds for certain oil and gas leasing on the Outer Continental 
Shelf (OCS) as carried in previous years. The Administration 
proposed continuing these legislative provisions. The Committee 
believes that the environmental threat from oil and gas leasing 
on the OCS is minimal and that the real threat is spills from 
tankers which transport oil. OCS development reduces the need 
for tankers. This issue is discussed in more detail in the 
Minerals Management Service section of this report.
    Section 107 provides the Secretary with transfer authority 
between and among the land acquisition accounts in the Bureau 
of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 
National Park Service, and makes the use of land acquisition 
funds subject to the reprogramming guidelines of the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    Section 108 provides for the transfer of funds to the 
Presidio Trust upon its establishment.
    Section 109 repeals the Outer Banks Protection Act which 
was included as a section in the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. 
This provision is explained in more detail in the Minerals 
Management Service section of this report.
    Section 110 prohibits the use of funds for developing, 
promulgating and implementing a rule concerning rights-of-way 
under section 2477 of the Revised Statutes. Section 110 is 
intended to allow time for Congress to adopt legislation 
clarifying the terms and scope of grants for highway rights-of-
way across federal land pursuant to section 2477 of the Revised 
Statues. Historically, the Department took the position that 
the validity of these grants was governed by state property law 
because there was no general federal law of property and no 
delegation of authority by Congress to interpret the terms of 
the statute by regulation. The Department established an 
administrative process for the non-adjudicatory acknowledgment 
of valid grants. Then as now, the courts were available to 
resolve disputed claims. The present contention that FLPMA, or 
other land management statutes enacted after the vesting of 
these property rights, now permits the Department to look back 
and re-interpret the basic terms of the grant is doubtful as a 
matter of law and questionable as a matter of public policy. 
The implications are enormous; if such a contention were valid, 
virtually every transfer of interest or title in federal lands 
back to the founding of the Republic could be compromised. The 
Committee believes that the public interest will be better 
served if these grants to States and their political 
subdivisions are not put in jeopardy by the Department pending 
Congressional clarification of these issues. Section 110 does 
not limit the ability of the Department to acknowledge or deny 
the validity of claims under RS 2477 or limit the right of 
grantees to litigate their claims in any court.
    Sections 111 through 114 prohibit the expenditure of funds 
for Outer Continental Shelf leasing activities in certain areas 
as proposed in the budget. These provisions are addressed under 
the Minerals Management Service in this report.
    Although the Committee has not recommended continuing a 
legislative provision, carried in previous years, requiring 
that employee details conform to Office of Personnel Management 
regulations, the Department is to report monthly to the 
Committee on employee details.

                       TITLE II--RELATED AGENCIES

                       DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                             Forest Service

    The Forest Service manages 191 million acres of public 
lands across the country, and administers a wide variety of 
programs, including timber production, recreation, grazing, 
wildlife protection, and soil and water conservation. 
Recreational use of national forest land amounted to 
approximately 295.5 million visitor days in 1993, roughly equal 
to each American spending 12 hours on the National Forest 
System. In fact, the national forests and grasslands provided 
about 43 percent of all recreational visitors days on all 
Federal lands in 1993. More than 9,000 farmers and ranchers pay 
for permits to graze cattle, horses, sheep and goats on 74 
million acres of grassland, open forests, and other forage-
producing acres of the National Forest System. The Forest 
Service also manages more than 191 million acres of habitat for 
more than 3,000 species of wildlife and fish, and 10,000 plant 
species. Half of the big game and coldwater fish habitat in the 
nation is located on National Forest System lands and waters. 
In addition, in the 16 western States, where the water supply 
is sometimes critically short, about 55 percent of the total 
annual yield of water is from National Forest System lands.

                            forest research
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $193,748,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     203,796,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     182,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -11,748,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -21,796,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $182,000,000 
for forest research, a decrease of $21,796,000 below the budget 
request and $11,748,000 below the 1995 funding level. The 
comparisons of the recommendation and the budget estimates by 
activity are shown in the following table:


    The Committee has collapsed the existing three activities 
in this account into one due to the interrelated nature of 
these efforts and to provide maximum flexibility in allocating 
reductions while maintaining priorities for critical research 
efforts.
    The Committee has eliminated the international forestry 
appropriation account, and has included funding to continue the 
International Institute of Tropical Forestry and the Institute 
of Pacific Islands Forestry in the research program.
    Within the funding provided is $300,000 for the landscape 
management project at the University of Washington, $479,000 
for the North Central Forest Experiment Station Project RWU-NC-
4902 and $200,000 to support the research activities of the 
Olympic Natural Resources Center (ONRC) located in Forks, WA.
    The Committee urges the Forest Service to maintain the 1995 
funding level for the North Central and Southern Forest 
Experiment Stations, and to downsize staff at the Southern 
Station only through attrition.
    The Committee also urges the Forest Service to maintain the 
1995 funding levels for the Urban Forestry Research Stations at 
Syracuse, NY and UC Davis, CA.
    The Committee recognizes the importance of timely forest 
inventory data as a basis for policy decisions and urges the 
Forest Service to attempt to maintain close to a ten-year 
minimum inventory cycle in all parts of the country outside of 
the South, and a shorter cycle in the South.
    The Committee is concerned about the pace of the inventory 
of the old-growth forest stands, and urges the Forest Service 
to complete promptly this inventory and to continue to exercise 
care to avoid inadvertently including unidentified old-growth 
timber in new timber sales.
    The Forest Service is encouraged to explore the possibility 
of designating the Shawnee NF as a songbird research forest.
                       state and private forestry
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $154,268,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     187,459,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     129,551,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -24,717,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -57,908,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $129,551,000 
for state and private forestry, a decrease of $57,908,000 below 
the budget request and $24,717,000 below the 1995 funding 
level. Through cooperative programs with State and local 
governments, forest industry and private landowners, the Forest 
Service helps to protect and manage 805 million acres of forest 
and associated watershed land. Technical and financial 
assistance is offered to improve fire, insect and disease 
control; improve harvesting, processing and monitoring of 
forest products; and stimulate reforestation and timber stand 
improvement.
    The comparisons of the recommendation and the budget 
estimates by activity is shown in the following table:


    Forest health management.--The Committee recommends 
$52,551,000 for forest health management, which is $3,478,000 
below the request, and $3,927,000 above the 1995 funding level. 
This overall increase of 8.1% reflects the high priority the 
Committee has placed on these activities. The increase provided 
for fire management will restore this program to approximately 
the 1994 funding level as requested by the Administration.
    Emergency pest suppression fund.--In addition to this 
appropriation, approximately $17,000,000 will be available in 
1996 for emergency pest suppression that was appropriated in 
prior years, compared to approximately $14,000,000 which was 
apportioned to date for emergency pest suppression in 1995. The 
Committee has not provided additional emergency funding in this 
bill consistent with the House Rules which prohibit reporting 
emergency spending authority in general appropriations bills.
    The Committee is aware of the difficulty Forest Service 
field staff have encountered in obtaining funds from the 
emergency pest management fund on short notice. The Committee 
encourages the Administration and the agency to release funds 
promptly in order to meet the needs of field staff treating 
forest insect emergency situations.
    Cooperative forestry.--The Committee recommends $77,000,000 
for cooperative forestry, which is $54,430,000 below the 
request, and $28,644,000 below the 1995 funding level. Due to 
severe funding constraints imposed by the budget resolution, 
the Committee has eliminated funding for the forest legacy 
program, stewardship incentives program, economic 
diversification studies, and the timber bridge initiative.
    Within the Economic Action Program, the Committee has 
provided $5,000,000 to continue the Rural Development Through 
Forestry program of which $3,000,000 is included for the 
Northeast and Midwest. No funds are included for the Columbia 
River Gorge Skamania Lodge consistant with the request, as 1995 
was the last year of assistance planned for this facility. For 
Pacific Northwest assistance, the bill includes $13,000,000 for 
rural community assistance and $3,000,000 for old growth 
diversification. The Committee has included funding in the 
urban forestry program to continue the resources partnerships, 
and encourages the Forest Service to continue supporting 
existing public/private partnership projects that focus on 
urban ecosystem restoration. The Committee has included 
$500,000 for Lake Tahoe Basin erosion control.
    No funding has been provided for natural resource 
conservation education for which the budget request included 
$1,500,000; however, the Committee supports these efforts and 
encourages the Forest Service to pursue opportunities to 
educate elementary and high school students, as well as the 
general public, within the base program at a reduced level. The 
Committee has not included funds for the Northern Forest Lands 
Council.
                         international forestry
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $4,987,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      10,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -4,987,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -10,000,000

    The Committee has not provided funding for international 
forestry due to severe budget constraints imposed by the budget 
resolution. The budget requested $10,000,000 for this purpose. 
Activities conducted under the international program include 
analyzing and implementing sustainable forest management 
policies; technical cooperation, training, and research to 
promote international forests conservation; the sister forests 
program; the International Institute of Tropical Forestry; and 
the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.
    The Committee does not object to the use of up to 
$2,000,000 within general administration to maintain a 
coordination function for international activities, but expects 
a dramatic curtailment of foreign travel expenditures in view 
of the budget constraints placed upon the entire agency in this 
appropriations bill. Under the circumstances, the Committee 
does not support the continuation of a deputy chief for 
international forestry.

                         national forest system
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................  $1,328,893,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................   1,348,755,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................   1,276,688,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -52,205,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -72,067,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $1,276,688,000 
for the National Forest System, a decrease of $72,067,000 below 
the budget request and $52,205,000 below the 1995 funding 
level. The comparisons of the recommendation and the budget 
estimates by activity is shown in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ecosystem planning,                                                     
 inventory and                                                          
 monitoring.............     149,815     148,675     130,000     -18,675
                         ===============================================
Recreation Use:                                                         
    Recreation                                                          
     management.........     159,426     175,317     170,000      -5,317
    Wilderness                                                          
     management.........      46,338      35,115      35,000        -115
    Heritage resources..      14,589      18,527      14,000      -4,527
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal,                                                         
       Recreation Use...     220,353     228,959     219,000      -9,959
                         ===============================================
Wildlife and Fish                                                       
 Management:                                                            
    Wildlife habitat                                                    
     management.........      30,184      28,448      30,000      +1,552
    Inland fish habitat                                                 
     management.........      15,368      18,625      15,500      -3,125
    Anadromous fish                                                     
     habitat management.      24,141      21,693      21,000        -693
    TE&S species habitat                                                
     management.........      23,563      30,992      23,500      -7,492
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Wildlife                                                
       and Fish                                                         
       Management.......      93,256      99,758      90,000      -9,758
                         ===============================================
Rangeland Management:                                                   
    Grazing management..      12,510      24,064      16,000      -8,064
    Rangeland vegetation                                                
     management.........       5,995      19,386      11,000      -8,386
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal,                                                         
       Rangeland                                                        
       Management.......      18,505      43,450      27,000     -16,450
                         ===============================================
Forestland Management:                                                  
    Timber sales                                                        
     management.........     181,050     157,614     188,582     +30,968
    Forestland                                                          
     vegetation                                                         
     management.........      86,740      56,740      51,740      -5,000
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal,                                                         
       Forestland                                                       
       Management.......     267,790     214,354     240,322     +25,968
                         ===============================================
Soil, Water and Air                                                     
 Management:                                                            
    Soil, water and air                                                 
     operations.........      23,865      24,339      22,000      -2,339
    Watershed                                                           
     improvements.......      24,480      23,957      20,000      -3,957
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Soil,                                                   
       Water and Air                                                    
       Management.......      48,345      48,296      42,000      -6,296
                         ===============================================
Minerals and geology                                                    
 management.............      39,011      37,392      35,000      -2,392
                         ===============================================
Land Ownership                                                          
 Management:                                                            
    Real estate                                                         
     management.........      45,660      45,276      43,000      -2,276
    Landline location...      15,952      20,370      14,000      -6,370
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Land                                                    
       Ownership                                                        
       Management.......      61,612      65,646      57,000      -8,646
                         ===============================================
Infrastructure                                                          
 Management:                                                            
    Road maintenance....      83,860      84,289      80,000      -4,289
    Facility maintenance      26,321      25,202      22,000      -3,202
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal,                                                         
       Infrastructure                                                   
       Management.......     110,181     109,491     102,000      -7,491
                         ===============================================
Law enforcement                                                         
 operations.............      63,535      59,591      59,591          --
General administration..     297,590     293,143     274,775     -18,368
Reforestation trust fund                                                
 transfer...............     -30,000          --          --          --
Rescission from                                                         
 unobligated fire                                                       
 management.............     -12,000          --          --          --
Fire protection, 1995                                                   
 transfer...............         900          --          --          --
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, National                                                   
       Forest System....   1,328,893   1,348,755   1,276,688     -72,067
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ecosystem planning, inventory and monitoring.--The 
Committee recommends $130,000,000 for ecosystem planning, 
inventory and monitoring, which is $18,675,000 below the 
request, and $19,815,000 below the 1995 funding level.
    The Committee is concerned about the proliferation of 
ecoregion assessments, and requests that the Forest Service 
provide a report by December 1, 1996, which summarizes the 
purpose, scope, benefits, and the current year as well as 
outyear costs for each planned or ongoing assessment.
    Recreation use.--The Committee recommends $219,000,000 for 
recreation use, which is $9,959,000 below the request, and 
$1,353,000 below the 1995 funding level. The Committee 
recognizes increasing public demand for recreation services and 
has provided a 6.6% increase for recreation management to 
partially address these needs.
    Bill language is included in Title III, General Provisions, 
establishing a recreational fee test program that allows fees 
to be charged at 10 to 30 sites or areas and provides for the 
use of a portion of those fees, without further appropriation, 
for facility or habitat enhancement, operation, or 
interpretation, with a focus on reducing the backlog of repair 
and maintenance. This fee demonstration program is explained in 
more detail in the front of this report.
    The Committee remains concerned about the methodology used 
by the Forest Service for allocating funds among its regions, 
particularly recreation management funds. The Forest Service is 
requested to include in its budget request for fiscal year 1997 
information describing the criteria used to allocate National 
Forest System funds among the regions, and consider using 
factors such as visitor days for future allocations.
    The Committee recommends that $200,000 be made available to 
continue the cultural resources program on the Wayne NF, OH. 
While including this language here, the Committee expects this 
funding will be made available from the appropriate line items 
where cultural resources supporting costs have been allocated, 
such as timber and minerals management.
    Wildlife and fish management.--The Committee recommends 
$90,000,000 for wildlife and fish management, which is 
$9,758,000 below the request, and $3,256,000 below the 1995 
funding level.
    Rangeland management.--The Committee recommends $27,000,000 
for rangeland management, which is $16,450,000 below the 
request, and $8,495,000 above the 1995 funding level.
    The Committee directs the Forest Service to develop a 
multi-year strategy, schedule, and funding requirements for 
renewing grazing permits and report to the Committee by 
September 1, 1995.
    Forestland management.--The Committee recommends 
$240,322,000 for forestland management, which is $25,968,000 
above the request, and $27,468,000 below the 1995 funding 
level.
    Timber sales.--Within Forestland management, the Committee 
recommends $188,582,000 for timber sales management, which is 
$30,968,000 over the request, and $7,532,000 over the 1995 
funding level. The increase will allow the Forest Service to 
offer an additional 418 MMBF in green timber sales over the 2.2 
BBF level estimated in the request, and represents the maximum 
capacity of the Forest Service to expand the green timber sales 
program in 1996. This will produce an estimated total green 
sales volume of 2.6 BBF in 1996, compared to 2.5 BBF in 1995. 
The Forest Service estimates the 1996 salvage volume to be 1.5 
BBF, compared to 1.6 BBF in 1995. The Committee has also 
recommended a $5,500,000 increase in timber roads over the 
request to support the increase in timber sales.
    The Committee remains extremely concerned with 
accomplishment of the Forest Service timber sale program and 
has provided significant resources to allow the agency to move 
forward aggressively with the national timber program for both 
green and salvage sales. To ensure that Congress is adequately 
informed and notified of progress and delays in implementing 
the FY 1996 program, the Committee requests the agency to 
continue its regular, quarterly reporting of timber sale 
preparation, offer, sale and harvest accomplishment--including 
a region by region status report. The Committee expects the 
reports to include detailed information on the status of the 
timber sales pipeline. The Committee encourages the agency to 
report its timber program accomplishments on the basis of 
timber sold and transferred to purchasers and on the volume 
offered. The reports are to be as comprehensive as possible and 
provide information on both green and salvage sales.
    The Committee is also concerned about the Forest Service's 
inability to meet the timber harvest goals that were laid out 
as part of the President's Forest Plan for the Pacific 
Northwest even though sufficient funding has been provided to 
reach those goals. The Forest Service should take every action 
possible to reach the harvest levels promised by the President 
for the regions in the Option 9 Plan.
    The Committee reiterates its position that tree measurement 
should be used to the maximum extent feasible and practical 
consistent with the Committee's guidance in House Report 103-
551.
    The Committee expects the Shawnee NF not to engage in any 
below cost timber sales.
    Soil, water and air management.--The Committee recommends 
$42,000,000 for soil, water and air management, which is 
$6,296,000 below the request, and $6,345,000 below the 1995 
funding level.
    Minerals and geology management.--The Committee recommends 
$35,000,000 for minerals and geology management, which is 
$2,392,000 below the request, and $4,011,000 below the 1995 
funding level.
    Land ownership management.--The Committee recommends 
$57,000,000 for land ownership management, which is $8,646,000 
below the request, and $4,612,000 below the 1995 funding level. 
This funding level includes $400,000 for the Forest Service to 
continue development of a plan for preserving and managing the 
former Joliet Arsenal property as a potential National 
tallgrass prairie. This site is over 23,500 acres in size, and 
is home to many threatened and endangered plants and animals.
    Infrastructure management.--The Committee recommends 
$102,000,000 for infrastructure management, which is $7,491,000 
below the request, and $8,181,000 below the 1995 funding level.
    General administration.--The Committee recommends 
$274,775,000 general administration, which is $18,368,000 below 
the request, and $22,815,000 below the 1995 funding level. The 
Committee does not object to the use of up to $2,000,000 to 
maintain core international functions and coordinating 
activities.
    General.--The Committee considers any restructuring or 
reorganization related to the reinvention proposal to be 
subject to the Committee's review pursuant to the reprogramming 
guidelines. The Committee expresses its support for maintaining 
the Northeastern Area Headquarters and Forest Experimental 
Station in Radnor, PA.
    The Committee was very disturbed to learn that the Forest 
Service has reprogrammed $10,000,000 to initiate an Americorps 
program without advance notification to the Committee. This is 
a clear abuse of the funding flexibility the Committee has 
provided through the establishment of reprogramming guidelines, 
and circumvents the role of the Congress to oversee and approve 
the funding of the executive branch. The Committee takes this 
violation of the reprogramming process very seriously, and has 
included section 312 in Title III, General Provisions, which 
prohibits the use of any funds in the bill for the Americorps 
program in 1996. The Committee will closely review the need for 
continued funding for this program, as well as the Forest 
Service's internal controls for reprogrammings, during the 1997 
hearings.
    The Committee urges the Forest Service to maintain the 1995 
funding level for the Pacific Northwest Forest plan.
    The Committee is concerned that the some of the money 
provided for the ``Jobs in the Woods'' program has not been 
used for its intended purpose. The Forest Service is directed 
to take appropriate actions to use project dollars to hire 
dislocated timber and forest workers from forest dependent 
communities and to provide job training in support of those 
workers.
    The Committee is aware of the old growth and roadless 
inventory being conducted as part of the Southern Appalachian 
Assessment. The Committee encourages the continuation of 
planned or existing timber sales during the period of the 
inventory, and believes that the assessment should not 
encourage the withdrawal of these lands from timber production. 
The Committee expects that no new lands should be granted 
designation as ``roadless'' or other similar designation that 
might preclude the development or enhancement of transportation 
systems designed for use by motor vehicles until the Forest 
Service has completed a thorough review during the individual 
forest plan revision of the potential impacts of such 
designations on the following: forest-dependent communities; 
forest resource management initiatives designed to enhance 
forest health; local and national supplies of forest resource 
commodities; and the establishment of recreational facilities.
    Administrative provisions.--Under the administrative 
provisions section of the bill, the Committee has retained 
language requiring advance submission of proposals to change 
boundaries, close offices, change the appropriations structure, 
or use transfer authority.
    The Committee has continued language limiting clearcutting 
in the Wayne NF, OH. Language has been included prohibiting 
clearcutting or other forms of even-aged management and also 
prohibiting activities that harm songbirds on the Shawnee NF, 
IL.
    Language has also been included to require that 80% of the 
funds in the National Forest System and Construction accounts 
allocated to the Jobs in the Woods program in the State of 
Washington may be granted directly to the Washington State 
Department of Fish and Wildlife for accomplishment of planned 
projects. The remaining 20% shall be used by the Forest Service 
for planning and administering projects. Project selection and 
prioritization shall be done by the Forest Service in 
consultation with the State as deemed appropriate by the Forest 
Service.

                     forest service fire protection
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $159,285,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     164,285,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    -159,285,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -164,285,000

    The Committee has eliminated this account and funded these 
activities under the Fire Protection and Emergency Suppression 
account.

               emergency forest service firefighting fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $676,200,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     239,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    -676,200,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -239,000,000

    The Committee has eliminated this account and funded these 
activities under the Fire Protection and Emergency Suppression 
account. The Committee urges the Administration to use the 
remaining $100,000,000 in the emergency fund to repay funds 
borrowed from the K-V fund.
               fire protection and emergency suppression
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................................
Budget estimate, 1996...................................................
Recommended, 1996.......................................    $385,485,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    +385,485,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    +385,485,000

    The Committee recommends $385,485,000 for a new 
consolidated firefighting account, Fire Protection and 
Emergency Suppression, which combines Forest Service Fire 
Protection and Emergency Forest Service Firefighting Fund. The 
Committee has taken this action to improve Congressional 
oversight of presuppression and suppression expenditures. This 
new account includes all activities related to wildland fire 
management previously covered by the two accounts.
    The Fire Protection and Emergency Suppression appropriation 
will include two activities, presuppression and suppression. 
The recommendation includes $295,315,000 for preparedness and 
fire use, and $90,170,000 for suppression operations. The 
presuppression activity includes management, planning, 
prevention, prescribed fire and hazard fuel reduction, pre-
season readiness and preparedness. The suppression activity 
includes fire suppression, increased presuppression activities 
due to emergencies (seasonal severity), and emergency 
rehabilitation.
    The Committee endorses the concept of using the National 
Fire Management Analysis System to establish the ``most 
efficient level'' (MEL) to minimize total wildland fire costs 
over time. The presuppression activity is funded at 88% of the 
estimated 1996 MEL. Should additional funding be required for 
suppression, the Department should first use the $100 million 
remaining in the contingency fund appropriated in 1995. Beyond 
that, the Secretary's authority under Administrative 
Provisions, permitting advance of any funds available to the 
Forest Service, for fire suppression should be invoked.
    Finally, the Committee is concerned that the growing cost 
of fighting wildfires is due in part to the implementation of 
fire suppression strategies that are not commensurate with the 
resources protected, the high level of fuels in many areas, and 
does not adequately account for risk and probabilities of 
success. The Committee urges the Forest Service to undertake 
fire protection and suppression activities that provide for 
public and firefighter safety and are reasonable when compared 
to the resources and other values at risk. Within the funds 
available in the bill, the Committee urges the Forest Service 
to undertake aggressive efforts to reduce fuel load through 
prescribed fire or other means to reduce future fire 
suppression costs and to improve the health of National Forest 
System lands.

                              construction
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $199,215,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     192,338,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     120,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -79,215,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -72,338,000

    The Committee recommends $120,000,000 a decrease of 
$72,338,000 from the budget estimate, for the construction and 
reconstruction of roads and trails, and the construction of 
facilities on National Forest System lands. The amounts 
recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 1996, compared to 
the budget estimates by activity, are shown in the following 
table:




    The Committee has provided $25,000,000 for facilities, to 
be distributed as follows: $17,000,000 for recreation, 
$6,000,000 for FA&O, and $2,000,000 for research. The Committee 
intends that the highest priority projects be funded within 
funds available, but expects that $500,000 be provided for 
Cradle of Forestry, NC, water system, power supply and the 
remaining funds be used for exhibits; $660,000 be provided for 
Daniel Boone NF, KY, rehabilitation; $150,000 be provided for 
Allegheny NF, rehabilitation; and the revised budget request be 
provided for the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, WI, 
provided the project cost is matched 50 percent by the State of 
Wisconsin.
    The Committee encourages the Forest Service to address the 
urgent need for potable water at Camp Ouachita and the Lake 
Sylvia Campground facility located in the Ouachita National 
Forest, Perry County, Arkansas. The Committee understands that 
when the Thornburg water project is completed, the cost of 
extending water to these facilities would be $150,000.
    The Committee has provided $90,000,000 for roads, to be 
distributed as follows: $57,000,000 for timber, $20,000,000 for 
recreation, and $13,000,000 for general purpose. The Committee 
has provided $5,000,000 for construction of new trails.
                            land acquisition
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $63,882,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      65,311,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      14,600,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -49,282,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -50,711,000

    The Committee recommends $14,600,000 for land acquisition, 
a decrease of $49,282,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level and 
$50,711,000 below the budget request. The amount recommended 
includes $7,100,000 for acquisition, in accordance with the 
guidance provided in the front of this report, and $7,500,000 
for acquisition management.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Fiscal year 1996        Committee    
         Area and State                 request         recommendation  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acquisition Management..........          $8,500,000          $7,500,000
Inholdings/emergencies/other....          56,811,000           7,100,000
                                 ---------------------------------------
      Total.....................          65,311,000          14,600,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    All Forest Service movement of money from one land 
acquisition project to another, or to the emergency or 
hardships line must follow the normal reprogramming guidelines.

        acquisition of lands for national forests, special acts
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $1,250,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       1,317,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       1,069,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -181,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -248,000

    The Committee recommends $1,069,000 for acquisition of 
lands for national forests, special acts, which is $248,000 
below the request and $181,000 below the 1995 funding level. 
These funds are used pursuant to several special acts which 
authorize appropriations from the receipts of specified 
National Forests for the purchase of lands to minimize erosion 
and flood damage to critical watersheds needing soil 
stabilization and vegetative cover.

            acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................        $210,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................         210,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................         210,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $210,000, the 
budget estimate, for acquisition of lands to complete land 
exchanges under the Act of December 4, 1967 (16 U.S.C. 484a). 
Under the Act, deposits made by public school districts or 
public school authorities to provide for cash equalization of 
certain land exchanges can be appropriated to acquire similar 
lands suitable for National Forest System purposes in the same 
State as the National Forest lands conveyed in the exchanges.

                         range betterment fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $4,575,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       3,976,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       3,976,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -599,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,976,000, 
the budget estimate, to be derived from grazing receipts from 
the National Forests (Public Law 94-579, as amended) and to be 
used for range rehabilitation, protection, and improvements 
including seeding, reseeding, fence construction, weed control, 
water development, and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement in 
16 western States.
    gifts, donations and bequests for forest and rangeland research
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................         $89,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................          92,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................          92,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................          +3,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $92,000, the 
budget estimate. The appropriation will make available to the 
Forest Service deposits in the form of gifts, donations, and 
bequests for forest and rangeland research. Authority for the 
program is contained in Public Law 95-307 (16 U.S.C. 1643, 
section 4(b)). Amounts appropriated and not needed for current 
operations may be invested in public debt securities. Both the 
principal and earnings from the receipts are available to the 
Forest Service.

                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

                         Clean Coal Technology

    The Committee has recommended no new budget authority for 
clean coal technology programs. An additional, $200,000,000 in 
funding for ongoing clean coal projects, provided in advance 
appropriations in previous appropriations Acts, will become 
available for obligation in fiscal year 1996. In fiscal year 
1995, a rescission of $200,000,000 was made to the program. Of 
that rescission, $50,000,000 was reduced from funds available 
for obligation in fiscal year 1996 and $150,000,000 was reduced 
from funds available for obligation in fiscal year 1997.

                 fossil energy research and development
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $423,701,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     436,508,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     384,504,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -39,197,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -52,004,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared to the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coal:                                                                   
    Advanced Clean Fuels                                                
     Research:                                                          
        Coal preparation       7,171       4,910       6,166      +1,256
        Direct                                                          
         liquefaction...       8,797       5,080       8,230      +3,150
        Indirect                                                        
         liquefaction...      12,433       5,836       5,836  ..........
        Advanced                                                        
         research and                                                   
         environmental                                                  
         technology.....       3,989         746       3,546      +2,800
        Systems for                                                     
         coproducts.....         181  ..........  ..........  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal,                                                     
           Advanced                                                     
           Clean Fuels                                                  
           Research.....      32,571      16,572      23,778      +7,206
                         ===============================================
    Advanced Clean/                                                     
     Efficient Power                                                    
     Systems:                                                           
        Advanced                                                        
         pulverized coal-                                               
         fired                                                          
         powerplant.....       7,466       5,000      10,600      +5,600
        Indirect fired                                                  
         cycle..........      11,800      11,900      11,900  ..........
        High-efficiency                                                 
         integrated                                                     
         gasified                                                       
         combined cycle.      26,314      24,500      23,000      -1,500
        High-efficiency                                                 
         pressurized                                                    
         fluidized bed..      25,226      19,500      20,000        +500
        Advanced                                                        
         research and                                                   
         environmental                                                  
         technology.....      18,508      12,484      14,284      +1,800
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal,                                                     
           Advanced                                                     
           Clean/                                                       
           Efficient                                                    
           Power Systems      89,314      73,384      79,784      +6,400
                         ===============================================
    Advanced research                                                   
     and technology                                                     
     development........      25,358      24,925      22,653      -2,272
    Prior year                                                          
     unobligated offset.      -1,280  ..........  ..........  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Coal....     145,963     114,881     126,215     +11,334
                         ===============================================
Oil Technology:                                                         
    Exploration and                                                     
     production                                                         
     supporting research      36,093      41,348      33,483      -7,865
    Recovery field                                                      
     demonstrations.....      28,911      28,369      13,075     -15,294
    Exploration and                                                     
     production                                                         
     environmental                                                      
     research...........       4,775       7,056       5,456      -1,600
    Processing research                                                 
     and downstream                                                     
     operations.........       6,929      10,000       6,800      -3,200
    Oil technology                                                      
     research, general..  ..........  ..........       4,980      +4,980
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Oil                                                     
       Technology.......      76,708      86,773      63,794     -22,979
                         ===============================================
Gas:                                                                    
    Natural Gas                                                         
     Research:                                                          
        Resource and                                                    
         extraction.....      19,453      33,001      14,162     -18,839
        Delivery and                                                    
         storage........       1,066       3,071       1,071      -2,000
        Advanced turbine                                                
         systems........      37,674      43,970      36,770      -7,200
        Utilization.....       3,263       4,934       5,374        +440
        Environmental                                                   
         research and                                                   
         regulatory                                                     
         analysis.......       2,985       5,405       2,945      -2,460
        Prior year                                                      
         unobligated                                                    
         offset.........        -720  ..........  ..........  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal,                                                     
           Natural Gas                                                  
           Research.....      63,721      90,381      60,322     -30,059
                         ===============================================
    Fuel Cells:                                                         
        Advanced                                                        
         research.......       1,456       1,317       1,317  ..........
        Climate change                                                  
         initiative.....  ..........       8,000  ..........      -8,000
        Molten carbonate                                                
         systems........      29,983      30,067      38,067      +8,000
        Advanced                                                        
         concepts.......      16,443      16,080      14,080      -2,000
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal, Fuel                                                
           Cells........      47,882      55,464      53,464      -2,000
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal, Gas.     111,603     145,845     113,786     -32,059
                         ===============================================
Cooperative R&D.........       9,082  ..........  ..........  ..........
Fossil energy                                                           
 environmental                                                          
 restoration............      16,431      18,919      18,919  ..........
Fuels conversion,                                                       
 natural gas, and                                                       
 electricity............       3,007       2,687       2,687  ..........
Headquarters program                                                    
 direction..............      12,969      13,621      11,321      -2,300
Energy Technology Center                                                
 program direction......      59,294      56,276      50,276      -6,000
Equipment not related to                                                
 construction...........         776       1,701       1,701  ..........
General plant projects..       1,994       2,304       2,304  ..........
Facilities..............       2,240  ..........  ..........  ..........
Use of prior year funds.     -16,366      -6,499      -6,499  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, Fossil                                                     
       Energy Research                                                  
       and Development..     423,701     436,508     384,504     -52,004
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $384,504,000 
for fossil energy research and development, a decrease of 
$52,004,000 below the budget estimate of $436,508,000 and a 
decrease of $39,197,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level, 
adjusted for rescissions, of $423,701,000.
    The Committee recommendation reduces fossil energy research 
and development funding about 10 percent below the fiscal year 
1995 level. The Committee intends to continue reducing this 
account by 10 percent a year for each of the next four years. 
The Committee believes that this approach will permit the 
agency to phase down gradually to a funding level more in line 
with the recommendations of the legislative committee of 
jurisdiction in the House. The Committee's recommendation will 
protect the multi-million dollar Federal investment, to date, 
in promising research and new technology which promotes the 
economic viability of domestically-developed energy technology 
and provides energy-related jobs and economic benefits to all 
the States across this nation. The agency is expected to 
terminate projects which become infeasible rather than 
continuing to support such projects through to completion 
because of some predetermined schedule. The Committee also 
expects the agency to review carefully each of its research 
programs with the goal of increasing private cost sharing and 
of reducing the scope and timing of projects to the greatest 
extent practicable. The fiscal year 1997 budget request should 
present a clear explanation of the revised schedules and cost 
estimates for those projects which are proposed for 
continuation, as well as a plan for achieving continued 
reductions for each year through fiscal year 2000. This plan 
should delineate clearly the funding levels by budget activity 
for each year through the year 2000, so that the fossil energy 
research and development appropriation in total is consistent 
with the recommendations of the authorizing committee of 
jurisdiction, as adopted by the House.
    The Committee expects that fossil energy programs, to the 
extent feasible, will incorporate the recommendations contained 
in the February 1995 report entitled ``Alternative Futures for 
the Department of Energy National Laboratories''; the so-called 
``Galvin Report''. The Committee suggests that the report 
recommendations apply to fossil energy research and development 
programs in three categories: 1) energy, environment, and 
related sciences engineering; 2) science-engineering; and 3) 
economic (technology transfer and industrial competitiveness 
activities).
    The Committee expects reductions at Argonne National 
Laboratory to be no greater than the reductions to the other 
National Laboratories.
    Coal--The Committee recommends $126,215,000 for coal 
research which is an increase of $11,334,000 above the budget 
request and a decrease of $19,748,000 below the fiscal year 
1995 level adjusted for rescissions. The recommendations of the 
Committee as compared with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Program                      Project                Change    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coal preparation...........  In house combustion                -744,000
                              research/coal fuels                       
                              characterization.                         
                             Other coal preparation           +2,000,000
                              research.                                 
Direct liquefaction........  HRI proof of concept             +1,650,000
                              testing.                                  
                             Bench scale research.            +1,500,000
Advanced Research and        Consortium for Fossil Fuel       +1,700,000
 Environmental Technology.    Liquefaction.                             
                             In house research (PETC).          +900,000
                             Bench scale research.              +200,000
Advanced Pulverized Coal-    Low emission boiler systems      +4,600,000
 Fired Powerplant.            (2 contract teams).                       
                             Complete hospital waste          +1,000,000
                              project.                                  
High Efficiency Integrated   R&D and testing sulfur             +500,000
 Gasification Combined        sorbents.                       -3,905,000
 Cycle.                      Gasifier improvement                       
                              facility in WV.                           
                             In House research (METC).        +1,905,000
High Efficiency Pressurized  Filters testing and                +500,000
 Fluidized Bed.               evaluation.                               
Advanced Research and        Air toxics emissions             +1,800,000
 Environmental Technology.    facility.                                 
Advanced Research and        Components/solids                  -400,000
 Technology Development.      transport.                        -500,000
                             Instrumentation and                        
                              diagnostics.                              
                             Coal technology export             -372,000
                              programs (FY 1995 level).                 
                             HBCUs (FY 1995 level).           -1,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Oil Technology.--The Committee recommends $63,794,000 for 
oil technology which is a decrease of $22,979,000 below the 
budget request and $12,914,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level 
adjusted for rescissions. The recommendations of the Committee 
as compared with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Program                      Project                Change    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exploration and production-- Reservoir characterization/      -1,750,000
 supporting research.         data repository (FY 1995                  
                              level).                                   
                             Technology transfer/             -1,000,000
                              regional outreach (FY 1995                
                              level).                                   
                             Exploration and drilling.        -1,000,000
                             Advanced computational           -4,115,000
                              technology initiative                     
                              (terminate program).                      
Recovery field               Class 4 (no new starts).         -6,050,000
 demonstrations.                                                        
                             Class 5 (no new starts).            -50,000
                             Field results assessment         -3,000,000
                              and transfer.                             
                             Marginal wells (no new           -4,214,000
                              starts).                                  
                             Rocky Mountain Oilfield          -1,980,000
                              Test Center.                              
Exploration and Production   Risk assessment (FY 1995         -1,600,000
 Environmental Research.      level).                                   
Processing Research and      Pollution prevention (FY           -900,000
 downstream operations.       1995 level).                              
                             Environmental compliance         -1,300,000
                              (FY 1995 level).                          
                             Upgrading technology             -1,000,000
                              development (FY 1995                      
                              level).                                   
Oil Technology Research....  General increase...........      +4,980,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recognizes the accomplishments and the 
important ongoing research being performed at the National 
Institute for Petroleum Energy Research at Bartlesville, 
Oklahoma. The Committee directs that those fossil energy fuel 
research funds in the bill allocated to oil research should be 
utilized at NIPER, and that such work should not be transferred 
to another research laboratory.
    Natural Gas.--The Committee recommends $113,786,000 for 
natural gas research, including fuel cell research, which is a 
decrease of $32,059,000 below the budget request and an 
increase of $2,183,000 above the fiscal year 1995 level 
adjusted for rescissions. The recommendations of the Committee 
as compared with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Program                      Project                Change    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resource and extraction....  Drilling, completion and           -700,000
                              stimulation.                              
                             Low-perm formations.               -655,000
                             Resources and reserves/          -1,500,000
                              basin analysis program.                   
                             Climate change action plan/      -1,984,000
                              coalbed methane (terminate                
                              program).                                 
                             Advanced computational          -14,000,000
                              technology initiative                     
                              (terminate program).                      
Delivery and storage.......  Gas deliverability (no new       -1,000,000
                              starts).                                  
                             Gas storage (FY 1995             -1,000,000
                              level).                                   
Advanced turbine systems...  Ultra high efficiency            -1,200,000
                              program (FY 1995 level).                  
                             Natural gas initiative.          -6,000,000
Utilization................  Conversion of natural gases        +440,000
                              to liquid fuels.                          
Environmental research/      Program planning data              -400,000
 Regulatory impact analysis.  analysis.                                 
                             Outreach and technology            -500,000
                              transfer (FY 1995 level).                 
                             NORM treatment and disposal        -920,000
                              (FY 1995 level).                          
                             Gas processing (FY 1995            -640,000
                              level).                                   
Fuel cells.................  Climate change action plan.      -8,000,000
                             Molten carbonate systems.        +8,000,000
                             Advanced concepts/tubular        -2,000,000
                              solid oxide fuel cell.                    
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Program Direction.--The Committee recommends $11,321,000 
for headquarters program direction which is a decrease of 
$2,300,000 below the budget request and $1,648,000 below the 
fiscal year 1995 level. The recommendation for program 
direction at the energy technology centers is $50,276,000 which 
is a decrease of $6,000,000 below the budget request and 
$9,018,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level. The Committee 
expects that administrative savings will be achieved in 
accordance with the guidance provided in the front of this 
report and with the Secretary's streamlining initiative.

                      alternative fuels production

                     (including transfer of funds)
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     -$3,900,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      -2,400,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      -2,400,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      +1,500,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    The Committee recommends the deposit of investment income 
earned as of October 1, 1995 on principal amounts in a trust 
fund established as part of the sale of the Great Plains 
Gasification Plant in Beulah, ND, into this account and 
immediate transfer of the funds to the General Fund of the 
Treasury. The amount available as of October 1, 1995, is 
estimated to be $2,400,000.

                 naval petroleum and oil shale reserves
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $187,048,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     101,028,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     151,028,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -36,020,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     +50,000,000

    Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale reserves include petroleum 
reserves Nos. 1 and 2 located at Elks Hills, California, 
petroleum reserve No. 3 northeast of Casper, Wyoming, Naval Oil 
Shale Reserves Nos. 1 and 3 in Colorado, and Naval Oil Shale 
No. 2 in Utah. The Government's share of oil, natural gas, and 
liquid product production available for sale from the Naval 
Petroleum Reserves is expected to average 66,700 oil equivalent 
barrels per day in fiscal year 1995. Total receipts for fiscal 
year 1995 and fiscal year 1996 are estimated to be about $460 
million each year.
    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:


    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $151,028,000 
for the Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves, an increase of 
$50,000,000 above the budget estimate of $101,028,000 and a 
decrease of $36,020,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level.
    The increase recommended by the Committee is to ensure that 
operations at Reserves Nos. 1 and 2 are funded sufficiently to 
protect this valuable National resource. The budget request 
assumed a caretaker budget which would have resulted in the 
permanent loss of a portion of the reserves in the Elk Hills 
field. The amount recommended by the Committee, in combination 
with uncosted balances available in the operational contract 
for Elk Hills, should be sufficient for operations in fiscal 
year 1996. The Committee expects the Department to make every 
effort to improve and streamline the operations at Elk Hills 
and to achieve cost savings by using good business practices.
    Bill Language.--Since sufficient funds and outlay authority 
are not being recommended in the SPR petroleum account to 
purchase oil, the Committee recommends waiving the statutory 
requirement for selling NPR-1 oil at prices equivalent to 
Strategic Petroleum Reserve purchase prices.

                          energy conservation
 Appropriation enacted, 1995............................    $755,751,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     923,561,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     552,871,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................    -202,880,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -370,690,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:


    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $552,871,000, 
of which $16,000,000 is to be derived by transfer from the 
Biomass Energy Development account, for energy conservation, a 
decrease of $370,690,000 below the budget estimate of 
$923,561,000 and $202,880,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level. 
Of this amount an indefinite portion is to be derived from the 
excess amount for fiscal year 1996, under the provisions of the 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, Public Law 99-509. This 
amount, which is applied to State and local conservation 
programs and which originates from oil overcharge funds, is 
estimated to be $16,701,000.
    The Committee recommendation reduces energy conservation 
activities by 27 percent below the fiscal year 1995 level. The 
Committee intends to continue reducing the research portion of 
this account over the next four years. The Committee believes 
that this approach will permit the agency to phase down 
gradually to a funding level more in line with the 
recommendations of the legislative committee of jurisdiction in 
the House. The Committee's recommendation will protect the 
multi-million dollar Federal investment, to date, in promising 
research and new technology which promotes the economic 
viability of domestically-developed energy technology and 
provides energy-related jobs and economic benefits to all the 
States across this nation. The agency is expected to terminate 
projects which become infeasible rather than continuing to 
support such projects through to completion because of some 
predetermined schedule. The Committee also expects the agency 
to review carefully each of its research programs with the goal 
of increasing private cost sharing and of reducing the scope 
and timing of projects to the greatest extent practicable. The 
fiscal year 1997 budget request should present a clear 
explanation of the revised schedules and cost estimates for 
those projects which are proposed for continuation, as well as 
a plan for achieving continued reductions for each year through 
fiscal year 2000. This plan should include sizable reductions 
to programs in fiscal year 1997 and should delineate clearly 
the funding levels by budget activity for each year through the 
year 2000, so that the research portion of the energy 
conservation appropriation in total is consistent with the 
recommendations of the authorizing committee of jurisdiction as 
adopted by the House.
    The Committee expects that energy conservation programs, to 
the extent feasible, will incorporate the recommendations 
contained in the February 1995 report entitled ``Alternative 
Futures for the Department of Energy National Laboratories''; 
the so-called ``Galvin Report''. The Committee suggests that 
the report recommendations applies to energy conservation 
research and development programs in three categories: 1) 
energy, environment, and related sciences engineering; 2) 
science-engineering; and 3) economic (technology transfer and 
industrial competitiveness activities).
    Buildings.--The Committee recommends $92,918,000 for 
buildings research which is a decrease of $59,628,000 below the 
budget request and $12,708,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level 
adjusted for rescissions. The recommendations of the Committee 
as compared with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Program                      Project                Change    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building systems...........  Residential buildings/           -1,400,000
                              building America (FY 1995                 
                              level).                                   
                             Climate change action plan/      -1,950,000
                              residential energy                        
                              efficiency (FY 1995 level).               
                             Sustainable buildings (no        -2,979,000
                              new starts).                              
                             Climate change action plan/        -993,000
                              financial initiative for                  
                              energy service companies                  
                              (no new starts).                          
                             Retrofit technologies              -162,000
                              protocols and guidelines.                 
                             Retrofit publications and           -78,000
                              conferences (terminate                    
                              program).                                 
                             Climate change action plan/      -4,979,000
                              affordable and efficient                  
                              public and assisted                       
                              housing (no new starts).                  
                             Climate change action plan/     -10,000,000
                              rebuild America                           
                              partnership awards.                       
                             Best practices/utility             -900,000
                              design assistance.                        
                             Energy 10 model.                    -92,000
                             Climate change action plan/        -988,000
                              buildings design fee                      
                              reform (no new starts).                   
Building Envelope..........  Infra-red switchable films         -300,000
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Foam insulation (terminate         -150,000
                              project).                                 
                             Electrochromic research.           -500,000
                             Climate change action plan/        -500,000
                              superwindow collaborative.                
                             Advanced glazing.                  -500,000
                             Radon (terminate project).         -100,000
                             Indoor air quality                  -50,000
                              standards (FY 1995 level).                
Building equipment.........  Advanced absorption fluids         -500,000
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Refrigerants, materials and        -600,000
                              lubricants.                               
                             Climate change action plan/      -1,970,000
                              heating and cooling                       
                              technology introduction                   
                              partnerships.                             
                             Fuel cell building               -1,991,000
                              microcogeneration (no new                 
                              starts).                                  
                             Climate change action plan/        -988,000
                              lighting collaboratives                   
                              (no new starts).                          
                             Appliance development and          -356,000
                              commercialization                         
                              (terminate projects).                     
                             Climate change action plan/      -2,970,000
                              appliances technology                     
                              introduction partnerships.                
                             Climate change action plan/        -100,000
                              collaboratives for                        
                              lighting and appliances in                
                              commercial buildings.                     
Codes and standards........  Residential test procedures        -500,000
                              for lighting and appliance                
                              standards.                                
                             Test procedures for lamps          -750,000
                              and small electric motors.                
                             Residential standards.           -1,000,000
                             DEPACT standards.                -1,200,000
                             DEPACT labeling.                   -200,000
                             Energy efficiency rating           -150,000
                              and labeling of windows                   
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Climate change action plan/      -2,000,000
                              State code update (FY 1995                
                              level).                                   
                              Federal energy efficiency       -1,140,000
                              standards (no new funding).               
                             Voluntary energy codes.            -150,000
                             Loan guarantee standards           -200,000
                              (HUD and DOA).                            
                             Report to Congress on              -250,000
                              building energy efficiency                
                              codes (State progress).                   
                             Climate change action plan/        -500,000
                              home energy ratings.                      
Federal energy management    Federal energy efficiency        -7,440,000
 program.                     fund (terminate fund).                    
                             Planning reporting and             -500,000
                              evaluation.                               
                             Technical guidance and             -500,000
                              assistance.                               
Implementation and           Climate change action plan/      -2,190,000
 Deployment.                  cool communities                          
                              (terminate program).                      
                             Climate change action plan/      -2,487,000
                              training for commercial                   
                              building operators (no new                
                              starts).                                  
Management and Planning....  Technology and sector data/        -500,000
                              end use consumption.                      
                             Analytical studies and             -775,000
                              planning support.                         
                             Program direction.                 -600,000
Capital equipment..........    .........................        -500,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee has received many expressions of concern 
about the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published in March 
1994, with respect to energy conservation standards of eight 
classes of products, including fluorescent lamp ballasts, 
television sets, room air conditioners, water heaters, direct 
heating equipment, mobile home furnaces, kitchen ranges and 
ovens, and pool heaters. The Committee understands that the 
proposed rulemaking was withdrawn and is in the process of 
being reformulated. The Committee expects the Department, in 
preparing the revised rulemaking, to consider carefully the 
economic consequences of its recommendations in addition to the 
question of technological feasibility. A thorough discussion of 
economic considerations should be included in the revised 
proposed rulemaking which is issued for comment. The Committee 
expects to be kept informed of the status of the proposed 
rulemaking; to receive a summary of the comments submitted to 
the Department on the proposal; and to be briefed on the 
Department's response to comments received, prior to the 
issuance of any final rulemaking.
    Industry--The Committee recommends $110,718,000 for 
industrial research which is a decrease of $59,631,000 below 
the budget request and $22,557,000 below the fiscal year 1995 
level adjusted for rescissions. The recommendations of the 
Committee as compared with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Program                      Project                Change    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cogeneration...............  High performance steam/15          -150,000
                              MW turbine design.                        
                             Ceramic components.              -2,600,000
                             Turbine components/cyclic           -60,000
                              oxidation tests.                          
                             Low Nox combustion trials.       -2,605,000
                             Continuous fiber ceramic         +1,654,000
                              composites/material                       
                              processing.                               
                             Ceramic supporting                 +400,000
                              technologies development.                 
Electric drives............  Next generation technology         -500,000
                              (terminate program).                      
                             Climate change action plan/      -1,500,000
                              motor challenge.                          
                             Climate change action plan/      -1,550,000
                              market transformation                     
                              strategies.                               
Process heating and cooling  Combustion processes.              -833,000
                             Recuperators.                    -1,928,000
                             Center for advanced                 -27,000
                              materials (terminate                      
                              Federal support).                         
Industrial wastes..........  Waste reduction (36% below       -7,360,000
                              FY 1995; NICE3 at FY 1995                 
                              level of $3 million).                     
                             Waste utilization and            -8,350,000
                              conversion (65% below FY                  
                              1995).                                    
Municipal solid waste......  Combustion (64% below FY           -895,000
                              1995).                                    
                             Data collection and              -1,285,000
                              analysis (90% below FY                    
                              1995).                                    
Materials and metals         Metals initiative/pressure       -2,000,000
 processing.                  calciner (terminate                       
                              project).                                 
                             PNGV/aluminum spray forming      -2,500,000
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Aluminum/low temperature            -50,000
                              bath.                                     
                             Aluminum/inert anode.               -60,000
                             Neodymium for braking              -800,000
                              systems/partnership for                   
                              new generation vehicles                   
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Lightweight refractory             -140,000
                              aggregate (terminate                      
                              project).                                 
                             Commercialization of high          -360,000
                              temperature fibers                        
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Development of coatings            -420,000
                              using biomimetic                          
                              processing (terminate                     
                              project).                                 
Other process efficiency...  Alternative feedstocks/            -675,000
                              portfolio development.                    
                             Organic acid as a chemical         -917,000
                              intermediate.                             
                             Solvents and cellulosic            -580,000
                              feedstocks.                               
                             Technology transfer and            -219,000
                              market conditioning.                      
                             Bioprocessing/chemical             -400,000
                              catalysts design.                         
                             Biocatalyst design.                -473,000
                             Bioprocessing systems.             -500,000
                             Process development/ hollow        -282,000
                              fiber active transport                    
                              membranes.                                
                             Polyphosphazene membrane            -50,000
                              testing.                                  
                             Ceramic membrane reactor.          -200,000
                             Advanced fluid catalytic         -2,000,000
                              cracker (terminate                        
                              project).                                 
                             Pulp and paper/pulping/             -43,000
                              computational efficiency                  
                              model (no new starts).                    
                             Demonstration of pulse             -200,000
                              combustion black liquor                   
                              gasification process                      
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Papermaking/impulse drying         -790,000
                              process.                                  
                             Food, textiles, and                -720,000
                              agriculture (terminate                    
                              program).                                 
Implementation and           Industrial assessment              -623,000
 deployment.                  program (FY 1995 level).                  
                             Climate change action plan/      -1,000,000
                              collaborative projects (no                
                              new starts).                              
                             Grants to industrial               -250,000
                              associations (EPACT Sec.                  
                              131) (terminate program).                 
                             Industrial assessments             -650,000
                              (EPACT Sec. 132)                          
                              (terminate program).                      
                             Energy audit guidelines            -500,000
                              (EPACT Sec. 133)                          
                              (terminate program).                      
                             Industrial technology              -300,000
                              strategic plan (terminate                 
                              project).                                 
                             Environmental technology        -10,720,000
                              partnerships.                             
Management and planning....  Evaluation, planning and           -800,000
                              analysis.                                 
                             Program direction.                 -800,000
Capital equipment..........  (No funding).                    -2,020,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Transportation--The Committee recommends $177,128,000 for 
transportation research which is a decrease of $81,355,000 
below the budget request and $16,629,000 below the fiscal year 
1995 level adjusted for rescissions. The recommendations of the 
Committee as compared with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Program                      Project                Change    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative fuels            Engine optimization/CNG          -1,000,000
 utilization.                 adsorbent systems and tank                
                              design (terminate program).               
                             Alternatively fueled               -400,000
                              vehicles data acquisition/                
                              alternative fuels data                    
                              center (FY 1995 level).                   
                             School bus and heavy duty          -275,000
                              vehicle grant programs (FY                
                              1995 level).                              
                             Alternatively fueled            -20,000,000
                              vehicle deployment/Federal                
                              fleet vehicle acquisition                 
                              (eliminate DOE funding).                  
                             Grants for State and             -4,300,000
                              municipal fleets.                         
                             Compliance verification          -2,000,000
                              (EPACT, Title V).                         
Materials technology.......  Ceramics for gas turbines.         +800,000
                             Fuel cells/battery                 -800,000
                              materials.                                
                             PNGV/collaborative effort          -550,000
                              with DOT on crash behavior                
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Metal matrix composites            -990,000
                              (terminate project).                      
                             Other PNGV/vehicle system        -1,460,000
                              materials technology.                     
Heat engine technologies...  Light duty engine                  -200,000
                              technologies/turbine                      
                              engine technologies.                      
                             Ceramic turbine engine             -200,000
                              demonstration project.                    
                             PNGV/automotive piston           -4,500,000
                              technologies (terminate                   
                              program).                                 
                             PNGV/combustion and                -612,000
                              emissions R&D.                            
                             Heavy duty engine                  -500,000
                              technologies/diesel engine                
                              test and evaluation (FY                   
                              1995 level).                              
Electric and hybrid          Battery development/fund 1       -3,900,000
 propulsion development.      long-term effort vs. 3.                   
                             Fuel cell development/ PNGV/    -16,228,000
                              on board hydrogen PEM fuel                
                              cells (terminate program).                
                             PNGV/heavy duty vehicles/        -2,000,000
                              buses (terminate program).                
                             PNGV/locomotive program          -1,000,000
                              (terminate program).                      
                             PNGV/fuel cell R&D.              -2,900,000
                             Supporting analyses and            -700,000
                              assessments.                              
                             Systems development/hybrid      -15,135,000
                              propulsion (continue                      
                              existing contracts).                      
Implementation and           Student vehicle                  -1,175,000
 deployment.                  competitions (FY 1995                     
                              level--500K).                             
Management and planning....  Evaluation, planning and           -230,000
                              analysis.                                 
                             Program direction.               -1,100,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee has recommended eliminating the $20 million 
in funding which is used to pay the differential in the 
purchase cost between traditionally fueled vehicles and 
alternatively fueled vehicles for the Federal fleet. The 
Committee believes that each agency should be encouraged to 
purchase alternatively fueled vehicles using funds from the 
agency's budget. Indeed, the Department of Defense and the U.S. 
Postal Service currently fund the purchase of such vehicles. 
The Committee expects the Department of Energy to work with the 
Office of Management and Budget to develop program and budget 
policies which will ensure the expanded use of alternatively 
fueled vehicles in the Federal fleet.
    The Committee expects the agency to consolidate the various 
proton exchange membrane fuel cell activities into a single 
consolidated activity for presentation in the fiscal year 1997 
budget.
    Utility.--The Committee recommends no funding for the 
Office of Utility Technologies. The programs administered by 
this office should be terminated at the end of fiscal year 
1995.
    Technical and Financial Assistance.--The Committee 
recommends $164,441,000 for technical and financial assistance 
which is a decrease of $156,790,000 below the budget request 
and $143,786,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level adjusted for 
rescissions. The recommendations of the Committee as compared 
with the budget request are:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Program                               Change     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
International market development (FY 1995 level).....         -2,227,000
Inventions and innovations (FY 1995 level)...........         -2,963,000
Weatherization assistance program (50% of FY 1995                       
 level)..............................................       -121,600,000
State energy conservation program (combine with                         
 institutional conservation program--includes 50% of                    
 FY 1995 levels for SECP and for ICP)................         +1,849,000
Institutional conservation program (program to be                       
 combined with SECP above)...........................        -26,849,000
Management/program direction.........................         -5,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends consolidating the institutional 
conservation program into the State energy conservation program 
and has provided, under the State energy conservation program, 
funding which is equal to 50 percent of the amounts provided 
for each of those programs in fiscal year 1995. The Committee 
expects the agency to require at least a 50 percent cost share 
in this consolidated program. Further, the Committee directs 
the agency to work with the States on restructuring the program 
into a block grant-type program and on incorporating other 
energy conservation programs into the block grant approach to 
the extent practicable.
    Policy and Management.--The Committee recommends $7,666,000 
for policy and management which is a decrease of $3,500,000 
below the budget request and $676,000 below the fiscal year 
1995 level.
    General.--The recommended reductions to policy and 
management accounts and to program direction assume that 
savings will be achieved in accordance with the guidance 
provided in the front of this report and with the Secretary's 
strategic realignment initiative.

                          economic regulation
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $12,413,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      10,500,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       6,297,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -6,116,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -4,203,000

    The economic regulation account funds the Economic 
Regulatory Administration and the independent Office of 
Hearings and Appeals which is responsible for all of the 
Department's adjudication processes except those that are the 
responsibility of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimate by activity is as 
follows:




    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $6,297,000 for 
economic regulation which is a decrease of $4,203,000 below the 
budget request and $6,116,000 below the fiscal year 1995 level.
    The Committee recommendation includes a decrease of $75,000 
for the economic regulatory administration of which $60,000 is 
for a reduction in administrative overhead charges to be paid 
to the Department's human resources office and $15,000 is for 
administrative savings to be achieved in accordance with the 
guidance provided in the front of this report and with the 
Secretary's strategic realignment initiative. The Committee 
understands that this will be the final year of funding for the 
economic regulatory administration.
    For the office of hearings and appeals, the Committee 
recommends a decrease of $4,128,000, including reductions of 
$600,000 for processing Freedom of Information Act and Privacy 
Act appeals, $500,000 for whistleblower cases, $1,500,000 for 
security clearance cases, $1,350,000 for other miscellaneous 
cases, and $178,000 for administrative overhead of which 
$150,000 is for a reduction in administrative overhead charges 
to be paid to the Department's human resources office and 
$28,000 is for administrative savings to be achieved in 
accordance with the guidance provided in the front of this 
report and with the Secretary's strategic realignment 
initiative. The Committee expects the office of hearings and 
appeals to charge other Departmental elements, on a 
reimbursable basis, for all casework not related to petroleum 
overcharge cases beginning in fiscal year 1996.

                         emergency preparedness
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $8,233,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       8,219,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -8,233,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -8,219,000

    The activities funded in this account include developing, 
testing and evaluating energy emergency preparedness related to 
national security and defense operations and energy 
requirements; maintaining systems to ensure communications and 
operations during an emergency; and IEA emergency programs and 
civil emergency activities.
    The Committee recommends no funding for emergency 
preparedness in fiscal year 1996. Emergency preparedness 
activities are being consolidated and funded in the energy and 
water appropriation. The Committee believes this approach is 
consistent with the Secretary's strategic realignment 
initiative.

                      strategic petroleum reserve

                     (Including Transfer of Funds)
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $243,718,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     312,689,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     287,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     +43,282,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -25,689,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared with the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:


    The Committee recommends $287,000,000 for construction and 
operation of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, of which 
$187,000,000 is to be derived by transfer from unobligated 
balances in the SPR Petroleum account and $100,000,000 is to be 
derived by transfer from the SPR Decommissioning Fund. The 
recommendation is a decrease of $25,689,000 below the budget 
request.
    Most surface facilities of the Reserve are reaching the end 
of their useful life and require upgrading and modernization. A 
life extension program was begun in fiscal year 1994 and will 
continue through fiscal year 1999.
    The fiscal year 1996 recommendation assumes that 
$25,689,000 in savings can be achieved in the various SPR 
programs, in accordance with the guidance provided in the front 
of this report and with the Secretary's strategic realignment 
initiative.
    Bill language has been recommended to provide for the sale 
of a portion of the oil from the Weeks Island, LA site and for 
the use of $100,000,000 in proceeds from the sale of that oil 
for the decommissioning of Weeks Island and for other 
operational expenses of the SPR. The Weeks Island site needs to 
be decommissioned, and the oil removed, due to a water 
intrusion problem.

                         spr petroleum account

    The Committee does not recommend additional appropriations 
for the purchase of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve.
    The Committee recommends an outlay limitation of $5,000,000 
for this account. The limitation caps outlays from all sources 
in the account, and is required to reduce expenditures 
chargeable to the appropriations bill.
    The Committee has recommended transferring $187,000,000 in 
unobligated balances from this account to the ``Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve'' account as requested in the budget.
    The Committee also recommends retaining bill language, 
included for the past seven fiscal years, that allows continued 
normal operations at Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1 (Elk 
Hills) even though the fill rate of the Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve is less than 75,000 barrels a day.

                   energy information administration
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $84,566,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      84,689,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      79,766,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -4,800,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -4,923,000

    The Energy Information Administration is a quasi-
independent agency within the Department of Energy established 
to provide timely, objective, and accurate energy related 
information to the Congress, executive branch, State 
governments, industry, and the public. The information and 
analysis prepared by the EIA is widely disseminated and the 
agency is recognized as an unbiased source of energy 
information by government organizations, industry, professional 
statistical organizations and the public.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $79,766,000 
for the Energy Information Administration which is a decrease 
of $4,923,000 below the budget request and $4,800,000 below the 
fiscal year 1995 level. The reduction to the budget request 
recommended by the Committee includes decreases of $333,000 for 
the manufacturing energy consumption survey, $750,000 for mid-
term forecasting model development, $1,000,000 for oil and gas 
surveys, $1,540,000 for administrative overhead expenses paid 
to the Department's office of human resources, and $1,300,000 
for pay and other administrative cost savings to be achieved in 
accordance with the guidance provided in the front of this 
report and with the Secretary's strategic realignment 
initiative.
    Bill language has been recommended to require that the 
manufacturing energy consumption survey be conducted once every 
three years, rather than the currently mandated two-year cycle. 
Language also has been recommended to make permanent the 
authority to enter into 8-year contracts for end use 
consumption surveys.

                DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

                         Indian Health Service

                         INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................  $1,709,780,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................   1,816,350,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................   1,725,792,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     +16,012,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -90,558,000

    The provision of Federal health services to Indians is 
based on a special relationship between Indian tribes and the 
U.S. Government first set forth in the 1830's by the U.S. 
Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall. This 
relationship has been reconfirmed by numerous treaties, 
statutes, constitutional provisions, and international law. 
Principal among these is the Snyder Act of 1921 which provides 
the basic authority for most Indian health services provided by 
the Federal Government to American Indians and Alaska Natives. 
The Indian Health Service (IHS) provides direct health care 
services in 41 hospitals, 66 health centers, 4 school health 
centers, and 44 health stations. Tribes and tribal groups, 
through contracts with the IHS, operate 8 hospitals, 110 health 
centers, 4 school health centers, 62 health stations, and 171 
Alaska village clinics. The IHS, tribes and tribal groups also 
operate 7 regional youth substance abuse treatment centers and 
more than 2,000 units of staff quarters.
    The Committee recommends $1,725,792,000 for Indian Health 
Services, an increase of $16,012,000 above the fiscal year 1995 
enacted level of $1,709,780,000 and $90,558,000 below the 
fiscal year 1996 budget request of $1,816,350,000. The 
Committee's recommendation for the Indian Health Service 
assumes that pay and fixed cost increases will be absorbed by 
the agency, and that no new initiatives will be funded in 
fiscal year 1996. However, the Committee is providing an 
increase to accommodate staffing at four new facilities: 
Kotzebu, AK; Alaska Native Medical Center, AK; Shiprock 
Hospital, NM; and Hays Health Center, MT.
    It is the Committee's intent that all tribes, including 
those compacting or contracting under Indian self determination 
or Indian self governance, should share equitably as a result 
of any reductions from the budget request.
    The amount recommended by the Committee as compared to the 
budget estimate by activity is shown in the following table:



    Hospitals and Health Clinics.--The Committee recommends 
$832,857,000 for hospitals and health clinics which includes 
decreases of $35,990,000 for pay and fixed costs, $250,000 for 
woman's health, $250,000 for elder health programs, $750,000 
for epidemiology centers, and $1,500,000 for the information 
system initiative. The Committee is recommending an increase of 
$8,991,000 for staffing and operations at new facilities, same 
as the budget request.
    Dental Health.--The Committee recommends $58,285,000 for 
dental health services including a decrease of $2,546,000 for 
pay and fixed costs. The Committee is recommending an increase 
of $767,000 for staffing and operations at new facilities, same 
as the budget request.
    Mental Health.--The Committee recommends $36,824,000 for 
mental health services, including decreases of $1,675,000 for 
pay and fixed costs and $250,000 for the Child Abuse Prevention 
Act. The Committee recommends an increase of $376,000 for 
staffing and operations at new facilities, same as the budget 
request.
    Alcohol and Substance Abuse.--The Committee recommends 
$91,352,000 for the alcohol and substance abuse treatment and 
prevention services including a decrease of $4,694,000 for pay 
and fixed costs.
    The Committee recommends that the fetal alcohol syndrome 
project at the University of Washington be funded at the fiscal 
year 1995 level. This project is providing important insight 
into early identification of fetal alcohol syndrome. Early 
identification and intervention by health care professionals 
results in significantly improved lives for those afflicted by 
fetal alcohol syndrome.
    Contract Health Services.--The Committee recommends 
$362,564,000 in contract health services including decreases of 
$19,640,000 for pay and fixed cost and $2,500,000 for the 
contract health care initiative.
    The Committee does not object to continuing the California 
contract health demonstration project as long as the tribes in 
California choose to participate and elect to provide funding 
for this program.
    Public Health Nursing.--The Committee recommends 
$23,734,000 for public health nursing including a reduction of 
$1,037,000 for pay and fixed costs and an increase of $229,000 
for staffing and operations at new facilities, same as the 
budget request.
    Health Education.--The Committee recommends $8,313,000 for 
health education including a decrease of $385,000 for pay and 
fixed costs and an increase of $69,000 for staffing and 
operations at new facilities, same as the budget request.
    Community Health Representatives.--The Committee recommends 
$43,955,000 for community health representatives including a 
decrease of $2,318,000 for pay and fixed costs.
    Alaska Immunization.--The Committee recommends $1,328,000 
for the Alaska immunization program including a decrease of 
$69,000 for pay and fixed costs.
    Urban Health.--The Committee recommends $23,349,000 for 
urban health including a decrease of $1,231,000 for pay and 
fixed costs and $1,200,000 for increased urban health services.
    Indian Health Professions.--The Committee recommends 
$28,044,000 for Indian health professions including a decrease 
of $1,475,000 for pay and fixed costs.
    Tribal Management.--The Committee recommends $5,348,000 for 
Indian health professions including a decrease of $161,000 for 
pay and fixed costs.
    Direct Operations.--The Committee recommends $47,709,000 
for direct operations including decreases of $2,024,000 for pay 
and fixed costs and a general reduction of $2,000,000.
    Self-Governance.--The Committee recommends $9,090,000 for 
self-governance including a reduction of $479,000 for pay and 
fixed costs.
    While the Committee strongly supports the self-governance 
program and expects the IHS to expand the program to 
accommodate additional compacts with tribes in fiscal year 
1996, the Committee believes that new self-governance compacts 
should not be negotiated at the expense of program funding for 
other tribes. To the extent that funds cannot be made available 
for a new compact without negatively affecting services 
available to other tribes, IHS should not enter into the 
compact.
    Contract Support Costs.--The Committee recommends 
$153,040,000 for contract support costs including decreases of 
$11,864,000 for pay and fixed costs and $3,770,000 for support 
cost shortfalls. The Committee recommends an increase of 
$80,000 for staffing and operations of new facilities, same as 
the budget request.
    The Committee has provided $7,500,000 for the Indian Self 
Determination Fund. These funds are to be used for new and 
expanded contracts. The IHS should not use ISD funds to 
accommodate existing or new self governance compacts.
    The Committee again expects IHS to work with the tribes, 
the BIA and the Inspector General at the Department of the 
Interior to contain the cost escalation in contract support 
costs. In today's constrained budget climate the contract 
support cost activity must receive its fair share of 
administrative streamlining and procurement reform funding 
reductions as well as the lower inflation allowances provided 
for all other programs within IHS.

                        indian health facilities
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $253,282,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     242,672,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     236,975,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -16,307,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -5,697,000

    The need for new Indian health care facilities has not been 
fully quantified but it is safe to say that many billions of 
dollars would be required to renovate existing facilities and 
construct all the needed new hospitals and clinics. Safe and 
sanitary water and sewer systems for existing homes and solid 
waste disposal needs currently are estimated to amount to over 
$600 million for those projects that are considered to be 
economically feasible.
    The Committee recommends $236,975,000 for Indian health 
facilities, a decrease of $16,307,000 below the fiscal year 
1995 appropriation of $253,282,000 and a decrease $5,697,000 
below the fiscal year 1996 budget request of $242,672,000.
    The amount recommended by the Committee as compared to the 
budget estimate by activity is shown in the following table:



    Maintenance and Improvement.--The Committee recommends 
$38,334,000 for maintenance and improvement including a 
decrease of $1,150,000 for pay and fixed costs.
    New and Replacement Hospitals.--The Committee recommends 
$11,214,000 for new and replacement hospitals, including 
$2,216,000 for the Hays, MT health center, and $8,998,000 for 
the White Earth, NM health center.
    Sanitation Facilities.--The Committee recommends 
$84,889,000 for sanitation facilities including a decrease of 
$192,000 for pay and fixed costs.
    The Committee has not specified the amount of sanitation 
funds to be used for new and renovated homes or for addressing 
the backlog of needs for existing homes. Funds for sanitation 
facilities for new and renovated homes should be limited to 
projects serving the Bureau of Indian Affairs housing 
improvement program, homes new to the site during the funding 
year or the previous fiscal year and existing homes renovated 
during the funding year or the previous fiscal year. A 
renovation should include at least a bedroom or bathroom 
addition. All other needs should be included in the sanitation 
deficiency system and addressed in priority order.
    Equipment.--The Committee recommends $12,975,000 for 
equipment including a decrease of $688,000 for pay and fixed 
costs.
    Facilities and Environmental Health Support.--The Committee 
recommends $89,081,000 for facilities and environmental health 
support including decreases of $3,653,000 for pay and fixed 
costs, and an increase of $301,000 for staffing and operations 
of new facilities, same as the budget request.
    Contract Support Costs.--The Committee recommends $482,000 
for contract support costs including a reduction of $14,000 for 
pay and fixed costs.
    The Committee again recommends that funds provided for the 
facilities program should be distributed in accordance with a 
methodology that addresses the fluctuating annual workload and 
maintains parity among IHS areas and the tribes as the workload 
shifts.

                        DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

              Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

                            indian education
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $81,341,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      84,785,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       1,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -80,341,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -83,785,000

    In order to reduce duplication, achieve savings, and fund 
priority reservation based school operations in the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, the Committee recommends $1,000,000 for the 
orderly termination of the programs administered by the Office 
of Indian Education.
    The amount recommended by the Committee as compared to the 
budget estimate by activity is shown in the following table:


    The Committee recommends that the orderly shut down of the 
Office of Indian Education be accomplished within 90 days from 
the date of enactment of this Act. Any responsibilities which 
have not been completed by the shut down date should be assumed 
by the Department of Education.

                         OTHER RELATED AGENCIES

              Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $24,888,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      26,345,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      21,345,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -3,543,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -5,000,000

    The dispute between the Hopi and Navajo tribes is 
centuries-old. The Hopi were the original occupants of the land 
with their origin tracking back to the Anasazi race whose 
presence is recorded back to 1150 A.D. Later in the 16th 
century the Navajo tribe began settling in this area. The 
continuous occupation of this land by the Navajo led to the 
isolation of the Hopi reservation as an island within the area 
occupied by the Navajo. In 1882, President Arthur issued an 
Executive Order which granted the Hopi a 2.5 million acre 
reservation to be occupied by the Hopi and such other Indians 
as the Secretary of the Interior saw fit to resettle there. 
Intertribal problems arose between the larger Navajo tribe and 
the smaller Hopi tribe revolving around the question of the 
ownership of the land as well as cultural differences between 
the two tribes. Efforts to resolve these conflicts were not 
successful and led Congress to pass legislation in 1958 which 
authorized a lawsuit to determine ownership of the land. When 
attempts at mediation of the dispute as specified in an Act 
passed in 1974 failed, the district court in Arizona 
partitioned the Joint Use Area equally between the Navajo and 
Hopi tribes under a decree that has required the relocation of 
members of both tribes. Most of those to be relocated are 
Navajo living on the Hopi Partitioned Land.
    At this time approximately 721 households remain to be 
relocated, of which 95 are full-time residents on the Hopi 
Partitioned Land. Three hundred three Navajo households have 
settled on the new lands obtained to support Navajo relocatees, 
and 7 additional Navajo households are having homes constructed 
on the new lands. Progress to accomplish the 1974 mandate, 
despite development of the new lands, has been slow. To date, a 
total of 2,564 families have been relocated.
    The Committee recommends $21,345,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, 
which is $5,000,000 below the budget request. The 
recommendation is consistent with the slowed pace of 
relocation. Within the funds available to the Office, funds 
should be provided for a cooperative grazing and range 
management program to assist the Hopi Tribe with the 
development of the Hopi Partitioned Land.
    The Committee expects the Office to stop further 
development on the New Lands beyond that required to meet the 
expressed interest by relocatees in relocation to that area. 
The Committee notes that only 6 relocations to the New Lands 
have occurred since the fiscal year 1995 Committee report was 
prepared last year.
    The Committee continues to be concerned by the slow pace of 
relocation and the extraordinarily large number of appeals 
which are adding to the total number of families eligible for 
relocation. The Office should continue to work with the 
legislative committees of jurisdiction to provide for the 
orderly termination of the relocation program over the next few 
years and the transfer of the New Lands to the Navajo Nation.
    Bill language.--The Committee has included bill language 
which specifies that the Office may move only those who have 
voluntarily applied and been certified eligible for relocation 
and lists the priorities for accommodating eligible relocatees. 
This language has been carried in previous years.

    Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts 
                              Development

                        payment to the institute
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $11,213,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      19,846,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       5,500,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -5,713,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -14,346,000

    The Committee has provided $5,500,000 for the Institute Of 
American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development 
(IAIA), with the understanding that Federal funding will be 
phased out for this program.
                        Smithsonian Institution

    The Smithsonian Institution is unique in the Federal 
establishment. Established by the Congress in 1846 to carry out 
the trust included in James Smithson's will, it has been 
engaged for nearly 150 years in the ``increase and diffusion of 
knowledge among men'' in accordance with the donor's 
instructions. For some years, it utilized only the funds made 
available by the trust. Then, before the turn of the century, 
it began to receive Federal appropriations to conduct some of 
its activities. With the expenditure of both private and 
Federal funds over the years, it has grown into one of the 
world's great scientific, cultural, and intellectual 
organizations. It operates magnificent museums, outstanding art 
galleries, and important research centers. Its collections are 
among the best in the world. Its traveling exhibits bring 
beauty and information throughout the country.
    It attracted approximately 28,000,000 visitors in 1994 to 
its museums, galleries, and zoological park. Additional 
millions also view Smithsonian traveling exhibitions, which 
appear across the United States and abroad, and the annual 
Folklife Festival. As custodian of the National Collections, 
the Smithsonian is responsible for more than 100 million art 
objects, natural history specimens, and artifacts. These 
collections are displayed for the enjoyment and education of 
visitors and are available for research by the staff of the 
Institution and by hundreds of visiting students, scientists, 
and historians each year. Other significant study efforts draw 
their data and results directly from terrestrial, marine, and 
astrophysical observations at various Smithsonian 
installations.
    The Smithsonian complex presently consists of 15 exhibition 
buildings in Washington, D.C. and New York City in the fields 
of science, history, technology and art; a zoological park and 
an animal conservation and research center at Front Royal, 
Virginia; the Anacostia Museum, which performs research and 
exhibit activities in the District of Columbia; a preservation, 
storage and air and spacecraft display facility in Suitland, 
Maryland; two natural preserves, in Panama and on the 
Chesapeake Bay; an oceanographic research facility in Fort 
Pierce, Florida; astrophysical stations in Cambridge, 
Massachusetts and Mt. Hopkins, Arizona, and elsewhere; and 
supporting administrative, laboratory, and storage areas.

                         Salaries and Expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $313,853,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     329,800,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................     309,471,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -4,382,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -20,329,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996, compared with the budget estimate by activity, is shown 
in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sciences................     104,521     110,254     105,364      -4,890
Arts and humanities.....      79,907      89,027      80,907      -8,120
Public service and                                                      
 external affairs.......       4,346       4,516       4,546         +30
Administration..........      29,163      30,210      29,163      -1,047
Facilities services.....      84,758      91,060      84,758      -6,302
Institution-wide                                                        
 programs...............       4,733       4,733       4,733  ..........
Federal workforce                                                       
 reduction..............       6,425  ..........  ..........  ..........
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, Salaries                                                   
       and Expenses.....     313,853     329,800     309,471     -20,329
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $309,471,000 
for salaries and expenses a net reduction of $20,329,000 below 
the budget request. The Committee has not included funds to 
cover uncontrollable expenses due to budget constraints. All 
programs remain at the 1995 enacted level with the exception of 
three program increases. Included are $650,000 and 6 FTE's for 
staffing and operational needs associated with the continued 
development and operation of the submillimeter telescope array 
project, $283,000 and 9 FTE's is included for staffing and 
facilities operations for the National Museum of Natural 
History (East Court) project, and $1 million and 12 FTE's are 
provided to expand the electronic outreach/public access 
program. The Committee encourages the Smithsonian to continue 
to advance this new initiative which will make the 
Smithsonian's collections more accessible to the American 
public through the national information highway.
    The Committee is concerned that federal institutions, like 
the Smithsonian, sell posters and art cards in their gift shops 
that are printed overseas. By contrast, other federal 
institutions, like the Kennedy Space Center, require that all 
materials eligible for bid be printed in the United States. The 
Committee strongly supports the latter and believes that all 
federal institutions should contract, through the competitive 
bid process, for materials of like quality and price produced 
in the United States. The Committee directs the Smithsonian, 
when contracting for printed materials that are of like quality 
and price and are available in the United States, to select 
American companies.
    The Committee has included an additional $200,000 for a 
total of $400,000 to the Center for folklife programs 
specifically for the 1996 Festival of American Folklife which 
will feature the State of Iowa. The State of Iowa, which will 
be celebrating its sesquicementennial, will contribute $ 
250,000 for this effort.

        construction and improvements, national zoological park
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $3,042,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       4,950,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       3,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................         -42,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -1,950,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $3,000,000, a 
reduction of $1,950,000 below the budget request for repairs, 
renovations and improvements at the National Zoological Park 
which consists of the Rock Creek Zoo and Front Royal 
Conservation and Research Center. The amount provided will fund 
ongoing repairs, preventive maintenance and improvements of its 
facilities which include nearly 500,000 square feet of 
buildings located on 163 acres.

                  repair and restoration of buildings
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $23,954,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      34,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      24,954,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      +1,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -9,046,000

    The Committee recommends $24,954,000 for Repair and 
Restoration of Buildings, an increase of $1,000,000 above the 
1995 enacted level and a decrease of $9,046,000 below the 
budget request. The Committee has received testimony from the 
Smithsonian which indicates that the unfunded facility renewal 
requirements total approximately $250 million. As the 
Smithsonian reevaluates its short and long term priorities for 
next year's budget submission, the Committee urges the 
Institution to continue to request adequate funding levels for 
this important initiative.

                              construction
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $21,857,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      38,700,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      12,950,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -8,907,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -25,750,000

    The Committee recommends $12,950,000, a decrease of 
$25,750,000 below the budget request. Included in this 
appropriation is $8,700,000 to complete the National History 
Museum's East Court project, $3,000,000 for minor Alterations 
and Modifications and $250,000 for related planning activities.
    Funds are not included for the continued construction of 
the National Museum of the American Indian Cultural Resources 
Center in Suitland, Maryland or the planning, engineering and 
design of the National Museum of the American Indian Mall 
Museum. Language was included in H.R. 1158 which encourages the 
Smithsonian to seek non-federal funds to complete the National 
Museum of the American Indian Suitland facility, and develop 
additional cost scenarios for the proposed National Museum of 
the American Indian Mall Museum including the possible 
downsizing of the building and decreasing the amount of federal 
appropriations.
    The Committee has provided $1,000,000 to be used to 
complete a proposed master plan and initiate detailed planning 
and design to allow for the development of a proposed financing 
plan for the proposed extension at Dulles Airport for the 
National Air and Space Museum. The Committee expects that the 
financial plan shall specify in detail the phasing of the 
project and commitments by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the 
Smithsonian towards both construction and operation of the 
facility. The Committee expects that beyond the costs of 
planning and design, no Federal funds shall be available for 
construction of the project, and that the Commonwealth of 
Virginia will contribute $500,000 before this $1,000,000 is 
made available for planning.


                        National Gallery of Art

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $52,902,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      54,566,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      51,315,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,587,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -3,251,000
    The National Gallery of Art is one of the world's great 
galleries. Its magnificent works of art are displayed for the 
benefit of millions of visitors from across this Nation and 
from other nations. The National Gallery of Art serves as an 
example of a successful cooperative endeavor between private 
individuals and institutions and the Federal Government. The 
many special exhibitions shown in the Gallery and then 
throughout the country bring great art treasures to Washington 
and the Nation.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $51,315,000 
for salaries and expenses, which is $3,251,000 below the 
request, and $1,587,000 below the 1995 funding level. The 
comparisons of the recommendation and the budget estimates by 
activity is shown in the following table:


            repair, restoration and renovation of buildings
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $4,016,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       9,885,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       5,500,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      +1,484,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -4,385,000

    The Committee recommends $5,500,000 for repair, restoration 
and renovation of buildings, which is $4,385,000 below the 
request, and $1,484,000 above the 1995 funding level. Included 
are projects for the West Building skylights and fire 
protection systems. The Committee expects the Gallery to defer 
the proposed sculpture garden project, and use funds only for 
maintenance of the site.

             John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

    The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a 
living memorial to the late President Kennedy and the national 
center for the performing arts. The Center consists of over 1.5 
million square feet of usable floor space with visitation 
averaging 10,000 on a daily basis.

                       OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $10,323,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      10,373,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       9,800,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -523,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -573,000

    The Committee recommends $9,800,000 for the operations and 
maintenance of the Center, which is 573,000 below the request, 
and $523,000 below the 1995 funding level. This amount covers 
the operation and maintenance of the Kennedy Center building, 
structures, and surrounding grounds. Activities include 
maintenance, security, visitor information, interpretation, 
janitorial services, and short-term repair and improvement of 
the physical plant.
                              construction
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $8,983,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       9,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       8,983,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................         -17,000

    The Committee recommends $8,983,000 for the repair, 
restoration, and renovation of the Kennedy Center, which is 
$17,000 below the request, and the same as the 1995 funding 
level. This amount will be used for exterior restoration, major 
building system projects related to plumbing and electrical 
systems, urgent repair and replacement projects and interior 
and theater access projects for persons with disabilities.

            Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $8,878,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      10,070,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       6,152,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -2,726,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -3,918,000

    The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a 
unique institution with a special mission to serve as a living 
memorial to the late Woodrow Wilson. The Center performs this 
mandate through its role as an international institute for 
advanced study as well as a facilitator for discussions among 
scholars, public officials, journalists and business leaders 
from across the country on major long-term issues facing 
America and the world.
    The Committee recommends $6,152,000 for salaries and 
expenses for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for 
Scholars, a $3,918,000 reduction below the 1996 budget request. 
This decrease reflects the Committees decision, stated in H.R. 
1158, not to approve funding for the move to the Federal 
Triangle Building.
    The Center currently pays no rent for its principal space 
at the Smithsonian Institution, and only $464,000 for 
additional space in L'Enfant Plaza. In addition to the upfront 
move costs totaling $3.3 million, the projected rent per year 
for the new quarters could approach $5 million annually. This 
could represents a 900% increase in yearly rent requirements.
    While the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 
enjoys a fine reputation for sponsoring scholarship of both 
quality and relevance, the Committee needs to impress upon the 
Center the seriousness of the Nation's budgetary problems and 
the need for economies. Accordingly, the Center is encouraged 
in the strongest terms to devote its federal funds only to 
essential core activities, and to streamline its operations for 
a leaner, more efficient future. This recommendation reflects a 
12% reduction in FTE's.

           NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

                    National Endowment for the Arts

                       grants and administration
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $133,846,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     143,675,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      82,259,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -51,587,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -61,416,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1995 compared to the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimated     bill      estimates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grants:                                                                 
    Program grants......      69,816      75,770      37,435     -38,335
    State programs:                                                     
        State grants....      31,010      32,060      22,442      -9,618
        State set-aside.       8,175       8,745       6,122      -2,623
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal,                                                     
           State                                                        
           programs.....      39,185      40,805      28,564     -12,241
                         -----------------------------------------------
          Subtotal,                                                     
           Grants.......     109,001     116,575      65,999     -50,576
                         ===============================================
Administrative Areas:                                                   
    Policy planning and                                                 
     research...........         560         700         420        -280
    Administration......      23,475      24,900      14,940      -9,960
    Computer replacement         810       1,500         900        -600
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal,                                                         
       Administrative                                                   
       Areas............      24,845      27,100      16,260     -10,840
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, Grants and                                                 
       Administration...     133,846     143,675      82,259     -61,416
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared to the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:
    The Committee recommends $82,259,000 for grants and 
administration of which, $37,435,000 is for program grants, 
$22,442,000 is for state grants, $6,122,000 is for state set-
aside, and $16,260,000 is for administration. In addition, no 
funds are provided for the millennium project. The Endowment is 
provided the flexibility to allocate its program grants among 
the various arts programs. This funding level is consistent 
with the proposed reauthorization in the House legislative 
Committee to phase out Federal funding for the National 
Endowment for the Arts over the next three years.
    The Committee recognizes that the recommended funding 
reductions will result in reductions in force. The National 
Endowment for the Arts may use up to $4.4 million of program 
funds to accommodate these necessary personnel actions.

                            matching grants
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $28,512,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      28,725,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      17,235,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -11,277,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................     -11,490,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $17,235,000 
for matching grants, of which $7,500,000 is for challenge 
grants and $9,735,000 is for Treasury funds.
    Treasury funds are used to accomplish the same goals as 
definite funds provided under the grants and administration 
account except that they require at least a one-to-one match 
from private monies.
    Challenge grants are awarded to cultural institutions or 
groups of cultural institutions that have demonstrated a 
commitment to artistic quality and have arts programs of 
recognized national significance. The funds are used to broaden 
the base of contributed support and achieve financial 
stability.

                 National Endowment for the Humanities

                       grants and administration
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................    $146,131,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................     156,087,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      82,469,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................     -63,662,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................    -73,,618,000

    The amount recommended by the Committee for fiscal year 
1996 compared to the budget estimate by activity is shown in 
the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Change  
                            FY 1995     Budget     Committee     from   
                            enacted    estimates     bill      estimate 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grants:                                                                 
    Program grants......      75,409      76,650      28,573     -48,077
    State programs......      28,014      27,911      23,359      -4,552
    Office of                                                           
     Preservation.......      22,017      24,416      17,041      -7,375
    Technology and the                                                  
     Humanaties.........  ..........       4,000  ..........      -4,000
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Grants..     125,440     132,977      68,973     -64,004
                         ===============================================
Administrative Areas:                                                   
 Administration.........      20,691      23,110      13,496      -9,614
                         -----------------------------------------------
      Total, Grants and                                                 
       Administration...     146,131     156,087      82,469     -73,618
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommends $82,469,000 for grants and 
administration, of which $28,573,000 is for program grants, 
$23,359,000 is for state programs, $17,041,000 is for the 
office of preservation, and $13,469,000 is for administration. 
No funding is provided for technology and the humanities. The 
Committee is providing the Endowment with the flexibility to 
allocate its program grant funds. This funding level is 
consistent with the proposed reauthorization in the House 
legislative Committee to phase out Federal funding for the 
National Endowment for the Humanities over the next three 
years. Until final passage of a reauthorization bill, the 
Committee does not approve the Endowment's request for a new 
budget structure.
    The Committee recognizes that the recommended funding 
reductions will result in reductions in force. The National 
Endowment for the Humanities may use up to $4 million of 
program funds to accommodate these necessary personnel actions.

                            matching grants
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $25,913,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      25,913,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      17,025,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -8,888,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -8,888,000

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $17,025,000 
for matching grants, of which $9,180,000 is for challenge 
grants and $7,845,000 is for Treasury funds.
    Treasury funds are used to accomplish the same goals as 
definite funds provided under the grants and administration 
account except that they require at least a one-to-one match 
from private monies.
    The purpose of challenge grants is to encourage new and 
increased sources of support on a continuing basis for our 
nation's humanistic institutions. The challenge grants, which 
are of a limited duration, are an important complement to other 
Endowment program categories which provide ongoing support to 
groups of the highest quality.

                      Institute of Museum Services

                       grants and administration
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $28,715,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      29,800,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      21,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -7,715,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -8,800,000

    The Institute of Museum Services provides operating 
support, conservation support and professional services to 
assist museums. General operating support awards assist museums 
with essential operating expenditures.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $21,000,000 
for the Institute of Museum Services. The amount recommended by 
the Committee for fiscal year 1996 compared to the budget 
estimate by activity is shown in the following table:


                        Commission of Fine Arts

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................        $834,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................         879,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................         834,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................         -45,000

    The Commission of Fine Arts was established in 1910 to meet 
the need for a permanent body to advise the government on 
matters pertaining to the arts, and particularly, to guide the 
architectural development of Washington. Over the years the 
Commission's scope has been expanded to include advice on areas 
such as plans for parks, public buildings, location of national 
monuments and development of public squares. As a result, the 
Commission annually reviews approximately 500 projects. In 
fiscal year 1988 the Commission was given responsibility for 
the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program.
    The Committee recommends $834,000 for salaries and expenses 
of the Commission of Fine Arts, a decrease of $45,000 below the 
request, and the same as the 1995 funding level.

               national capital arts and cultural affairs
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $7,500,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       6,941,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       6,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,500,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -941,000

    The National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program was 
established in Public Law 99-190 to support artistic and 
cultural programs in the Nation's Capital. This program was 
established by Congress in recognition of the fact that major 
arts institutions in the District of Columbia, unlike their 
counterparts in other cities, have little access to non-Federal 
public funding, particularly for general operating support 
purposes. But in order to assure that public funding does not 
displace the role of private sector support, no grant from this 
program may exceed 25 percent of an institution's annual income 
budget. For fiscal year 1996, the Committee recommends 
$6,000,000, which is $1,500,000 below the request and $941,000 
below the 1995 funding level.
               Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $2,947,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       3,063,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       1,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -1,947,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -2,063,000

    The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established 
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Its mandate is 
to further the national policy of preserving historic and 
cultural resources for the benefit of present and future 
generations. The Council advises the President and Congress on 
preservation matters and provides consultation on historic 
properties threatened by Federal action.
    The Committee recommends $1,000,000 to fund close-out costs 
of the Council. The Administration requested $3,063,000 for 
1996, compared to the 1995 funding level of $2,947,000.
    Currently the Secretary of the Interior, through the 
National Park Service and the Council share responsibility for 
managing the National Historic Preservation Program. The major 
portion of the Council's program activities involve managing 
the Section 106 consultation process. Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act requires Federal agencies to 
take into account the effect of their actions on historic 
properties. The Council has no authority to unilaterally alter 
Federal actions that will affect historic properties nor could 
it impose solutions on non-Federal parties. Its function was 
purely advisory. The action of the Committee to terminate 
Federal support for the Council in no way negates the legal 
requirement for all Federal agencies to continue to identify, 
evaluate, and consider in good faith the impacts of proposed 
actions on properties included in or eligible for inclusion in 
the National Register of Historic Places. It is the Committee's 
intent that the advisory functions shared by the Council and 
the Secretary of the Interior should now be carried out through 
the Park Service in cooperation with the State Historic 
Preservation Offices.

                  National Capital Planning Commission

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $5,655,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       6,000,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       5,090,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -565,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................        -910,000

    The National Capital Planning Act of 1952 designated the 
National Capital Planning Commission as the central planning 
agency for the Federal government in the National Capital 
Region. The three major functions of the Commission are to 
prepare and adopt the Federal elements of the National Capital 
Comprehensive Plan, prepare an annual report on a five-year 
projection of the Federal Capital Improvement Program, and 
review plans and proposals submitted to the Commission. As part 
of its long-range planning responsibilities, the Commission is 
preparing a Monumental Core Plan to guide development in the 
Nation's Capital into the 21st century.
    To support this mission, the Committee recommends an 
appropriation of $5,090,000 for salaries and expenses of the 
National Capital Planning Commission. In addition, authority is 
transferred from the Pennsylvania Avenue Development 
Corporation to the National Capital Planning Commission to 
ensure that any development or redevelopment along Pennsylvania 
Avenue is consistent with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development 
Corporation Plan.

             Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission

                         Salaries and Expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................         $48,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................         147,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................          48,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................         -99,000

    The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission, in 
conjunction with the National Park Service in the Department of 
the Interior, is responsible for having plans prepared for 
completion of a suitable memorial to President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt. The Committee recommends $48,000 for salaries and 
expenses for the Commission.

              Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation

                         salaries and expenses
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $2,738,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       3,043,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................       2,000,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................        -738,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -1,043,000

    The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation has made 
great strides since its establishment in 1972 in rehabilitating 
and upgrading the area on, and adjacent to, Pennsylvania Avenue 
between the Capitol and the White House. The Corporation has 
revived a vital component of downtown Washington which serves 
as a ceremonial link between the Executive and Legislative 
branches of government. However, the Corporation's work is 
essentially completed, therefore, the Committee recommends an 
appropriation of $2,000,000 for the termination of the 
Corporation. The Committee recommends that the orderly shut 
down of the Corporation be accomplished within six months from 
the date of enactment of this Act. No staff should be 
maintained beyond April 1, 1996.
    The Committee has included bill language in Title III to do 
the following: (1) transfer jurisdiction for maintaining the 
seven parks and plazas currently under the jurisdiction of the 
Corporation to the National Park Service; (2) transfer 
authority to the National Capital Planning Commission for 
ensuring that development or redevelopment is carried out in 
accordance with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation 
Plan; and (3) the transfer of all other necessary rights and 
responsibilities that need to be continued and are currently 
carried out by the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation 
to the General Services Administration.
    Bill language is also included in the Treasury, Postal 
Services appropriation bill to transfer Pennsylvania Avenue 
Development Corporation staff devoted solely to the Federal 
Triangle project to the General Services Administration for the 
purpose of completing the Federal Triangle building.

                           public development
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................      $4,084,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................       2,445,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      -4,084,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -2,445,000

    The Committee recommends no appropriation for public 
development.

                 Land acquisition and development fund
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................................
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      $1,388,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................................
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................................
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................      -1,388,000

    The Committee recommends no appropriation for public 
development.

                United States Holocaust Memorial Council

                       Holocaust Memorial Council
Appropriation enacted, 1995.............................     $26,609,000
Budget estimate, 1996...................................      28,707,000
Recommended, 1996.......................................      28,707,000
Comparison:
    Appropriation, 1995.................................      +2,098,000
    Budget estimate, 1996...............................................

    In 1980 Congress passed legislation creating a 65 member 
Holocaust Memorial Council with the mandate to create and 
oversee a living memorial/museum to victims of holocausts. The 
museum opened in April 1993. Construction costs for the museum 
have come solely from donated funds being raised by the U.S. 
Holocaust Memorial Museum Campaign and appropriated funds have 
been used for planning and development of programmatic 
components, overall administrative support and annual 
commemorative observances. Since the opening of the museum, 
appropriated funds have been provided to pay for the ongoing 
operating costs of the museum as authorized by Public Law 102-
529.
    The Committee recommends the budget request of $28,707,000 
for the Holocaust Memorial Council, an increase of $2,098,000 
above the fiscal year 1995 level.
    Public interest in the Holocaust Memorial Museum, as 
evidenced by the demand for tickets to view the museum, has 
been overwhelming. The Council has reported to the Committee 
that museum visitation has been roughly four times the 
projected level. This has had the effect of inflicting four 
years worth of wear and tear on the museum in its first year of 
operation. The increase recommended by the Committee is needed 
to meet the costs associated with the inordinately large number 
of visitors and the demands they are placing on the operation 
of the museum including additional guard services and museum 
maintenance.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

    The Committee applauds the Departments of the Interior and 
Energy on their efforts to enhance educational and career 
opportunities for minority students in the areas of science and 
technology. The Committee strongly encourages the Departments 
to include participation by Hispanic-Serving Institutions in 
any current or future plans to increase its predesignated or 
targeted research, development, and education funds.
    Committee recommends continuing several provisions carried 
in previous bills as follows. Section 301 provides for public 
availability of information on consulting services contracts. 
Section 302 limits non-competitive leasing of oil and natural 
gas on the Shawnee National Forest, Illinois. Section 303 
prohibits activities to promote public support or opposition to 
legislative proposals. Section 304 provides for annual 
appropriations unless expressly provided otherwise in this Act. 
Section 305 limits the use of personal cooks, chauffeurs or 
servants. Section 306 limits assessments against programs 
without Committee approval. Section 307 contains Buy American 
procedures and requirements. Section 308 limits the sale of 
giant sequoia trees by the Forest Service. Section 309 
prohibits the use of funds by the National Park Service to 
enter into a contract requiring the removal of the underground 
lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP.
    Section 310 allows the Secretary to determine the use of 
certain construction funds after consultation with tribes.
    Section 311 provides that quarterly payments to tribes may 
be made on the first business day following the first day of a 
fiscal year.
    Section 312 provides that no funds can be used for 
Americorps.
    Section 313 provides for the dissolution of the 
Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation on April 1, 1996, 
and for the transfer of certain PADC responsibilities to other 
agencies.
    Section 314 relates to the Columbia River Basin Ecoregion 
Assessment.
    The Committee believes that the Interior Columbia Basin 
Ecoregion Management Project has collected important scientific 
information on forest health conditions which is particularly 
relevant to forest management opportunities and needs. Despite 
this accomplishment, the Project has grown too large and too 
costly to sustain in a time of fiscal constraints and is 
drawing away personnel and funding that should be employed for 
on the ground management. Consequently, the section halts all 
funding of the Project, with one exception. It makes funds 
available to the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management to publish the data collected and the analysis 
accomplished by the Project, specifically as this Project 
relates to forest health and management needs, prior to the 
date of enactment of the Act. The deadline for this publication 
is January 1, 1996. The section makes clear that the 
publication is to be submitted both to peer review and public 
comment. The Committee expects the Forest Service to provide 
$430,000 and the Bureau of Land Management to provide $170,000 
of the $600,000 allocated for this purpose. Of the remaining 
$6,100,000 requested in the budget for the Project a sum of 
$3,000,000 was allocated to the Forest Service, National Forest 
System, to conduct site-specific watershed and environmental 
analyses in the area encompassed by the Project where necessary 
to resume multiple use programs. The remaining $3,100,000 was 
not appropriated so as to contribute to the deficit reduction 
effort.
    The Committee does not wish the termination of the Project 
to be a justification for the continued development and 
implementation of broadly applicable interim forest management 
guidelines such as the Eastside Screens, PACFISH, and INFISH. 
These guidelines were (and are being) developed outside of the 
forest planning process and then applied to a large number of 
national forests by a generic amendment to all the applicable 
forest plans through a single environmental assessment and 
decision document--without consideration of the particular 
conditions of the individual forests and without forest-
specific environmental documentation that analyzes alternative 
guidelines tailored to those precise forest conditions. The 
Committee believes this new agency reliance on generic 
guidelines is misplaced. The process of developing them 
(frequently all but completed before the skeletal environmental 
assessment and decision document is even prepared) is simply 
not as rigorous as that contemplated in the planning provisions 
of the National Forest Management Act and the Forest Service's 
implementing regulations. For example, the opportunity provided 
for public review, comment, and the consideration of 
alternatives has been inadequate for the PACFISH, INFISH, and 
Eastside Screens guidelines. And, even though the generic 
amendment incorporating the guidelines into the various forest 
plans often results in significant changes in the plan's land 
allocations and likely compromises the agency's ability to 
achieve the plan's goals and objectives, the Forest Service 
consistently and incorrectly maintains that the guidelines and 
their amendment do not warrant an environmental impact 
statement.
    The remaining provisions of this section require the Forest 
Service to employ funding provided by the Act to remove these 
generic guidelines from the management of national forests 
within the area encompassed by the Project and, where 
necessary, to substitute forest-specific guidelines through 
individual amendments to the applicable forest plans. The 
generic guidelines will remain effective until April 1, 1996. 
During the period prior to that date, the Secretary of 
Agriculture is directed to review each forest plan which 
contains or is subject to such generic guidelines and determine 
whether, after those guidelines are removed, that forest will 
need to have in place either those guidelines modified to 
correspond to that forest's conditions or alternative forest-
specific guidelines. If the Secretary decides that a particular 
forest requires a modified or alternative guideline, he must 
develop and apply that guideline to the forest through an 
amendment to the applicable forest plan. Processing of these 
amendments to forest plans must be completed on or before March 
31, 1996, unless a particular amendment contains a modified or 
alternative guideline that would effect a change in land 
allocations or alter the likelihood of achievement of a goal or 
objective which the plan contained prior to the application of 
the expiring generic guideline. For that type of amendment, 
which the section makes clear must be treated as a significant 
amendment and be addressed in an environmental impact 
statement, the deadline is June 30, 1996. To minimize the 
possibility that the agency will simply repeat the process of 
developing generic guidelines at the forest level, the section 
expresses a strong preference for guidelines that provide 
procedures for developing site-specific standards instead of 
guidelines that impose one-size-fits-all, multi-site standards. 
Finally, the section eliminates the need to repeat 
consultations under the Endangered Species Act either on any 
plan amendment that simply substitutes a modified or 
alternative guideline for a generic guideline that has already 
undergone consultation or on the expiration of the generic 
guidelines.
    Section 315 establishes a demonstration program that allows 
land management agencies to charge recreational fees and to use 
a portion of those fees for the benefit of the specific 
collection site. The program applies to the Bureau of Land 
Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the 
National Park Service in the Department of the Interior, and to 
the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture.
    Section 316 provides for timber salvage sales by the Forest 
Service and the Bureau of Land Management in Northern spotted 
owl habitat as long as the sales do not render the habitat 
unsuitable.
    Section 317 emphasizes that Federal personnel should adhere 
to the law with respect to risk assessment, private property 
rights protection and unfunded mandates.

                              Rescissions

    Pursuant to clause 1(b), rule X of the House of 
Representatives, the following table is submitted describing 
the rescissions recommended in the accompanying bill:

                   RESCISSION RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Amounts     
               Department and activity                  recommended for 
                                                          rescission    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of the Interior: Land and Water                              
 Conservation Fund (contract authority).............         $30,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           Transfer of Funds

    Pursuant to clause 1(b), rule X of the House of 
Representatives, the following table is submitted describing 
the transfer of funds provided in the accompanying bill.
    The table shows the appropriations affected by such 
transfers.

                                 APPROPRIATION TRANSFERS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Account from which transfer is                
    Account to which transfer is to be made          Amount                 to be made                Amount    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels              $2,400,000  General Fund of the Treasury...      $2,400,000
 Production.                                                                                                    
Department of Energy, Strategic Petroleum           187,000,000  Department of Energy, SPR           187,000,000
 Reserve.                                                         Petroleum account.                            
Department of Energy, Stratetgic Petroleum          100,000,000  Treasury, SPR Decommissioning       100,000,000
 Reserve.                                                         Fund.                                         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 Changes in Application of Existing Law

    Pursuant to clause 3, rule XXI of the rules of the House of 
Representatives, the following statements are submitted 
describing the effect of provisions in the accompanying bill 
which directly or indirectly change the application of existing 
law. In most instances these provisions have been included in 
prior appropriations Acts.
    The bill provides that certain appropriations items remain 
available until expended or extends the availability of funds 
beyond the fiscal year where programs or projects are 
continuing in nature under the provisions of authorizing 
legislation but for which that legislation does not 
specifically authorize such extended availability. Most of 
these items have been carried in previous appropriations Acts. 
This authority tends to result in savings by preventing the 
practice of committing funds at the end of the fiscal year.
    The bill includes, in certain instances, limitations on the 
obligation of funds for particular functions or programs. These 
limitations include restrictions on the obligation of funds for 
administrative expenses, travel expenses, the use of 
consultants, and programmatic areas within the overall 
jurisdiction of a particular agency.
    The Committee has included limitations for official 
entertainment or reception and representation expenses for 
selected agencies in the bill.
    Language is included in the various parts of the bill to 
continue ongoing activities of those Federal agencies which 
require annual authorization or additional legislation which to 
date has not been enacted.
    Language is included under Bureau of Land Management, 
Management of lands and resources, prohibiting the destruction 
of healthy, unadopted, wild horses and burros and providing for 
the operation of the Needles Resources Area for managing the 
East Mojave National Scenic Area.
    Language is included under Bureau of Land Management, 
Central hazardous materials fund, providing that sums received 
from a party for remedial actions shall be credited to the 
account, and defining non-monetary payments.
    Language is included under Bureau of Land Management, 
Service charges, deposits, and forfeitures, to allow use of 
funds on any damaged public lands.
    Language is included under Bureau of Land Management, 
Administrative provisions, providing for cost-sharing 
arrangements for printing services.
    Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Resource management, allowing for the maintenance of 
the herd of long-horned cattle on the Wichita Mountains 
Wildlife Refuge. Without this language, the long-horned cattle 
would have to be removed from the refuge. Language is also 
included providing for a Youth Conservation Corps.
    Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Natural resource damage assessment and restoration 
fund, allowing the transfer of appropriations to carry out 
certain assessments and restoration activity, and defining the 
use of non-monetary payments.
    Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Administrative provisions, providing for repair of 
damage to public roads; options for the purchase of land not to 
exceed $1; installation of certain recreation facilities; the 
maintenance and improvement of aquaria; the acceptance of 
donated aircraft; cost-shared arrangements for printing 
services. Language is also included limiting the use of funds 
for the purchase of lands and changing the distribution of 
entrance fees collected through the National wildlife refuge 
system.
    Language is included under National Park Service, Operation 
of the National Park System to allow road maintenance service 
to trucking permittees on a reimbursable basis. This provision 
has been included in annual appropriations Acts since 1954.
    Language is included under National Park Service, Operation 
of the National Park System, providing for a Youth Conservation 
Corps program and limiting expenditures for the operations of 
the Mojave National Preserve.
    Language is included under National Park Service, National 
recreation and preservation making the use of funds for the 
William O. Douglas Outdoor Education Center subject to 
authorization.
    Language is included under National Park Service, 
Administrative provisions, preventing the implementation of an 
agreement for the redevelopment of the southern end of Ellis 
Island.
    Language is included under United States Geological Survey, 
Administrative provisions, providing for the reimbursement to 
the GSA for security guard services; for contracting for 
topographic maps and geophysical or other surveys; and for the 
use of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.
    Language is included under United States Geological Survey, 
Surveys, investigations and research, providing for two-year 
availability of funds for natural resources research and for 
the operations of cooperative research units; permitting the 
purchase of passenger motor vehicles; prohibiting the conduct 
of new surveys on private property; prohibiting a volunteer 
program for resource research activities; mandating the 
issuance of guidelines for resource research; prohibiting the 
use of funds for natural resource programs not authorized prior 
to the establishment of the National Biological Survey; 
providing for a review every 5 years by the National Academy of 
Sciences on resource research activities; specifying that, if 
authorizing legislation is enacted during or before the start 
of fiscal year 1996, the provisions of the authorizing 
legislation should be complied with; and providing for the 
merger of available funds from the National Biological Survey 
into the U.S. Geological Survey.
    Language is included under Minerals Management Service, 
Royalty and offshore minerals management, providing for the use 
of certain receipts for a technical information system; 
providing for reasonable expenses related to volunteer beach 
and marine clean-up activities; providing for refunds for 
overpayments on Indian allottee leases and providing for 
collecting royalties and late payment interest on amounts 
received in settlements associated with Federal and Indian 
leases.
    Language is included under Bureau of Mines, Administrative 
provisions, providing for the sale of metal or mineral products 
manufactured in pilot plant projects; the acceptance of 
contributions from other sources and for cooperative projects; 
and providing for the transfer of property and facilities to 
non-Federal entities without reimbursement.
    Language is included under Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement, Regulation and technology, to 
allow the use of performance bond forfeitures by the regulatory 
authority to conduct reclamation activities; the use of monies 
collected pursuant to assessment of civil penalties to reclaim 
lands affected by coal mining after August 3, 1977; and 
permitting payment to State and tribal personnel for travel and 
per diem expenses for training.
    Language is included under Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement, Abandoned mine reclamation fund, 
which earmarks specific amounts in the account for emergency 
reclamation projects and which allows use of debt recovery to 
pay for debt collection. Language also is included permitting 
donations and providing for supplemental grants to States for 
remediating acid mine drainage.
    Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Operation of Indian programs, for advance payments to Indian 
schools and business enterprises. Language also is included to 
change the dates of payments for grants to schools under Public 
Law 100-297; to change the due date for the reconciliation 
report required by Public Law 103-412; and to permit local 
school boards to determine teacher compensation rates.
    Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Operation of Indian programs, allowing reprogramming of Self-
Governance funds, allowing changes to certain eligibility 
criteria by tribal governments, allowing the transfer of 
certain forestry funds, providing for an Indian self-
determination fund, prohibiting support of Alaska schools in 
1996; limiting the number of Bureau schools, and limiting the 
use of funds for any expanded grade levels in schools.
    Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Construction, providing that 6 percent of Federal Highway Trust 
Fund contract authority may be used for management costs, 
providing for the transfer of Navajo irrigation project funds 
and various water resource development related funds from water 
rights settlements to the Bureau of Reclamation, and providing 
Safety of Dams funds on a non-reimbursable basis.
    Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian 
and water claim settlements, and miscellaneous payments to 
Indians, making funds available to liquidate obligations to 
individual Indians and restore amounts to trust funds invested 
in failed savings and loans not covered by Federal deposit 
insurance, and to reimburse individual account holders for 
losses.
    Language is included under Territorial and International 
Affairs, Assistance to Territories, requiring audits of the 
financial transactions of the Territorial governments by the 
General Accounting Office, providing grant funding under 
certain terms of the Agreement of the Special Representatives 
on Future United States Financial Assistance for the Northern 
Mariana Islands, providing a grant to the Close-Up foundation, 
and allowing appropriations for disaster assistance to be used 
as non-Federal matching funds for hazard mitigation grants 
provided pursuant to other law.
    Language is included under Territorial and International 
Affairs, Compact of Free Association to permit specification 
changes to a road construction project.
    Language is included under Departmental Offices, 
Administrative provisions, prohibiting the use of working 
capital or consolidated working funds to augment certain 
offices, and allowing the sale of existing aircraft with 
proceeds used to offset the purchase price of replacement 
aircraft.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, to allow transfer of funds in certain 
emergency situations, requiring replacement with a supplemental 
appropriation request, and designating certain transferred 
funds as ``emergency requirements'' under the Balanced Budget 
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, to consolidate services and receive 
reimbursement for said services. Language also is included 
providing for uniform allowances.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, to allow for obligations in connection with 
contracts issued for services or rentals for periods not in 
excess of 12 months beginning at any time during the fiscal 
year.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, to provide for the transfer of funds among the 
various Departmental land acquisition accounts; to permit the 
transfer of funds for the Presidio upon establishment of a 
Presidio Trust; to repeal section 6003 of Public Law 101-380, 
with respect to oil and gas leases offshore North Carolina; and 
prohibiting the use of funds for a rulemaking concerning 
certain rights-of-way.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, restricting various oil and gas preleasing, 
leasing, exploration and drilling activities within the Outer 
Continental Shelf in the Georges Bank-North Atlantic planning 
area, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic planning area, Eastern 
Gulf of Mexico planning area, North Aleutian Basin planning 
area, Northern, Southern and Central California planning areas, 
and Washington/Oregon planning area.
    Language is included under Forest Service, National Forest 
System, earmarking funds for obliteration of roads.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Emergency Forest 
Service firefighting fund, allowing the use of funds to repay 
advances from other accounts.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Acquisition of 
lands to complete exchanges, and Acquisition of lands for 
national forest special acts, to provide that revenues and 
funds deposited are made available for appropriation.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Range Betterment 
Fund, to provide that 6 percent of the funds may be used for 
administrative expenses.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative 
provisions, limiting the availability of funds to change the 
boundaries of or abolish any region or to move or close any 
regional office. Language is also provided to allow for 
advances for firefighting and emergency rehabilitation of 
burned-over lands, to provide for the use of collected fire 
funds, and to provide that proceeds from the sale of aircraft 
may be used to purchase replacement aircraft.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative 
provisions, to provide for a Youth Conservation Corps program.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative 
provisions, allowing funds to be used through the Agency for 
International Development and the Office of International 
Cooperation and Development for work in foreign countries, and 
to support forestry activities outside of the United States; 
and providing that money collected from States for fire 
suppression may be used for authorized programs.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative 
provisions, to prohibit transfer of funds among appropriations 
without advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations, and to prohibit transfer of funds to the 
working capital fund of the Department of Agriculture without 
approval of the Chief of the Forest Service.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative 
provisions, providing for nonmonetary awards, and allowing 
payment for emergency work.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative 
provisions, allowing reimbursement of certain pipeline rights-
of-way costs, allowing payments in emergency situations at 
regular rates of pay, limiting clearcutting in the Wayne 
National Forest, Ohio, prohibiting preparation of certain 
timber sales in the Shawnee National Forest, Illinois, 
permitting the transfer of certain funds to the State of 
Washington fish and wildlife department for planned projects, 
and allowing technical assistance to rural communities.
    Language is included under Department of Energy, Fossil 
energy research and development, which places a limitation on 
the field testing of nuclear explosives for the recovery of oil 
and gas.
    Language is included under Department of Energy, Naval 
Petroleum and oil shale reserves waiving sales requirements 
based on Strategic Petroleum Reserves oil purchases.
    Language is included under Department of Energy, Energy 
conservation, which provides for an allocation of grants to 
State and local programs.
    Language is included under Department of Energy, Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve, which provides for the sale of Weeks Island 
oil and the use of proceeds for SPR operations.
    Language is included under Department of Energy, SPR 
petroleum account, which places an outlay ceiling on the 
account, and which waives minimum purchase requirements for 
operating Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1.
    Language is included under Department of Energy, Energy 
Information Administration, allowing contracts of up to eight 
years duration for end use consumption surveys, and requiring 
that the manufacturing energy consumption survey be conducted 
every three years.
    Language is included under Administrative provisions, 
Department of Energy, limiting programs of price supports and 
loan guarantees to what is provided in appropriations Acts; 
providing for the transfer of funds to other agencies of the 
Government; providing for retention of revenues by the 
Secretary of Energy on certain projects; requiring certain 
contracts be submitted to Congress prior to implementation; 
allowing acceptance of contributions in carrying out 
cooperative projects; and prohibiting issuance of procurement 
documents without appropriations.
    Language is included under Indian Health Service, Indian 
health services, providing that contracts and grants may be 
performed in two fiscal years and for a Self-Determination 
Fund; and providing for use of collections under Title IV of 
the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
    Language is included under Indian Health Service, Indian 
health facilities, providing that funds may be used to purchase 
land, modular buildings and trailers.
    Language is included under Indian Health Service, 
Administrative provisions, providing for payments for telephone 
service in private residences in the field, purchase of 
reprints, purchase and erection of portable buildings, and 
allowing deobligation and reobligation of funds applied to 
self-governance funding agreements.
    Language is included under Indian Health Service, 
Administrative provisions, providing that health care may be 
extended to non-Indians at Indian Health Service facilities and 
providing for expenditure of funds transferred to IHS from the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
    Language is included under Indian Health Service, 
Administrative provisions, to prevent the Indian Health Service 
from billing Indians in order to collect from third-party 
payers until Congress has agreed to implement a specific 
policy.
    Language is included under Indian Health Service, 
Administrative provisions, allowing payment of expenses for 
meeting attendance, specifying that certain funds shall not be 
subject to certain travel limitations, prohibiting the 
expenditure of funds to implement new eligibility regulations, 
providing that funds be apportioned only in the appropriation 
structure in this Act, and prohibiting changing the 
appropriations structure without approval of the Appropriations 
Committees.
    Language is included under Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian 
Relocation, salaries and expenses, defining eligible 
relocatees; prohibiting movement of any single Navajo or Navajo 
family unless a new or replacement home is available; limiting 
relocatees to one new or replacement home; and establishing a 
priority for relocation of Navajos to those certified eligible 
who have selected and received homesites on the Navajo 
reservation or selected a replacement residence off the Navajo 
reservation.
    Language is included under Smithsonian Institution, 
Salaries and expenses, to allow for advance payments to 
independent contractors performing research services or 
participating in official Smithsonian presentations, and 
providing that funds may be used to support American overseas 
research centers.
    Language is included under Smithsonian Institution, 
Construction and improvements, National Zoological Park, and 
Repair and restoration of buildings, to construct facilities by 
contract or otherwise.
    Language is included under Smithsonian Institution, Repair 
and restoration of buildings, to permit the Smithsonian 
Institution to select contractors for certain purposes on the 
basis of contractor qualifications as well as price.
    Language is included under Smithsonian Institution, 
Construction, allowing a procurement for the full scope of 
construction of the National Museum of the American Indian 
Cultural Resources Center.
    Language is included under National Gallery of Art, 
Salaries and expenses, for payment in advance for membership in 
library, museum, and art associations or societies and for 
restoration and repair of works of art by contract without 
advertising.
    Language is included under National Gallery of Art, Repair, 
restoration and renovation of buildings, to perform work by 
contract or otherwise and to select contractors for certain 
purposes on the basis of contractor qualifications as well as 
price.
    Language is included under National Foundation on the Arts 
and the Humanities, Matching grants, to allow for the 
obligation of current and preceding fiscal years' funds of 
gifts, bequests, and devises of money for which equal amounts 
have not previously been appropriated.
    Language is included under Advisory Council on Historic 
Preservation, to restrict hiring anyone at Executive Level V or 
higher positions.
    Language is included under National Capital Planning 
Commission, salaries and expenses, to provide for a pay level 
at the rate of Executive Level IV for all appointed members.
    Title III--General provisions contains language carried in 
previous appropriations Acts, which limits the use of funds for 
the leasing of oil and natural gas by noncompetitive leasing 
within the boundaries of the Shawnee National Forest and 
prohibits use of funds to distribute literature either to 
promote or oppose legislative proposals on which Congressional 
action is incomplete.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions to 
prohibit the use of funds to provide personal cooks, chauffeurs 
or other personal servants to any office or employee and to 
limit use of consulting services.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
prohibiting assessments against programs funded in this bill 
and providing Buy American requirements.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
prohibiting the sale of giant sequoia trees in a manner 
different from 1995.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
prohibiting the use of funds by the National Park Service to 
enter into a concession contract requiring the removal of the 
underground lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
abolishing the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation 
effective April 1, 1996, and transferring certain 
responsibilities to the National Park Service, the General 
Services Administration and the National Capital Planning 
Commission.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
prohibiting the use of funds for the Interior Columbia River 
Basin Ecoregion Assessment.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
establishing a pilot fee collection program for the land 
management agencies in the bill.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
providing for the sale of salvage timber in the Pacific 
Northwest in spotted owl habitat under certain conditions.
    Language is included under Title III--General provisions, 
emphasizing that Federal personnel should adhere to the law 
with respect to risk assessment, private property rights 
protection and unfunded mandates.

                  Appropriations Not Authorized by Law

    Pursuant to clause 3 of rule XXI of the House of 
Representatives, the following table lists the appropriations 
in the accompanying bill which, in whole or in part, are not 
authorized by law:
    Department of the Interior:
        Bureau of Land Management, Management of Lands and 
        Resources
        Bureau of Land Management, Construction and Access
        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Resource Management
        National Park Service, National Recreation and 
        Preservation
    Department of Energy:
        Fossil Energy Research and Development
        Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves
        Energy Conservation
        Economic Regulation
        Strategic Petroleum Reserve
        Energy Information Administration
    Other Related Agencies:
        Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, Salaries 
        and Expenses
        National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities (all 
        accounts)
        Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, Salaries 
        and Expenses
    The Committee notes that authorizing legislation for many 
of these programs is in various stages of the legislative 
process and these authorizations are expected to be enacted 
into law later this year.

                  Compliance With Rule XIII--Clause 3

    In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):
    Section 201 of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 
(16 U.S.C. 3911) is amended as follows:
Sec. 3911. Sale of admission permit at certain refuge units

    (a) Sale of Admission Permits.--(1) Notwithstanding the 
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-4 
et seq.), in order to provide additional revenues for the 
conservation of wetland resources of the Nation and for the 
operation and maintenance of refuges--
          (A) the Secretary of the Interior may, at units of 
        the National Wildlife Refuge System designated by the 
        Secretary under paragraph (2)--
                  (i) charge fees for admission permits;
                  (ii) sell Golden Eagle passports and Golden 
                Age passports;
                  (iii) issue at no charge lifetime admission 
                permits as authorized in section 4(a)(5) of the 
                Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 
                [16 U.S.C. 460l-6a(a)(5)];
          (B) the amounts collected by the Secretary as a 
        result of the activities described in subparagraph (A) 
        shall be [distributed] used as provided in subsection 
        (c) of this section.
    (2) The Secretary shall designate a unit of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System for purposes of this chapter if the 
Secretary determines, with respect to such unit, that--
          (A) The level of visitation for recreational purposes 
        is high enough to justify the collection of fees for 
        admission permits for economic reasons.
          (B) There is a practical mechanism in existence for 
        implementing and operating a system of collecting fees 
        for admission permits.
          (C) Imposition of a fee for admission permits is not 
        likely to result in undue economic hardship for a 
        significant number of visitors to the unit.
    (b) Exceptions.--(1) The Secretary may not require an 
admission permit under subsection (a)(1) of this section for 
entry by a person into a designated unit if such person is the 
holder of--
          (A) a valid migratory bird hunting and conservation 
        stamp issued under section 718b of this title;
          (B) a valid Golden Eagle Passport issued under 
        section 4(a)(1) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
        Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-6a(a)(1)); or
          (C) a valid Golden Age Passport issued under section 
        4(a)(4) of such Act [16 U.S.C. 460l-6a(a)(4)]; or
          (D) a valid lifetime admission permit as authorized 
        in section 4(a)(5) of such Act [16 U.S.C. 460l-
        6a(a)(5)].
    (2) Permits for a single visit to any designated unit shall 
be made available by the Secretary of the Interior for a 
reasonable fee, but not to exceed $3 for individuals or $7.50 
per vehicle. For purposes of this subsection, the term ``single 
visit'' means a more or less continuous stay within a 
designated unit by a person or group described in subsection 
(d) of this section. Payment of a single visit fee and issuance 
of a single visit permit shall authorize exits from and re-
entries to a single designated unit for a period of from one to 
fifteen days. Such period shall be defined for each designated 
unit by the Secretary based upon a determination of the period 
of time reasonably and ordinarily necessary for such a single 
visit.
    (3) Special admission permits for uses such as group 
activities may be issued in accordance with procedures and at 
fees established by the Secretary.
    (4) A person may not be required to purchase an admission 
permit under subsection (a)(1) of this section in order to 
travel by private noncommercial vehicle over any road or 
highway--
          (A)(i) established as part of the National Federal 
        Aid System (as defined in section 101 of title 23); and
          (ii) commonly used by the public as a means of travel 
        between two places which are outside the designated 
        unit; or
          (B) to any land in which such person has a property 
        interest if such land is within any designated unit.
    (5) A person may not be required to purchase an admission 
permit under subsection (a)(1) of this section for entrance or 
admission to a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System 
created, expanded, or modified by Public Law 96-487.
    (c) Distribution of Amounts Collected.--Amounts collected 
from the sale of admission permits under this section and from 
fees collected at any unit of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System under subsections (b) and (c) of section 4 of the Land 
and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-6a(b), 
(c)) [shall be distributed as follows:
          (A) Thirty per centum shall be available to the 
        Secretary of the Interior until expended. The Secretary 
        shall use such amount--] shall be used by the 
        Secretary--
                  [(i)] (1) first, to defray the cost of 
                collection;
                  [(ii)] (2) next, for operation and 
                maintenance of the collecting unit; and
                  [(iii)] (3) next, for operation and 
                maintenance of all units within the National 
                Wildlife Refuge System, except those units 
                created, expanded, or modified by Public Law 
                96-487.
          [(B) Seventy percent shall be deposited into the 
        migratory bird conservation fund established under 
        section 718d of this title.]
    (d) Persons Accompanying Permittees.--A person who holds a 
stamp, passport, or permit described in subsection (b) of this 
section shall be entitled to general entrance into any 
designated unit, along with--
          (1) any persons accompanying such person in a single, 
        private, noncommercial vehicle; or
          (2) where entry to the area is by any means other 
        than single, private, noncommercial vehicle, the person 
        and any accompanying spouse, children, or parents.
    (e) Restrictions.--A permit issued under this section is 
non-transferable. Such a permit may not authorize any uses for 
which fees are charged under the Land and Water Conservation 
Fund Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-4 et seq.).
    (f) Establishment of Fees; Posting of Notices.--(1) All 
fees established pursuant to this section shall be fair and 
equitable. In establishing such fees, the Secretary shall 
consider the following:
          (A) The direct and indirect cost to the Government.
          (B) The benefits to the permit holder.
          (C) The public policy or interest served.
          (D) The comparable fees charged by non-Federal public 
        agencies.
          (E) The economic and administrative feasibility of 
        fee collection and other pertinent factors.
      (2) The Secretary shall require that notice that a fee 
has been established under this section--
          (A) be prominently posted at each designated unit and 
        at appropriate locations in each such unit; and
          (B) to the extent practicable, be included in 
        publications distributed at such units.
    (g) Volunteers.--The Director of the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service may accept services of volunteers to sell 
admission permits under this section or to sell Golden Eagle 
and Golden Age Passports or Migratory Bird Hunting and 
Conservation Stamps. The Director may use funds appropriated or 
otherwise made available to the Service to cover the cost of 
any surety bond that may be required of a volunteer performing 
the services authorized under this subsection.
    Section 6003 of Public Law 101-380 (33 U.S.C. 2753) is 
repealed as follows:

[SEC. 6003. OUTER BANKS PROTECTION.

    [(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Outer 
Banks Protection Act''.
    [(b) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
          [(1) the Outer Banks of North Carolina is an area of 
        exceptional environmental fragility and beauty;
          [(2) the annual economic benefits of commercial and 
        recreational fishing activities to North Carolina, 
        which could be adversely affected by oil or gas 
        development offshore the State's coast, exceeds 
        $1,000,000,000;
          [(3) the major industry in coastal North Carolina is 
        tourism, which is subject to potentially significant 
        disruption by offshore oil or gas development;
          [(4) the physical oceanographic characteristics of 
        the area offshore North Carolina between Cape Hatteras 
        and the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay are not well 
        understood, being affected by Gulf Stream western 
        boundary perturbations and accompanying warm filaments, 
        warm and cold core rings which separate from the Gulf 
        Stream, wind stress, outflow from the Chesapeake Bay, 
        Gulf Stream meanders, and intrusions of Virginia 
        Coastal Waters around and over the Diamond shoals;
          [(5) diverse and abundant fisheries resources occur 
        in the western boundary area of the Gulf Stream 
        offshore North Carolina, but little is understood of 
        the complex ecological relationships between the life 
        histories of those species and their physical, 
        chemical, and biological environment;
          [(6) the environmental impact statements prepared for 
        Outer Continental Shelf lease sales numbered 56 (1981) 
        and 78 (1983) contain insufficient and outdated 
        environmental information from which to make decisions 
        on approval of additional oil and gas leasing, 
        exploration, and development activities;
          [(7) the draft environmental report, dated November 
        1, 1989, and the preliminary final environmental report 
        dated June 1, 1990, prepared pursuant to a July 14, 
        1989 memorandum of understanding between the State of 
        North Carolina, the Department of the Interior, and the 
        Mobil Oil Company, have not allayed concerns about the 
        adequacy of the environmental information available to 
        determine whether to proceed with additional offshore 
        leasing, exploration, or development offshore North 
        Carolina; and
          [(8) the National Research Council report entitled 
        ``The Adequacy of Environmental Information for Outer 
        Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Decisions: Florida and 
        California'', issued in 1989, concluded that--
                  [(A) information with respect to those 
                States, which have received greater scrutiny 
                than has North Carolina, is inadequate; and
                  [(B) there are serious generic defects in the 
                Minerals Management Service's methods of 
                environmental analysis, reinforcing concerns 
                about the adequacy of the scientific and 
                technical information which are the basis for a 
                decision to lease additional tracts or approve 
                an exploration plan offshore North Carolina, 
                especially with respect to oceanographic, 
                ecological, and socioeconomic information.
    [(c) Prohibition of Oil and Gas Leasing, Exploration, and 
Development.--
          [(1) Prohibition.--The Secretary of the Interior 
        shall not--
                  [(A) conduct a lease sale;
                  [(B) issue any new leases;
                  [(C) approve any exploration plan;
                  [(D) approve any development and production 
                plan;
                  [(E) approve any application for permit to 
                drill; and
                  [(F) permit any drilling,
        [for oil or gas under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
        Act on any lands of the Outer Continental Shell 
        offshore North Carolina.
          [(2) Boundaries.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the 
        term ``offshore North Carolina'' means the area within 
        the lateral seaward boundaries between areas offshore 
        North Carolina and areas offshore--
                  [(A) Virginia as provided in the joint 
                resolution entitled ``Joint resolution granting 
                the consent of Congress to an agreement between 
                the States of North Carolina and Virginia 
                establishing their lateral seaward boundary'' 
                approved October 27, 1972 (86 Stat. 1298); and
                  [(B) South Carolina as provided in the Act 
                entitled ``An Act granting the consent of 
                Congress to the agreement between the States of 
                North Carolina and South Carolina establishing 
                their lateral seaward boundary'' approved 
                October 9, 1981 (95 Stat. 988).
          [(3) Duration of prohibition.--
                  [(A) In general.--The prohibition under 
                paragraph (1) shall remain in effect until the 
                later of--
                          [(i) October 1, 1991; or
                          [(ii) 45 days of continuous session 
                        of the Congress after submission of a 
                        written report to the Congress by the 
                        Secretary of the Interior, made after 
                        consideration of the findings and 
                        recommendations of the Environmental 
                        Sciences Review Panel under subsection 
                        (e)--
                          [(I) certifying that the information 
                        available, including information 
                        acquired pursuant to subsection (d), is 
                        sufficient to enable the Secretary to 
                        carry out his responsibilities under 
                        the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
                        with respect to authorizing the 
                        activities described in paragraph (1); 
                        and
                                  [(II) including a detailed 
                                explanation of any differences 
                                between such certification and 
                                the findings and 
                                recommendations of the 
                                Environmental Sciences Review 
                                Panel under subsection (e), and 
                                a detailed justification of 
                                each such difference.
                  [(B) Continuous session of congress.--In 
                computing any 45-day period of continuous 
                session of Congress under subparagraph 
                (A)(ii)--
                          [(i) continuity of session is broken 
                        only by an adjournment of the Congress 
                        sine die; and
                          [(ii) the days on which either House 
                        of Congress is not in session because 
                        of an adjournment of more than 3 days 
                        to a day certain are excluded.
    [(d) Additional Environmental Information.--The Secretary 
of the Interior shall undertake ecological and socioeconomic 
studies, additional physical oceanographic studies, including 
actual field work and the correlation of existing data, and 
other additional environmental studies, to obtain sufficient 
information about all significant conditions, processes, and 
environments which influence, or may be influenced by, oil and 
gas leasing, exploration, and development activities offshore 
North Carolina to enable the Secretary to carry out his 
responsibilities under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
with respect to authorizing the activities described in 
subsection (c)(1). During the time that the Environmental 
Sciences Review Panel established under subsection (e) is in 
existence, the Secretary of the Interior shall consult with 
such Panel in carrying out this subsection.
    [(e) Environmental Sciences Review Panel.--
          [(1) Establishment and membership.--There shall be 
        established an Environmental Sciences Review Panel, to 
        consist of--
                  [(A) 1 marine scientist selected by the 
                Secretary of the Interior;
                  [(B) 1 marine scientist selected by the 
                Governor of North Carolina; and
                  [(C) 1 person each from the disciplines of 
                physical oceanography, ecology, and social 
                science, to be selected jointly by the 
                Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of 
                North Carolina from a list of individuals 
                nominated by the National Academy of Sciences.
          [(2) Functions.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Environmental 
        Sciences Review Panel shall--
                  [(A) prepare and submit to the Secretary of 
                the Interior findings and recommendations--
                          [(i) assessing the adequacy of 
                        available physical oceanographic, 
                        ecological, and socioeconomic 
                        information in enabling the Secretary 
                        to carry out his responsibilities under 
                        the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
                        with respect to authorizing the 
                        activities described in subsection 
                        (c)(1); and
                          [(ii) if such available information 
                        is not adequate for such purposes, 
                        indicating what additional information 
                        is required to enable the Secretary to 
                        carry out such responsibilities; and
                  [(B) consult with the Secretary of the 
                Interior as provided in subsection (d).
          [(3) Expenses.--Each member of the Environmental 
        Sciences Review Panel shall be reimbursed for actual 
        travel expenses and shall receive per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence for each day such member is engaged in the 
        business of the Environmental Sciences Review Panel.
          [(4) Termination.--The Environmental Sciences Review 
        Panel shall be terminated after the submission of all 
        findings and recommendations required under paragraph 
        (2)(A).
    [(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry 
out this section not to exceed $500,000 for fiscal year 1991, 
to remain available until expended.]
    Section 872(b) of the Pennsylvania Avenue Development 
Corporation Act of 1972 (40 U.S.C. 871-885) is amended as 
follows:
    [(b) Dissolution.--The Corporation shall be dissolved upon 
completion, as determined by the Board of Directors, of its 
implementation of the development plan provided in section 874 
of this title. Upon dissolution, assets remaining after all the 
obligations and indebtedness of the Corporation has been 
fulfilled and paid or satisfied shall be the assets of the 
United States.] (b) The Corporation shall be dissolved on April 
1, 1996. Upon dissolution, assets, obligations, and 
indebtedness of the Corporation shall be transferred in 
accordance with the Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996.
                    Five-Year Projection of Outlays

    In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as 
amended, the following table contains five-year projections 
associated with the budget authority provided in the 
accompanying bill:

                              [In millions]

Budget authority..............................................   $12,092
Outlays:
    Fiscal year 1996..........................................     8,197
    Fiscal year 1997..........................................     2,798
    Fiscal year 1998..........................................       713
    Fiscal year 1999..........................................       202
    Fiscal year 2000 and future years.........................        66

    In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as 
amended, the following information was provided to the 
Committee by the Congressional Budget Office.

               Assistance to State and Local Governments

    In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(D) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as 
amended, the financial assistance to State and local 
governments is as follows:

                              [In millions]

New budget authority..........................................      $908
Fiscal year 1996 outlays resulting therefrom..................       422
                          Full Committee Votes

    Pursuant to the provisions of clause 2(l)(2)(b) of rule XI 
of the House of Representatives, the results of each roll call 
vote on an amendment or on the motion to report, together with 
the names of those voting for and those voting against, are 
printed below:

                           Rollcall Number 1

    Date: June 22, 1995.
    Measure: Department of Interior Appropriations bill, fiscal 
year 1996.
    Motion by: Mr. Yates.
    Description of motion: To amend the Regula amendment, as 
amended by the Obey amendment, to decrease the reduction for 
the National Endowment for the Humanities.
    Results: Rejected 15 to 23.
        Members Voting Yea            Members Voting Nay
Mr. Coleman                         Mr. Bevill
Mr. Dicks                           Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Foglietta                       Mr. Bunn
Mr. Forbes                          Mr. Callahan
Mr. Hefner                          Mr. Dickey
Ms. Kaptur                          Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mrs. Lowey                          Mr. Istook
Mr. Mollohan                        Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Murtha                          Mr. Kolbe
Mr. Obey                            Mr. Lewis
Mr. Sabo                            Mr. Lightfoot
Mr. Skaggs                          Mr. Livingston
Mr. Visclosky                       Mr. McDade
Mr. Walsh                           Mr. Miller
Mr. Yates                           Mr. Myers
                                    Mr. Nethercutt
                                    Mr. Regula
                                    Mr. Riggs
                                    Mr. Rogers
                                    Mrs. Vucanovich
                                    Mr. Wicker
                                    Mr. Wolf
                                    Mr. Young
                          Full Committee Votes

    Pursuant to the provisions of clause 2(l)(2)(b) of rule XI 
of the House of Representatives, the results of each roll call 
vote on an amendment or on the motion to report, together with 
the names of those voting for and those voting against, are 
printed below:

                           rollcall number 2

    Date: June 27, 1995.
    Measure: Department of Interior appropriations bill, fiscal 
year 1996.
    Motion by: Mr. Regula.
    Description of motion: To provide guidance on natural 
resources research in U.S. Geological Survey.
    Results: Adopted 26 to 16.
        Members Voting Yea            Members Voting Nay
Mr. Bonilla                         Mr. Bevill
Mr. Bunn                            Mr. Coleman
Mr. Dickey                          Mr. Dicks
Mr. Forbes                          Mr. Dixon
Mr. Frelinghuysen                   Mr. Durbin
Mr. Hobson                          Mr. Fazio
Mr. Istook                          Mr. Hefner
Mr. Kingston                        Mr. Hoyer
Mr. Knollenberg                     Mrs. Lowey
Mr. Kolbe                           Mr. Murtha
Mr. Lewis                           Mr. Obey
Mr. Lightfoot                       Mr. Riggs
Mr. Livingston                      Mr. Skaggs
Mr. McDade                          Mr. Thornton
Mr. Myers                           Mr. Wilson
Mr. Nethercutt                      Mr. Yates
Mr. Packard
Mr. Regula
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Taylor
Mrs. Vucanovich
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
                          Full Committee Votes

    Pursuant to the provisions of clause 2(l)(2)(b) of rule XI 
of the House of Representatives, the results of each roll call 
vote on an amendment or on the motion to report, together with 
the names of those voting for and those voting against, are 
printed below:

                           rollcall number 3

    Date: June 27, 1995.
    Measure: Department of Interior appropriations bill, fiscal 
year 1996.
    Motion by: Mr. Regula.
    Description of motion: To reduce the amount for the 
National Endowment for the Humanities.
    Results: Adopted 26 to 17.
        Members Voting Yea            Members Voting Nay
Mr. Bonilla                         Mr. Bevill
Mr. Dickey                          Mr. Bunn
Mr. Forbes                          Mr. Coleman
Mr. Frelinghuysen                   Mr. Dicks
Mr. Hobson                          Mr. Dixon
Mr. Istook                          Mr. Durbin
Mr. Kingston                        Mr. Fazio
Mr. Knollenberg                     Mr. Hefner
Mr. Kolbe                           Mr. Hoyer
Mr. Lewis                           Mrs. Lowey
Mr. Lightfoot                       Mr. Murtha
Mr. Livingston                      Mr. Obey
Mr. McDade                          Mr. Skaggs
Mr. Myers                           Mr. Thornton
Mr. Nethercutt                      Mr. Visclosky
Mr. Packard                         Mr. Wilson
Mr. Regula                          Mr. Yates
Mr. Riggs
Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skeen
Mr. Taylor
Mrs. Vucanovich
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
      
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
              DISSENTING VIEWS OF THE HONORABLE DAVID OBEY

    The decision by this committee to eliminate the use of 
volunteer resources for collecting information about wildlife 
populations is a gratuitous assault on the nation's ability to 
understand, protect and preserve its wildlife. This decision is 
certainly not based on a desire to save money. It can not be 
explained by the objections which various groups have voiced 
with respect to current wildlife policies at the Interior 
Department since the bill also kills the Department's National 
Biological Service program, radically cuts the funding for the 
functions of the Service and transfers those functions out of 
the Department to the U.S. Geological Survey.
    The only possible purpose for denying volunteer resources 
to the surviving data collection efforts is to stop the flow of 
scientific information on the status of American wildlife. 
While this information permits a more intelligent application 
of the Endangered Species Act and other federal wild life 
policies which benefits all parties it would appear that the 
sponsors of this language see it as a backdoor means of gutting 
the Endangered Species Act.
    Clearly, the denial of volunteer resources to these data 
collection programs would be devastating to our continuing 
knowledge on the well-being of American wildlife. Annually more 
than 8,000 trained volunteers participate in numerous wildlife 
data collection programs. The man hours required to make the 
needed observations are so great that they would not likely be 
funded even in a far more favorable budget environment.
    One example of the use of volunteers in wildlife data 
collection is the annual Breeding Bird Survey. This survey has 
been conducted based on volunteer help for more than 30 years. 
It is the principal source of information on the well-being of 
numerous species of birds. The data are important not only for 
determining whether a bird should be included on the endangered 
species list but also in identifying and correcting problems 
that can avoid the listing of a bird as an endangered species. 
Data from this survey can also provide the basis for removing 
birds from the endangered species list as recently happened 
with the American Bald Eagle which has been moved from the 
``endangered'' to ``threatened'' species list.
    It is ironic that a party which has preached 
``volunteerism'' as an offset to deep cuts in domestic programs 
would turn around and attempt to legislatively destroy 
volunteer programs which are more than 30 years old. Perhaps my 
Republican colleagues should adopt a new slogan, ``A thousand 
points of darkness.''

                                                        David Obey.