[House Report 105-163]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 1st Session                                                    105-163
_______________________________________________________________________


 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 1998

                                _______
                                

 July  1, 1997.--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. 2107]

    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, 1998. 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     10
        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.....................    9     20
        National Park Service..............................   14     29
        U.S. Geological Survey.............................   18     45
        Minerals Management Service........................   20     49
        Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
            Enforcement....................................   22     51
        Bureau of Indian Affairs...........................   25     53
        Departmental Offices...............................   33     59
        General Provisions.................................   38     65
Related Agencies:
        Forest Service, USDA...............................   45     66
Department of Energy:
        Clean Coal Technology..............................   58     88
        Fossil Energy Research and Development.............   58     88
        Alternative Fuels Production.......................   59     93
        Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves.............   60     93
        Energy Conservation................................   60     94
        Economic Regulation................................   61    100
        Strategic Petroleum Reserve........................   61    100
        Energy Information Administration..................   62    101
Indian Health Service, DHHS................................   64    102
Indian Education, DEd......................................  ...    106
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation................   70    106
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and 
    Arts Development.......................................   71    107
Smithsonian Institution....................................   71    107
National Gallery of Art....................................   73    110
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.............   75    111
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars...........   75    112
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities.........   75    112
Commission of Fine Arts....................................   77    115
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation..................   77    116
National Capital Planning Commission.......................   78    116
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission..............  ...    117
United States Holocaust Memorial Council...................   78    117
Title III--General Provisions..............................   79    118

                   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:

                                                                                                                
                                            [In millions of dollars]                                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Sec. 602(b)               This bill--      
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
                                                              Discretionary  Mandatory  Discretionary  Mandatory
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority............................................       13,000           55       13,000           54
Outlays.....................................................       13,400           50       13,399           50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 1998. The hearings are 
contained in 10 published volumes totaling more than 9,600 
pages.
    During the course of the hearings, testimony was taken at 
20 hearings on 14 days from more than 500 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 1998 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 1998   fiscal year 1998   budget estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title I, Department of the Interior: New Budget                                                                 
 (obligational) authority..............................     $6,566,851,000     $6,518,192,000       -$48,659,000
Title II, related agencies: New Budget (obligational)                                                           
 authority.............................................      6,533,095,000      6,450,237,000        -82,858,000
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Grand total, New Budget (obligational) authority.     13,099,946,000     12,968,429,000       -131,517,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  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 1997, these activities are 
estimated to total $3,285,882,000. The estimate for fiscal year 
1998 is $2,973,943,000.
    The following table reflects the total budget 
(obligational) authority contained both in this bill and in 
permanent appropriations for fiscal years 1997 and 1998.

         DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES TOTAL BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEARS 1997-98        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Item                            Fiscal year 1997   Fiscal year 1998        Change     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interior and related agencies appropriations bill......    $13,514,435,000    $12,968,429,000      -$131,517,000
Permanent appropriations, Federal funds................      2,253,033,000      2,028,376,000       -224,657,000
Permanent appropriations, trust funds..................      1,032,849,000        945,567,000        -87,282,000
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Total budget authority...........................     15,706,397,000     15,109,686,000       -596,711,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 Revenue Generated by Agencies in Bill

    The following tabulation indicates total new obligational 
authority to date for fiscal years 1996 and 1997, and the 
amount recommended in the bill for fiscal year 1998. It 
compares receipts generated by activities in this bill on an 
actual basis for fiscal year 1996 and on an estimated basis for 
fiscal years 1997 and 1998. The programs in this bill are 
estimated to generate $9.6 billion in revenues for the Federal 
Government in fiscal year 1998. Therefore, the expenditures in 
this bill will contribute to economic stability rather than 
inflation.

                                                                                                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              Fiscal year--                     
                          Item                          --------------------------------------------------------
                                                                1996               1997               1998      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New obligational authority.............................    $12,539,892,000    $13,514,435,000    $12,968,429,000
Receipts:                                                                                                       
Department of the Interior.............................      6,441,167,000      7,172,255,000      8,551,975,000
Forest Service.........................................        713,623,000        763,045,000        775,823,000
Naval petroleum reserves...............................        419,000,000        500,000,000        280,000,000
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Total receipts...................................      7,573,790,000      8,435,300,000      9,607,798,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                   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 
1998, 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 1998.
    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 1997          year 1998         Recommended   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assistance to States:                                                                                           
    Matching grants....................................                  0                  0                  0
    Administrative expenses............................              1,500              1,000              1,000
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, assistance to States...................              1,500              1,000              1,000
                                                        ========================================================
Federal programs:                                                                                               
    Bureau of Land Management..........................             10,410              9,900             12,000
    Fish and Wildlife Service..........................             44,479             44,560             53,000
    National Park Service--South Florida...............             12,000             76,100             76,000
    National Park Service--Other.......................             41,915             69,900             52,000
    Forest Service.....................................             40,575             41,057             45,000
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal, Federal programs.......................            147,879            241,517            238,000
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
          Total L&WCF..................................            149,379            242,517            239,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee has included $239,000,000 to cover the land 
acquisition needs of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and the Forest 
Service.

                            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 1996,        Fiscal year 1997,        Fiscal year 1998,   
           Budget authority                     actual                  estimate             budget estimate    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Agriculture............                  124,679                  140,035                  152,376
Department of Commerce...............                    5,086                    4,080                    4,076
Department of Defense................                    8,000                    8,000                        0
Department of Justice................                   17,001                   18,725                   11,489
Department of Education..............                  411,901                  521,895                  520,353
Department of HHS....................                2,446,448                2,593,974                2,673,335
Department of HUD....................                  479,752                  547,050                  555,000
Department of Veterans Affairs.......                      205                      205                      515
Department of the Interior...........                1,811,307                1,839,244                1,983,061
Department of Labor..................                   63,867                   68,342                   68,342
Department of Transportation.........                  192,908                  164,286                  213,629
Environmental Protection Agency......                   74,947                  106,732                  136,555
Smithsonian Institution..............                   32,800                   22,000                   78,000
Army Corps of Engineers..............                    8,394                   16,356                   20,294
Other Independent Agencies...........                   25,845                   24,845                   24,845
                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total..........................                5,703,140                6,075,769                6,441,870
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 Recreational Fee Demonstration Program

    The Committee is closely monitoring the development of the 
Recreational Fee Demonstration Program, authorized in fiscal 
year 1996. This is a unique opportunity for the bureaus to 
develop and test a broad variety of cost recovery methods at 
100 units per agency. This program was developed in direct 
response to the land management agencies' concern over their 
growing backlog maintenance needs. According to the National 
Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and the Forest Service, their combined 
estimated backlog is $10 billion dollars.
    The Committee does not intend to offset these additional 
dollars with reductions to appropriations in future years. 
However, the Committee wants to emphasize that these funds are 
to be used primarily to reduce the backlog maintenance 
requirements. The Committee understands that some projects may 
be necessary to enhance visitor services and safety and 
demonstrate to the public that their dollars are being spent 
wisely. The Committee has included bill language in section 321 
prohibiting the use of these fees for any visitor center or 
permanent structure without advance Committee approval.
    Also, the Committee understands that the bulk of the funds 
will be collected at the largest units. This is particularly 
true for the National Park Service. The Committee wants to 
remind the agencies that 80% of the fees collected may be 
retained in the units where fees are collected and the 20% 
balance should be allocated to the smaller units in the 
systems.
    The Committee applauds the Forest Service's efforts to try 
a wide variety of projects. This will assist in determining 
through real experience what works and what is problematic. The 
Committee encourages all of the agencies to offer a wide array 
of projects including those that are out of the traditional 
recreation mainstream and are not merely increased entrance 
fees.
    In an effort to assure accountability for these funds, the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture are 
directed to prepare a joint report for the Committees on 
Appropriations by January 31, 1998. This report should contain 
specific lists of backlog projects in priority order for each 
of the four agencies. It should report fees collected in fiscal 
year 1997, estimates for fiscal year 1998, and identify the 
projects that will be completed in each fiscal year. Also 
included should be a list of the different methods of 
collection, lessons learned and suggestions for legislative and 
management improvements. This report should be updated and 
submitted annually by January 31st until the demonstration 
program is completed.
    The Committee is concerned that there has been inadequate 
interagency cooperation and coordination with the selection and 
implementation of new fees into a coherent, seamless Federal 
fee system for regions. Visitors should not be faced with a 
plethora of fees from several bureaus in the same geographic 
area. The bureaus are instructed to be attentive to visitor 
complaints this summer about this problem and work to resolve 
the situation. The public's support for this program is 
essential if Congress is to consider a permanent recreational 
fee program after fiscal year 1999.

                 Government Performance and Results Act

    The Committee considers the full and effective 
implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act, 
Public Law 103-62, to be a priority for all agencies of 
government.
    Starting with fiscal year 1999, the Results Act requires 
each agency to ``prepare an annual performance plan covering 
each program activity set forth in the budget of such agency''. 
Specifically, for each program activity the agency is required 
to ``establish performance goals to define the level of 
performance to be achieved by a program activity'' and 
``performance indicators to be used in assessing the relevant 
outputs, service levels, and outcomes of each program 
activity''.
    The Committee takes this requirement of the Results Act 
very seriously and plans to examine carefully agency 
performance goals and measures during the appropriations 
process. As a result, starting with the fiscal year 1999 
appropriations cycle, the Committee will consider agency 
progress in articulating clear, definitive, and results-
oriented (outcome) goals and measures as it reviews requests 
for appropriations.
    The Committee suggests agencies examine their program 
activities in light of their strategic goals to determine 
whether any changes or realignments would facilitate a more 
accurate and informed presentation of budgetary information. 
Agencies are encouraged to consult with the Committee as they 
consider such revisions prior to finalizing any requests 
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1104. The Committee will consider any 
requests with a view toward ensuring that fiscal year 1999 and 
subsequent budget submissions display amounts requested against 
program activity structures for which annual performance goals 
and measures have been established.

                        American Heritage Rivers

    The Committee is aware of the development of a new American 
Heritage Rivers initiative. The Committee has several concerns 
about the development and future implementation of this 
initiative.
    First, while the Administration has publicly stated that 
this effort will not require new funding or staff, the 
Committee is concerned that staff from the various Federal 
agencies, including the Department of the Interior and the 
Department of Agriculture, have been used extensively on this 
project since the beginning of the year. The second concern 
involves discussions within the agencies about possibly using 
funds from existing Federal programs, which the Congress has 
not earmarked, specifically for those river segments that will 
be formally designated by the President. This action would 
directly contradict Congressional intent.
    Lastly, concerns have been raised to both the legislative 
committees of jurisdiction and the Appropriations Committee by 
both private property rights groups and private citizens about 
the process by which rivers and/or parts of rivers will be 
designated. The Committee strongly believes designations should 
only be made in cases where there is broad community support 
for the designation. Where opposition arises from either 
private citizens or local, State or Federal elected officials 
no designation should proceed unless and until the concerns of 
opponents can be fully addressed.

                        Constitutional Authority

    Clause 2(l)(4) of rule XI of the House of Representatives 
states that:

          Each report of a committee on a bill or joint 
        resolution of a public character, shall include a 
        statement citing the specific powers granted to the 
        Congress in the Constitution to enact the law proposed 
        by the bill or joint resolution.

    The Committee on Appropriations bases its authority to 
report this legislation from Clause 7 of Section 9 of Article I 
of the Constitution of the United States of America which 
states: ``No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in 
consequence of Appropriations made by law . . . .''
    Appropriations contained in this Act are made pursuant to 
this specific power granted by the Constitution.

                        Reprogramming Guidelines

    The Committee has revised the reprogramming guidelines to 
eliminate some of the exceptions included in fiscal year 1995 
which was the last time the guidelines were changed. The 
Committee believes that some of those revisions gave too broad 
latitude to certain agencies to make changes without 
sufficiently involving the Committee. The newly revised 
guidelines are printed below. The reprogramming threshold is 
standardized for all agency programs, projects and activities 
at $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is lower. The only 
exception is the tribal priority allocations activity in the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs.
    The following are revised procedures governing 
reprogramming actions for programs and activities funded in the 
Interior Appropriations Act:
    1. Definition.--``Reprogramming,'' as defined in these 
procedures, includes the reallocation of funds from one budget 
activity to another. In cases where either Committee report 
displays an allocation of an appropriation below the activity 
level, that more detailed level shall be the basis for 
reprogramming. For construction accounts, a reprogramming 
constitutes the reallocation of funds from one construction 
project identified in the justifications to another. A 
reprogramming shall also consist of any significant departure 
from the program described in the agency's budget 
justifications. This includes proposed reorganizations even 
without a change in funding.
    2. Guidelines for reprogramming.--(a) A reprogramming 
should be made only when an unforeseen situation arises; and 
then only if postponement of the project or the activity until 
the next appropriation year would result in actual loss or 
damage. Mere convenience or desire should not be factors for 
consideration.
    (b) Any project or activity which may be deferred through 
reprogramming shall not later be accomplished by means of 
further reprogramming; but, instead, funds should again be 
sought for the deferred project or activity through the regular 
appropriations process.
    (c) Reprogramming should not be employed to initiate new 
programs or to change allocations specifically denied, limited 
or increased by the Congress in the Act or the report. In cases 
where unforeseen events or conditions are deemed to require 
such changes, proposals shall be submitted in advance to the 
Committee, regardless of amounts involved, and be fully 
explained and justified.
    (d) Reprogramming proposals submitted to the Committee for 
prior approval shall be considered approved after 30 calendar 
days if the Committee has posed no objection. However, agencies 
will be expected to extend the approval deadline if 
specifically requested by either Committee.
    3. Criteria and exception.--Any proposed reprogramming must 
be submitted to the Committee in writing prior to 
implementation if it exceeds $500,000 annually or results in an 
increase or decrease of more than 10 percent annually in 
affected programs, with the following exception:
    With regard to the tribal priority allocations activity of 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Operations of Indian Programs 
account, there is no restriction on reprogrammings among the 
programs within this activity. However, the Bureau shall report 
on all reprogrammings made during the first six months of the 
fiscal year by no later than May 1 of each year, and shall 
provide a final report of all reprogrammings for the previous 
fiscal year by no later than November 1 of each year.
    4. Quarterly reports.--(a) All reprogrammings shall be 
reported to the Committee quarterly and shall include 
cumulative totals.
    (b) Any significant shifts of funding among object 
classifications also should be reported to the Committee.
    5. Administrative Overhead Accounts.--For all 
appropriations where costs of overhead administrative expenses 
are funded in part from ``assessments'' of various budget 
activities within an appropriation, the assessments shall be 
shown in justifications under the discussion of administrative 
expenses.
    6. Contingency Accounts.--For all appropriations where 
assessments are made against various budget activities or 
allocations for contingencies, the Committee expects a full 
explanation, separate from the justifications. The explanation 
shall show the amount of the assessment, the activities 
assessed, and the purpose of the fund. The committee expects 
reports each year detailing the use of these funds. In no case 
shall a fund be used to finance projects and activities 
disapproved or limited by Congress or to finance new permanent 
positions or to finance programs or activities that could be 
foreseen and included in the normal budget review process. 
Contingency funds shall not be used to initiate new programs.
    7. Declarations of taking.--The Committee directs the 
Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
the National Park Service, and the Forest Service to seek 
Committee approval in advance of filing declarations of taking.
    8. Report language.--Any limitation, directive, or 
earmarking contained in either the House or Senate report which 
is not contradicted by the other report nor specifically denied 
in the conference report shall be considered as having been 
approved by both Houses of Congress.
    9. Forest Service.--The following procedures shall apply to 
the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture:
    (a) The Forest Service shall not change the boundaries of 
any region, abolish any region, move or close any regional 
office for research, State and private forestry, or National 
Forest System administration, without the consent of the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations and the Senate 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and the 
House Committee on Agriculture, in compliance with these 
reprogramming procedures.
    (b) The appropriation structure for the Forest Service 
shall not be altered without advance approval of the House and 
Senate Committees on Appropriations.
    (c) Provisions of section 702(b) of the Department of 
Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) and of 7 U.S.C. 
147b shall apply to appropriations available to the Forest 
Service only to the extent that the proposed transfer is 
approved by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 
in compliance with these reprogramming procedures.
    10. Assessments.--No assessments shall be levied against 
any program, budget activity, subactivity, or project funded by 
the Interior Appropriations Act unless such assessments and the 
basis therefor are presented to the Committees on 
Appropriations and are approved by such committees, in 
compliance with these procedures.
    11. Land acquisitions.--Lands shall not be acquired for 
more than the approved appraised value (as addressed in section 
301(3) of Public Law 91-646) except for condemnations and 
declarations of taking, unless such acquisitions are submitted 
to the Committees on Appropriations for approval in compliance 
with these procedures.
    12. Land exchanges.--Land exchanges shall not be 
consummated until the Committees on Appropriations have had a 
30 day period in which to examine the proposed exchange.

                  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 43,000 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 $16.1 million in fiscal year 1998, compared to an 
estimated $15.0 million in fiscal year 1997 and actual receipts 
of $15.4 million in fiscal year 1996. 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 $98.5 million in fiscal 
year 1998 compared to estimated receipts of $96.2 million in 
fiscal year 1997 and actual receipts of $92.8 million in fiscal 
year 1996. 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, 1997...........................      $575,664,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       587,495,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       581,591,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +5,927,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -5,904,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $581,591,000 for management of 
lands and resources, an increase of $5,927,000 from the fiscal 
year 1997 level and a decrease of $5,904,000 from the budget 
estimate.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:


    Land resources.--The Committee recommends $131,080,000 for 
land resources, including increases of $2,172,000 for fixed 
costs, $1,330,000 for the Escalante National Monument, 
$2,000,000 for the abandoned mine land program, $1,000,000 for 
prescribed fires, $1,000,000 for noxious weed management, 
$2,443,000 for the wild horse and burro program, and $150,000 
for Afton canyon.
    The $150,000 for the Afton canyon area of critical 
environmental concern is to enhance water sources for desert 
bighorn sheep and upland game birds.
    The Committee expects the Bureau to institute a competitive 
bidding process for the wild horse and burro program with a 
minimum bid of $125 per horse or burro. Monies received by the 
Bureau from this bidding process should be used as follows: (1) 
for responsible horse management on the range, (2) for a more 
effective adoption compliance monitoring program, and (3) for 
increased use of immunocontraception as a population management 
tool. In addition, if funds are available the Bureau should 
institute a required training program for all wild horse 
program employees. The Bureau should report to the Committee on 
the status of the wild horse and burro program by March 1, 
1998.
    The Committee expects the Bureau to pursue proper 
reimbursement for all wild horse and burro management 
activities performed at Nellis Air Force Base. The Bureau 
should be fully compensated for these activities; however, the 
Bureau should not condition its timely care and management of 
those horses and burros living on Nellis property on the state 
of reimbursement. The Committee does not want these animals to 
be neglected.
    Wildlife and fisheries.--The Committee recommends 
$28,778,000 for wildlife and fisheries, including increases of 
$494,000 for fixed costs, $300,000 for the Escalante National 
Monument, $250,000 for wildlife management, and $500,000 for 
fisheries management.
    The Committee has provided $1,500,000 for the National Fish 
and Wildlife Foundation to leverage funding with non-federal 
partners for innovative on-the-ground conservation projects.
    Threatened and endangered species.--The Committee 
recommends $16,795,000 for threatened and endangered species, 
including $270,000 for the Escalante National Monument.
    Recreation management.--The Committee recommends 
$49,089,000 for recreation management including increases of 
$844,000 for fixed costs, $1,150,000 for the Escalante National 
Monument, $1,000,000 for recreation management, and $231,000 
for challenge cost share.
    The Committee recognizes the significance of national 
trails managed by the BLM, and within the funds provided for 
recreation resource management, $100,000 is provided for the 
Iditarod National Historic Trail and $200,000 for the De Anza, 
California, Lewis and Clark, Mormon Pioneer, Nez Perce, Oregon, 
and Pony Express National Historic Trails and the Pacific Crest 
and Continental Divide National Scenic Trails.
    Energy and minerals.--The Committee recommends $70,306,000 
for energy and minerals, including Alaska minerals, which is an 
increase of $803,000 above the fiscal year 1997 level and the 
same as the budget estimate.
    The Committee has reviewed the Department's soda ash 
royalty study. The Committee is very concerned that the 
Department was unresponsive to the question relating to the 
appropriate method of setting Federal royalty rates when the 
only comparable rates are the product of a monopoly. The 
Committee will watch carefully how the Department deals with 
these issues in the future.
    The long term future of fossil energy development on 
Federal lands continues to be a concern of the Committee. By 
March 31, 1998, the Bureau should report to the Committee on 
the current and future status of onshore oil and gas leasing, 
coal, and geothermal programs on Federal lands. The report 
among other things should address the long term projections of 
rentals, bonuses, and royalties including the impact on State 
revenues.
    The Committee is concerned about the September 25, 1995 
decision affecting the royalties from sodium bicarbonate. By 
March 1, 1998, the Department should provide to the Committee a 
report detailing the following information: (1) an estimate of 
the potential annual revenues as it is currently applied to a 
single facility, (2) an estimate of the potential revenues from 
the application of this proposal to all domestic producers of 
sodium bicarbonate, and (3) a timetable for implementation of 
this proposal.
    The Department of Energy has recommended that management of 
the three Naval Oil Shale Reserves (NOSRs) be transferred to 
the Bureau of Land Management, and legislation to implement 
that transfer is under active consideration. After such 
transfer, BLM will have to prepare management plans for these 
areas. The Committee understands that these areas, and 
particularly NOSR No. 1 in Colorado, include lands of great 
biological and environmental significance, and expects that 
BLM's plans will provide for proper protection of these areas.
    Realty and ownership management.--The Committee recommends 
$68,745,000 for realty and ownership management, which is a 
decrease of $911,000 from the fiscal year 1997 level and the 
same as the budget estimate.
    Resource protection and maintenance.--The Committee 
recommends $68,256,000 for resources protection and 
maintenance, including increases of $1,122,000 for fixed costs, 
$1,050,000 for the Escalante National Monument, $1,000,000 for 
maintenance, and $1,000,000 for law enforcement related to drug 
enforcement activities.
    The unsuccessful attempt to revamp BLM law enforcement 
regulations raised Committee concerns regarding the management 
of BLM law enforcement efforts. The Committee feels that the 
major focus of such efforts should continue to concentrate on 
resource protection activities and that non-resource related 
violations are more appropriately handled by local law 
enforcement officials when possible.
    Automated land and mineral records system.--The Committee 
recommends $31,961,000 for the automated land and mineral 
records system, which is a decrease of $10,246,000 from the 
fiscal year 1997 level.
    Mining law administration.--The Committee recommends 
$32,300,000 for mining law administration, which is the same as 
the budget estimate. This activity is supported by offsetting 
fees equal to the amount made available in this bill.
    In Title III--General Provisions, the Committee has 
continued a limitation on accepting and processing applications 
for patents and on the patenting of Federal land to claimants 
until mining law reform legislation is enacted. This language 
is identical to that carried in fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
    Workforce and organizational support.--The Committee 
recommends $116,581,000 for workforce and organizational 
support, which is an increase of $450,000 from the fiscal year 
1997 level and the same as the budget estimate.
    The Committee continues to support and encourage the land 
management agencies to work with each other to consolidate 
activities at the field level as a means of achieving savings 
and providing improved services to the public. The Committee 
recognizes the Trading Post pilot program of the BLM and the 
Forest Service as a means to promote customer service and 
efficiency in the management of public lands and national 
forests. The Secretaries of the Interior and of Agriculture 
should use all the mechanisms and authorities available to them 
in support of the Trading Post pilot program, provided that no 
actions shall alter, expand, or limit the existing 
applicability of public laws and regulations pertaining to 
lands administered by the BLM or the Forest Service.
    The Committee commends the Bureau's efforts to leverage its 
funds with non-Federal partners through its challenge cost 
share (CCS) program. The Committee concurs with BLM's current 
policy of not using CCS funds for purposes other than 
establishing joint activities with tribal, State, and private 
partners. Because each Federal dollar available for cost 
sharing results in two or more dollars available for on-the-
ground activities, the Committee directs that a cap of 10 
percent be placed on allowable BLM internal charges against CCS 
funds. As a result, at least 90 percent of the funds 
appropriated for CCS shall be available for matching partners 
at the field level.
    The Committee seeks additional information on BLM's 
activities dealing with the acquisition of water rights. By 
March 31, 1998, the Bureau shall provide a report detailing its 
short- and long-term plans for acquiring non-reserved water 
rights and any actions dealing with Federal reserved rights. 
This study should include an analysis of the costs associated 
with these activities as well as an accounting of expenditures 
for water adjudications.
    The Committee is concerned over a number of regulations 
that have been recently withdrawn by the Department because of 
public opposition. The Committee recognizes the need for the 
Department to promulgate rules; however, the Committee reminds 
the Department that given current budgetary constraints it is 
inappropriate to engage in rulemaking where the only 
justification for the regulatory exercise is a ``plain 
English'' rationale.
    Language has been included under General Provisions, 
Department of the Interior to provide lump sum payment 
severance pay and continued health benefits to separated 
Federal Helium Operation employees. These special benefits will 
help mitigate the effect of the planned reduction in force. In 
accordance with the Helium Privatization Act, any added costs 
associated with providing these benefits will be paid from 
available balances in the Helium Fund.

                        wildland fire management

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $352,042,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       280,103,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       280,103,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -71,939,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $280,103,000 
for wildland fire management, which is a decrease of 
$71,939,000 from the fiscal year 1997 level and the same as the 
budget estimate.
    The appropriation includes $154,103,000 for preparedness 
and fire use and $126,000,000 for suppression activities. The 
1998 wildland fire budgets requested by the Department of the 
Interior and the Forest Service begin to address the 
Committee's concerns about fuels management and a common 
Interior and Forest Service wildland fire management program. 
However, the budgets proposed by the two agencies remain 
inconsistent and inadequate in some key areas.
    The Committee's recommendation funds both Interior and the 
Forest Service at about the same percentage of the Most 
Efficient Level (MEL) for preparedness, 82 percent. The 
Committee notes that the requests from the two agencies 
differed in the manner in which planning and preparedness for 
fuels management was funded. The Committee expects that both 
agencies will fund all fuels management activities from the 
hazard fuels operations subactivity in the Operations activity. 
Funding for fuels management should be readily available for 
interagency and cross-boundary planning and projects and for 
interagency planning and implementation teams. Interior and the 
Forest Service should not charge each other for personnel and 
other resources. To ensure that both agencies use the same 
approach, the Committee requests a joint report from the two 
Departments no later than December 31, 1997, that explains how 
all fuels management activities and emergency land and water 
rehabilitation will be funded and implemented.
    The Committee is concerned that both Interior and the 
Forest Service lack consistent and credible information about 
the fuels management situation and workload, including 
information about fuel loads, conditions, risk, flammability 
potential, fire regimes, locations, and priorities for 
treatment in the context of values to be protected. The 1998 
request appears to contain no strategy or program for assessing 
priorities, for evaluating treatment alternatives (such as 
mechanical removal), or for monitoring and evaluating the 
effectiveness and consequences of fuels management activities 
and treatments. Thus, the Committee directs that within the 
funding available for wildland fire preparedness and planning, 
up to $4,000,000 be used to establish a fire sciences 
capability to supplement the current small fire research effort 
that primarily funds site and species specific issues. The new 
Interior fire science program should work closely with wildland 
fire programs in the Forest Service and the programs of the 
U.S. Geological Survey.
    The Interior fire science program should have four 
principal purposes: (1) to establish and implement a 
comprehensive approach for fuels mapping and inventory that 
includes the location and condition of fuels, the appropriate 
treatment frequency, and priorities for treatment; (2) to 
evaluate various treatment techniques for cost effectiveness, 
ecological consequences, and air quality impacts; (3) based on 
priorities and consistent with forest plan and land management 
plan direction, to develop long-range schedules that describe 
sequencing of treatments, as appropriate, such as commercial or 
pre-commercial thinning and prescribed burning; and (4) to 
establish and implement a protocol for monitoring and 
evaluating fuels treatment techniques in a manner that measures 
performance over time and that allows conclusions to be drawn 
about the effectiveness and consequences of fuels management 
activities.
    By January 1, 1998, the Department of the Interior and the 
Forest Service are to submit to the Committee a joint Fire 
Sciences Plan that includes an assessment of the current state 
of knowledge about fuels conditions, an integrated approach to 
improved fuels mapping and inventory, an approach for program 
monitoring and evaluation, and an approach for setting 
treatment priorities. The plan should evaluate non-fire fuel 
treatments.
    Finally, the Committee is concerned that the five wildland 
fire management agencies do not use the same approach for 
wildland fire management planning. The Committee believes that 
it is important for all agencies to have an approach to 
planning that allows for consistent calculation of fire 
protection needs and for addressing fuels treatment needs. 
Beginning in fiscal year 1999, the Committee directs that the 
Department of the Interior and the Forest Service provide a 
more detailed and comprehensive budget submission that at a 
minimum is based on common methods and procedures.

                    central hazardous materials fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $12,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        14,900,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        12,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -2,900,000
                                                                        

    The Central Hazardous Materials Fund was 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 $12,000,000 for the central 
hazardous materials fund, which is the same as the fiscal year 
1997 level.

                              construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $4,333,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         3,154,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         3,254,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -1,079,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................          +100,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $3,254,000 for construction, which 
is a decrease of $1,079,000 from the fiscal year 1997 level. 
The Committee has provided $100,000 above the budget request 
for the Big Morongo Preserve in the Mojave Desert. These funds 
will be used to develop a universally accessible, including 
sightless person accessible, nature trail.

                       payments in lieu of taxes

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $113,500,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       101,500,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       113,500,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +12,000,000
                                                                        

    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 $113,500,000 for PILT, which is 
the same as the fiscal year 1997 level and an increase of 
$12,000,000 above the budget estimate. Bill language is 
included to exclude any payment that is less than $100.

                            land acquisition

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $10,410,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         9,900,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        12,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +1,590,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +2,100,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $12,000,000 for land acquisition, 
an increase of $1,590,000 over the enacted level and $2,100,000 
over the fiscal year 1998 budget request. This amount includes 
$7,450,000 for line item projects, $1,550,000 for emergencies, 
hardships and inholdings and $3,000,000 for acquisition 
management.
    The funds should be distributed as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Committee  
                     Area and state                       recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona Wilderness, AZ..................................      $1,000,000
Blanca Wildlife Habitat, CO.............................         550,000
Bodie Bowl, CA..........................................       1,000,000
Lake Fork of the Gunnison, CO...........................         900,000
Otay Mountains, CA......................................       1,000,000
Santa Rosa Mountains, CA................................       1,000,000
West Eugene Wetlands, OR................................       1,000,000
Western Riverside County, CA............................       1,000,000
Emergencies/hardships/inholdings........................       1,550,000
Acquisition management..................................       3,000,000
                                                         ---------------
      Total.............................................     $12,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                   oregon and california grant lands

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $103,015,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       101,406,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       101,406,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -1,609,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $101,406,000 for the Oregon and 
California grant lands, which is a decrease of $1,609,000 from 
the fiscal year 1997 level and equal to the budget estimate. 
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 expects the BLM 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.

                           range improvements

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $9,113,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         7,510,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         9,113,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +1,603,000
                                                                        

    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

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $7,966,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         7,966,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         7,966,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of 
$7,966,000, 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

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $7,605,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         7,605,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         7,605,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of 
$7,605,000, the budget request, 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 U.S. 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 nearly 94 million acres across the 
United States, encompassing a 509-unit National Wildlife Refuge 
System, additional wildlife and wetlands areas, and 65 National 
Fish Hatcheries. A network of law enforcement agents and port 
inspectors enforce Federal laws for the protection of fish and 
wildlife.

                          resource management

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $526,047,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       561,614,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       591,042,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +64,995,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +29,428,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:


    The Committee recommends $591,042,000 for resource 
management, an increase of $29,428,000 above the budget 
request. The Committee commends the Service on its excellent 
efforts to identify and prioritize its operational and 
maintenance backlogs. The increases recommended by the 
Committee are largely to address those backlogs. Increases 
recommended by the Committee include $300,000 in consultation 
for an environmental impact statement on wolf reintroduction in 
Olympic NP, WA; $1,800,000 in habitat conservation of which 
$500,000 is for assistance to private landowners, $500,000 is 
for the coastal program in Texas and $800,000 is for soil 
erosion/flood control in Bradford County, PA as part of the 
Partners for Wildlife program; $28,549,000 for refuge 
operations and maintenance to address the most critical 
operations and maintenance backlog needs; $779,000 for law 
enforcement to improve the Service's ability to prevent illegal 
poaching and smuggling of bear viscera; $1,000,000 for 
fisheries to restore riparian and in-stream habitat; and 
$1,000,000 for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. These 
increases are partially offset by decreases of $3,000,000 in 
consultation and $1,000,000 for the National Conservation 
Training Center.
    Endangered Species.--The Committee recommends $76,081,000 
for the endangered species program, a decrease of $2,700,000 
below the budget request and an increase of $8,696,000 above 
the fiscal year 1997 level. The Committee expects the Service 
to pursue aggressively its reclassification program and to 
downlist and delist species as quickly as possible.
    The Committee has provided an increase of $300,000 to 
initiate an environmental impact statement on wolf 
reintroduction in Olympic National Park, WA. These funds should 
permit the necessary review and research, and priority focus 
should be placed on prey base studies. The Service may use an 
additional $50,000 in fiscal year 1998, within available funds, 
for this EIS if necessary.
    Within the increase provided above the 1997 level for 
consultation, $600,000 should by used to fund the Iron County 
habitat conservation plan in Utah contingent on the receipt of 
matching funds.
    The Committee commends the Service's plan to assume 
management of the Savanna Army Depot in September 2000. In 
preparation for the property transfer, the Service should begin 
several activities at the Depot including wildlife and habitat 
inventories, identifying sensitive ecological areas and 
providing for habitat protection, identifying threatened and 
endangered species, and developing management and restoration 
strategies that maximize public access.
    The Committee encourages the Service to provide the same 
levels of funding in fiscal year 1998 as were provided in 
fiscal year 1997 for the Pacific Northwest Forest Plan, for The 
Peregrine Fund to continue activities related to the California 
condor and the peregrine falcon, for the Colorado River Basin 
Recovery Program and for the Virgin River Integrated Resource 
Management Recovery Program.
    The Committee urges the Service to provide at least the 
same level of assistance for the Natural Communities 
Conservation Planning (NCCP) program in southern California as 
in 1997. These funds are to be equally matched by private 
resources.
    The Committee supports the efforts in New Mexico to enhance 
the habitat of the endangered silvery minnow. The Service 
should use existing Federal water allocations in New Mexico to 
the maximum extent possible and work with the Bureau of 
Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers to enhance the habitat 
of the silvery minnow in compliance with the Endangered Species 
Act.
    The Committee has been made aware of the significance of 
issues surrounding the southwestern willow flycatcher and its 
status as an endangered species. The Bureau of Land Management, 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service need 
to use every available tool at their disposal to address issues 
related to this bird and to avoid a potential shutdown of 
numerous activities on public lands in the southwest. The 
Committee believes that the agencies involved should consider 
the use of reprogrammed funds, as appropriate, to address these 
issues. The agencies also need to consider the use of local 
academic institutions to assist them in developing an 
independent comprehensive scientific basis for decisions 
required by the Endangered Species Act for the southwestern 
willow flycatcher. The Committee is concerned that the Service 
has not developed either general or species-specific scientific 
criteria needed to make important decisions on these issues. 
The lack of criteria is a major factor in the criticism of the 
actions of Federal agencies dealing with implementing the 
Endangered Species Act.
    The Committee expects the Service to seek to resolve 
potential conflicts related to the protection of the Preble's 
Meadow Jumping Mouse and its habitat through cooperative 
efforts with the State of Colorado and with affected local 
governments, private landowners, and other concerned parties.
    Habitat Conservation.--The Committee recommends $58,798,000 
for habitat conservation, an increase of $1,800,000 above the 
budget request. The Committee expects the Service to increase 
its outreach and to provide technical assistance to private 
landowners and to dam owners whose hydropower projects are not 
up for relicensing but who may have an interest in mitigating 
the negative impacts on fish and wildlife resources.
    The Committee understands that the Chicago Wetlands Office 
will continue to be funded at the same level in fiscal year 
1998 as in fiscal year 1997.
    The Committee understands that $200,000 will be provided to 
the organization ``Long Live the Kings'' and the Hood Canal 
Salmon Enhancement Group, through the Service's coastal 
program, for wild salmon enhancement demonstration activities 
on the Hamma Hamma River and other rivers in Hood Canal, 
Washington.
    Within the funds available for watershed restoration in 
Region 1, $300,000 should be used for a regional fisheries 
enhancement group initiative in coordination with the 
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
    Environmental Contaminants.--The Committee recommends 
$9,074,000 for the contaminants program, which is equal to the 
budget request.
    Refuges and Wildlife.--The Committee recommends 
$274,350,000 for refuges and wildlife, an increase of 
$29,328,000 above the budget request. The Committee notes that 
the Service will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 
National refuge system in the year 2003. Increases recommended 
by the Committee are largely targeted toward decreasing the 
large operational and maintenance backlogs in the system. The 
Service has done an admirable job of identifying these backlog 
requirements through its ``refuge operating needs system'' and 
its ``maintenance management system''. The Committee expects 
the Service to work with the National Park Service to help its 
sister agency establish and implement similar backlog priority 
systems.
    A portion of the increase provided for refuge operations 
and maintenance should be used to involve people, to facilitate 
wildlife-dependent recreational uses, and to increase 
educational opportunities for the public. The committee is 
concerned about reports of a large amount of staff time being 
devoted to narrow applications on certain refuges. For example, 
although the vast majority of visitors to the Mason Neck 
National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia visit for wildlife 
observation and educational activities, a disproportionate 
amount of staff time and resources are used to accommodate 
annual hunts on the refuge. The Committee notes that 95 percent 
of all visitors to the National Wildlife Refuge System engage 
in non-hunting activities, and the Committee expects the 
Service to allocate proportionately funds to ensure that refuge 
programs and activities benefit all refuge users.
    Within the increase provided for refuge operations and 
maintenance, the Committee encourages the Service to proceed 
with an environmental assessment of the Suwannee River Sill at 
Okefenokee NWR, GA; to address the need for resloping and 
reinforcing the dikes at the Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, NJ; and to 
cover any increased operating costs for the environmental 
education and visitor contact center being constructed by the 
General Services Administration at the Bayou Sauvage NWR, LA.
    The Committee expects the Service to give high priority to 
activities at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Refuge and the 
associated Two Ponds Refuge in Colorado. These refuges provide 
important wildlife habitat and environmental education in a 
major metropolitan area and enjoy broad support from the public 
and local communities.
    The Service should review its staffing needs for migratory 
bird management for non-game birds and include appropriate 
increases in the fiscal year 1999 budget request.
    The Committee endorses the Service's efforts to upgrade the 
pay levels for on-refuge staff including refuge managers. The 
Committee believes that a Servicewide, standardized approach 
should be established to accomplish this goal and that a 
portion of the increase provided for refuge operations and 
maintenance should be set aside for this purpose.
    Pollution in the Ottawa River, which flows in Lake Erie at 
the Ohio-Michigan border, has had a continuing and detrimental 
impact on the western basin of the Lake and its habitats. A 
historical trend of filling low-lying areas and floodplains 
with municipal and industrial waste has left the river so 
heavily contaminated with PCBs and heavy metals that it is 
posted with warnings to avoid contact with the water, sediment, 
and fish. The Maumee basin has been identified by the 
International Joint Commission as an Area of Concern, and the 
Maumee Remedial Action Plan targets the reduction of 
agricultural and urban runoff, remediation of dumps and 
landfills, and increasing wetlands and open space. The 
Committee recommends that the Service continue to work to 
retore and maintain the diversity of species in western Lake 
Erie, consistent with the Maumee Remedial Action Plan in 
particular as it is impacted by the condition of the Ottawa 
River.
    Fisheries.--The Committee recommends $70,200,000 for the 
fisheries program, an increase of $1,000,000 above the budget 
request. The Committee agrees with the assessment of the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that the Service should 
move beyond its traditional reliance on hatcheries as a remedy 
for riparian and in-stream habitat restoration, and should use 
its expertise in the coastal ecosystems program and the 
Partners for Wildlife program to help accomplish fisheries 
habitat restoration.
    General Administration.--The Committee recommends 
$102,539,000 for general administration, which is equal to the 
budget request. A $1,000,000 reduction has been recommended 
below the budget request for the National Conservation Training 
Center. The Committee believes this reduction can be achieved 
through additional collections for non-Service training and 
through a surcharge on Service participants in lieu of the per 
diem paid for other training courses. A $1,000,000 increase is 
recommended for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
    The Committee is concerned about the number of personnel 
and the amount of funds spent on international conferences and 
other travel. The Service should take better advantage of 
current communications technology and use the resultant savings 
in travel expenses for on-the-ground work.
    General.--The Committee encourages the Service to increase 
its participation in the Urban Resources Partnership Program.
    Bill Language.--Language is continued 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 also 
is included restricting the amount of funds that can be used to 
implement subsections (a), (b), (c), and (e) of section 4 of 
the Endangered Species Act.
    Bill language is included in section 114 of General 
Provisions, Department of the Interior prohibiting the 
expenditure of funds to create any new regional office without 
the advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on 
Appropriations.

                              construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $59,256,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        35,921,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        40,256,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -19,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +4,335,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $40,256,000 for construction, an 
increase of $4,335,000 above the budget request and a decrease 
of $19,000,000 below the 1997 level. The amount recommended by 
the Committee includes $34,346,000 for line item construction 
projects and $5,910,000 for construction management.
    The Committee agrees to the following distribution of line 
item construction funds:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Committee                  
                Project                        Description        Budget request  recommendation    Difference  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audubon Institute, LA.................  ........................               0       2,000,000      +2,000,000
Baker Island NWR, HI..................  Assessment/site                  250,000         250,000               0
                                         investigation.                                                         
Bozeman FTC, MT.......................  Laboratory building              606,000         606,000               0
                                         planning.                                                              
Crab Orchard NWR, IL..................  Rehab sewage treatment         1,659,000       1,659,000               0
                                         facilities.                                                            
Craig Brook NFH, ME                     Station rehab-final            3,900,000       3,900,000               0
                                         phase.                                                                 
Creston NFH, MT.......................  Jessup Mill Dam.........       1,500,000       1,500,000               0
Great Swamp NWR, NJ...................  Green Village Disposal           250,000         250,000               0
                                         assessment/site                                                        
                                         investigation.                                                         
Keauhou Bird Conservation Center, HI..  Complete Construction...               0       1,000,000      +1,000,000
Koyukuk/Nowitna Complex, AK...........  Construct 1 aircraft             915,000               0       -$915,000
                                         hangar at Galena.                                                      
Merced NWR, CA........................  Water distribution             2,548,000       2,548,000               0
                                         system.                                                                
Nat'l Black Footed Ferret Conservation  Phase I--planning &              250,000               0        -250,000
 Ctr..                                   design.                                                                
Orangeburg NFH, SC....................  Rehab unsafe drainage            833,000         833,000               0
                                         canal.                                                                 
Patuxent NWR, MD......................  Cash Lake Dam...........       2,515,000       2,515,000               0
Region 2..............................  Haz. Mat. Projects               445,000         445,000               0
                                         (solid waste).                                                         
Santa Ana NWR, TX.....................  Road rehabilitation.....       1,208,000       1,208,000               0
SE Louisiana refuges..................  Health & safety.........               0         500,000        +500,000
Shiawassee NWR, MI....................  Rehab Houlihan Road              520,000         520,000               0
                                         Bridge.                                                                
St. Marks NWR, FL.....................  Replace 6 bridges.......         469,000         469,000               0
St. Vincent NWR, FL...................  Outlet Creek Bridge.....         186,000         186,000               0
Tennessee NWR, TN.....................  Duck River Unit Public         2,500,000       2,500,000               0
                                         Access Road.                                                           
Tennessee NWR, TN.....................  Replace 2 bridges.......         139,000         139,000               0
Togiak NWR, AK........................  Fourplex residence               335,000         335,000               0
                                         planning.                                                              
Turnbull NWR, WA......................  Maintenance shop                 843,000         843,000               0
                                         building.                                                              
Upper Miss. NW&FR-Savanna, IL.........  Construct headquarters           510,000         510,000               0
                                         facility.                                                              
Walter B. Jones Partnership for the     Complete design and                    0       1,900,000      +1,900,000
 Sounds, Pocosin Lakes NWR, NC HQ        construction.                                                          
 building.                                                                                                      
Wichita Mountains WR, OK..............  Road rehabilitation.....       1,840,000       1,840,000               0
Wichita Mountains WR, OK..............  Grama Lake & Comanche          4,800,000       4,800,000               0
                                         Dams.                                                                  
Woodbridge NWR, VA....................  Rehabilitation..........               0         100,000        +100,000
Other (non-specific):                                                                                           
    Bridge safety inspections.........  ........................         495,000         495,000               0
    Dam safety inspections............  ........................         495,000         495,000               0
                                       -------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total...........................  ........................     $30,011,000     $34,346,000     +$4,335,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee expects that $850,000 in carryover balances 
from completed projects will be used for the design, 
manufacture and installation of educational displays and 
furnishings at the Silvio O. Conte NWR, MA Environmental 
Education Center.

                natural resource damage assessment fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $4,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         4,628,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         4,128,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +128,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................          -500,000
                                                                        

    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 
and reimbursement for reasonable assessment costs from 
responsible parties through negotiated settlements or other 
legal actions.
    The Committee recommends $4,128,000 for the Natural 
Resource Damage Assessment Fund, a decrease of $500,000 below 
the budget estimate and an increase of $128,000 above the 1997 
level. The Committee has not agreed to the new management 
structure proposed in the budget. The proposed change would 
create a new headquarters bureaucracy and the Committee asks 
the Service to rethink its management approach for the fiscal 
year 1999 budget.
    Bill language has been included, as proposed by the 
Administration, to allow the proceeds from past liquidation of 
stocks and other noncash payments to remain available until 
expended.

                            land acquisition

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $44,479,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        44,560,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        53,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +8,521,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +8,440,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $53,000,000 for land acquisition, 
an increase of $8,521,000 above the enacted level and 
$8,440,000 above the fiscal year 1998 budget request. This 
amount includes $41,140,000 for line item projects, $1,000,000 
for inholdings, $1,000,000 for exchanges, $1,000,000 for 
emergencies and hardships and $8,860,000 for acquisition 
management.
    The funds should be distributed as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Committee   
                     Area and State                       recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Archie Carr NWR, FL....................................       $2,500,000
Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR, TX.......................        1,000,000
Back Bay NWR, VA.......................................        2,000,000
Balcones Canyonlands NWR, TX...........................          700,000
Big Muddy NFWR, MO.....................................        1,000,000
Bon Secour NWR (Izard tract), AL.......................        3,000,000
Cape May NWR, NJ.......................................        3,000,000
Crocodile Lake NWR, FL.................................          400,000
Cypress Creek NWR, IL..................................        1,000,000
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR (including Zell tract), NJ.......        2,000,000
Great Swamp NWR, NJ....................................        1,000,000
Kodiak NWR, AK.........................................          600,000
Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR, TX........................        2,800,000
Mashpee NWR (Bufflehead Bay tract), MA.................          332,000
Minnesota Valley NWR (Kelley tract), MN................        2,300,000
Nisqually NWR (Black River unit), WA...................        1,500,000
Ottawa NWR, OH.........................................        1,000,000
Patoka River NWR, IN...................................          500,000
Petit Manan NWR, ME....................................        1,000,000
Rachel Carson NWR, ME..................................        1,100,000
Rappahannock River Valley NWR, VA......................        2,000,000
San Diego NWR, CA......................................        3,000,000
Southeast Louisiana Refuges, LA........................        2,500,000
Stewart B. McKinney NWR (Great Meadows Salt Marsh), CT.        1,100,000
Wallkill River NWR (including Papakating Creek), NJ....        1,268,000
Wertheim NWR (Southaven), NY...........................        1,540,000
Western Montana, MT....................................        1,000,000
Emergencies/hardships..................................        1,000,000
Inholdings.............................................        1,000,000
Exchanges..............................................        1,000,000
Acquisition management.................................        8,860,000
                                                        ----------------
      Total............................................      $53,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

            cooperative endangered species conservation fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $14,085,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        14,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        14,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................            85,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $14,000,000, the budget request, 
for the cooperative endangered species conservation fund.

                     national wildlife refuge fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $10,779,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        10,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        10,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................           779,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $10,000,000, the budget request, 
for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund.
    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 $14,429,000 in fiscal year 
1998 with $10,000,000 derived from this appropriation and 
$4,429,000 from net refuge receipts estimated to be collected 
in fiscal year 1997.

                         rewards and operations

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         1,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         1,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $1,000,000, the budget request, 
for rewards and operations for African elephant conservation.
    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 for assisting rangers to 
fight poaching and for 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, 1997...........................        $9,750,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        15,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        10,500,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +750,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................         4,500,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $10,500,000 for the North American 
Wetlands Conservation Fund, a decrease of $4,500,000 below the 
budget request and an increase of $750,000 above the fiscal 
year 1997 level. Of the amount recommended by the Committee 
$10,000,000 is for habitat management and $500,000 is for 
administration. The Committee expects that $1,000,000 will be 
used for the small grant program initiated in fiscal year 1996.

                 Rhinoceros and tiger conservation fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................          $400,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................           400,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................           400,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $400,000, the budget request, for 
the rhinoceros and tiger conservation fund.
    The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act authorized the 
establishment of this fund to encourage conservation programs 
that enhance compliance with the Convention on International 
Trade in Endangered Species 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 than 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 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, 1997...........................          $800,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................           800,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................           800,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $800,000, the budget request, for 
the wildlife conservation and appreciation fund.
    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 Park Service

                 operation of the national park system

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................    $1,154,611,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................     1,220,325,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................     1,232,325,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +77,714,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +12,000,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:



    The Committee recommends an increase of $77,714,000 over 
the fiscal year 1997 enacted level and a $12,000,000 increase 
above the Administration's request for fiscal year 1998. The 
Committee continues to consider operational shortfalls and 
backlog maintenance to be its highest priority and has focused 
the increases on two specific areas.
    The bill provides an additional $8,000,000 for an across 
the board increase for every unit as well as an additional 
$24,800,000, which is $8,500,000 more than proposed in the 1998 
budget for special needs parks. These areas include both new 
and existing units that have an immediate need for operational 
increases for high priority resource protection, visitor 
service shortfalls, serious health and safety maintenance needs 
and providing staff for newly created units. Also included is 
an increase of $500,000 for the U.S. Park Police to establish 
an equipment replacement fund. The project list for the 
additional $8,500,000 is that reported to the Committee in 
response to a question for the record of the National Park 
Service for fiscal year 1998.
    The Committee has not agreed to a separate Everglades 
restoration fund as requested in the President's fiscal year 
1998 budget. These funds have been placed in the appropriate 
park accounts to ensure good accountability. The Committee has 
included an additional $101,447,000 in the National Park 
Service budget for the South Florida restoration effort. This 
includes an increase of $1,477,000 for park management, 
$12,000,000 for science related activities, $12,000,000 in the 
construction account for the modified water delivery project, 
and $76,000,000 to complete the Federal land acquisition needs 
for the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National 
Preserve. Before the Committee will consider funding for non-
Federal acquisitions the Secretary is directed to submit a 
comprehensive acquisition plan that identifies which parcels 
are planned for acquisition and why those parcels are critical 
to the restoration effort. It is the Committee's concern that 
the Department does not have a clear plan for acquisition and 
is instead intent on acquiring any available land in the entire 
Everglades restoration area without having made a scientific 
determination of which areas will best meet the water storage 
needs. The Committee has provided approximately $270,000,000 in 
this and previous bills for the South Florida effort since 
fiscal year 1994.
    The Committee also has provided specific increases in 
several existing programs such as collections cataloging, 
technical communications upgrades, air quality monitoring 
efforts, inventory and monitoring and historic structures 
stabilization work. The Committee has been concerned that these 
critical areas have been neglected in past years, hampering 
Park Service efforts to identify and protect its natural, 
cultural, and historic resources.
    In addition, several new initiatives have been funded. The 
Committee provides funds for a Vanishing Treasures Initiative 
aimed at reducing threats to ancient prehistoric ruins and 
historic structures in the southwest. More importantly, these 
funds will be used to increase staff expertise and specialized 
maintenance skills. The Committee notes that there has been a 
serious erosion of Park Service capability due to the loss of 
employees with these skills in recent years.
    Also funded is an Abandoned Mine Lands program. At least 
145 National Park units contain over 3,000 abandoned mineral 
land sites. Nearly 10 percent of these sites pose serious 
environmental threats to park water resources. These funds will 
help address this problem. The Committee also provides new 
funds for a Desert Mining Initiative specifically for the 
Mojave National Preserve. There are currently thousands of 
mining claims pending. These funds are to be used to hire 
minerals management specialists to begin to process these 
pending claims.
    The Committee was unable to fund all initiatives presented 
in the President's budget for operations of the National Parks; 
many of these initiatives were new or expanding programs that 
did not address the critical backlog maintenance needs of the 
parks. These funds have been used to increase the Special Parks 
Initiative by $8,500,000, focusing on serious backlog 
maintenance and operational shortfalls. Until such time as the 
Service and the Congress agree that the most serious problems 
are corrected, particularly those that directly impact the 
public, new programs and program expansion will be limited. All 
programs have been provided inflationary increases, and 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 in this report.
    The Committee recently approved a reprogramming of 
$1,500,000 to initiate a professional training program. Base 
funding is included in this budget and should be contained in 
future year submissions. The Committee expects that this 
training program will be designed and implemented so that 
travel and related costs are kept to a minimum. The programs 
should be held in the regions, not in the central office, and 
the Service should encourage lower cost alternative approaches 
such as video conferencing and taped training sessions. The 
Park Service should submit to the Committee a plan detailing 
the type of training, location, and associated costs at the 
start of each fiscal year for Committee approval.
    In addition to providing focused increases for operational 
shortfalls and backlog maintenance projects, the Committee has 
taken two actions to enhance the Recreational Fee Demonstration 
Program. As part of the fiscal year 1997 Emergency Supplemental 
Bill, the Committee included language in Section 5001 that 
amends the demonstration program to permit the collecting 
agencies to keep 100% of the funds in excess of the amount 
collected for fiscal year 1994. This action changes the base 
year and removes the 4 percent inflationary factor. In 
addition, the Committee recommends language in this bill which 
allows the Service to retain 100 percent of all fees collected 
through this program, of which 80 percent remains in the 
collecting unit.
    The National Park Service has long complained about its 
growing backlog of maintenance needs. While the Committee 
expects that most of these additional funds will be used 
specifically to reduce the backlog maintenance problem, limited 
funds may be used to improve visitor services so that the 
American public will see immediate results.
    The Committee intends to keep a very close accounting of 
the current maintenance backlog and how the additional funds 
are being used to reduce that backlog. The Park Service is 
directed to submit a current list of maintenance backlog 
projects per unit and priority, excluding all road projects 
that will qualify for the Federal Lands Highway Funds. The 
submission should also include specific criteria established by 
the Washington leadership used to qualify projects for the 
backlog list and the system the Service intends to put in place 
to allocate the additional dollars and monitor the progress. 
The Committee notes that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has 
been able to identify and prioritize its maintenance and 
operational requirements in a very usable format, and continued 
internal resistance from the National Park Service in this 
regard is unacceptable.
    Language is included in Section 321 of the bill which 
prohibits the use of the recreational fee funds to plan, 
design, or construct any visitor center or other permanent 
structure without prior approval of both the House and the 
Senate Committees on Appropriations. This language also applies 
to significant reconstruction.
    The Congress has provided $186 million to repair and 
rehabilitate Yosemite National Park in the fiscal year 1997 
Emergency Supplemental bill. Also available is $21 million to 
implement a transportation system at the park. The Service is 
directed to submit reports twice a year on the progress and 
allocation of these funds.
    The Committee continues to be concerned about the excessive 
cost of employee housing and the lack of a National strategy 
for dealing with this serious problem. The Committee was 
pleased to learn that the Park Service plans to adopt several 
recommendations of the Inspector General as well as implement 
requirements of the Omnibus Parks Act of 1996. These include 
revising the housing management policy to establish procedures 
for determining appropriate housing types and needs service-
wide, conducting a park by park needs assessment, incorporating 
value analysis, adopting standardized designs and completing a 
series of studies that will hopefully result in the ability to 
locate privately-built employee housing in the private sector.
    The Committee strongly encourages the Park Service to avoid 
building new housing inside the park when affordable housing is 
available in nearby communities. The Committee cites Assateague 
Island National Seashore as an example of constructing new 
housing when affordable community housing was available nearby. 
The Service is directed to submit a report on the progress of 
these efforts by February 18, 1998.
    The Committee commends the Park Service for its continuing 
work on implementing the Government Performance and Results Act 
(GPRA). This law, which seeks to make government more efficient 
and effective, places emphasis on results achieved (outcomes) 
rather than the effort themselves. More importantly, it 
provides a better framework for daily management decisions. It 
requires Federal agencies to justify increases or changes to a 
program based on performance rather than a comparison to funds 
and FTEs received the previous year. The Committee applauds the 
Park Service goal of reducing unnecessary reporting 
requirements while providing accountability and accomplishment 
information to the Congress and the American public.
    The Park Service has worked very closely and cooperatively 
with the Committee on the initial development of its 
performance goals and strategic plan. The Committee expects the 
Service to continue that cooperation in the coming years to 
refine and adjust the goals as necessary to ensure that tax 
dollars are spent in the most effective and efficient manner.
    The Committee continues to be concerned about the data on 
which these goals are based. The Park Service needs to make 
basic data collection a higher priority. The Committee directs 
the Service to take inventory of areas where data collection is 
deficient and report to the Committee by March 31, 1998, on how 
it intends to improve data collection in both the short and 
long term. The Service should consult with the General 
Accounting Office, which has had great difficulty obtaining 
important data for its various reports in recent years. In 
addition, a critical element to the successful implementation 
of the Act is linking performance goals directly to the budget. 
While the Committee understands the challenges to achieving 
this end, it strongly encourages the Park Service to begin work 
on meeting this objective.
    The Committee directs the Park Service to continue to 
increase its contracting of commercial activities, with a goal 
of divesting itself of such activities by the end of fiscal 
year 1999. When services or products of equal quality and cost 
are available from the private sector, the Service should use 
the private sector. The budget savings achieved should be used 
to reduce the maintenance backlog. The Committee directs the 
Service to report to the Committee on the progress of their 
efforts by January 1, 1998.
    The Committee also commends the Park Service on its 
business plan initiative. The Committee understands that four 
pilot projects are currently underway. This effort hopefully 
will result in a standardized business plan document that all 
parks will use to demonstrate more accurately how appropriated 
and other funds are used by the parks. This new accountability 
system should be coordinated closely with the Government 
Performance and Result Act requirements.
    The budget request includes funding for Cache La Poudre 
River Corridor in the new Heritage Partnership Program. The 
Committee has not agreed with this recommendation; however, the 
Park Service is directed to begin funding this area within the 
operational increases provided by the Committee in fiscal year 
1998. This area was authorized in Public Law 104-323.
    The White Sands National Monument is located amidst two 
major military establishments in southern New Mexico. Both 
installations have played important roles in the 20th century 
military history of America. The Committee directs the Park 
Service to explore the establishment of an interpretive display 
that explains the missions of the military installations in 
both a current and historical context. This should be 
considered as part of the White Sands general management 
planning process which is currently underway. The Committee 
expects a recommendation by March 31, 1998.
    The Committee continues to be concerned over the number of 
days that the Newfound Gap road in the Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park is closed to traffic. This road is a vital link 
between North Carolina and Tennessee and the two most heavily 
visited areas within the park. The Committee provided this park 
with a $943,000 increase in fiscal year 1997 and is providing 
an additional $400,000 in this bill for a total increase of 
$1,343,000. The Committee expects the Park Service to provide a 
higher level of maintenance of this road and to keep it open 
365 days per year.
    The Committee is very concerned about the number of 
fatalities that have occurred along the George Washington 
Memorial Parkway in the last year. The Park Service should 
carefully review the permanent police staffing levels for the 
Parkway and ensure that a sufficient number of officers are 
assigned to ticket speeding drivers and enforce the speed 
limit. A strong effort must be undertaken by the Park Service 
to reduce permanently the speed of cars. To further this end, 
the National Capital Region of the Park Service, in 
consultation with the Federal Highway Administration, should 
investigate the feasibility of using automated traffic 
monitoring and enforcement devices and should report these 
finding to the Committee. In the interim, the number of Park 
Police assigned to monitor speeds along the Parkway should be 
increased.
    The Committee strongly urges the Park Service to work 
closely with Fairfax County to finalize the agreement relating 
to improvements at Belle Haven Marina. The Park Service has 
agreed to set aside $200,000, the total federal share, for 
improvements to the area.
    The Committee urges the Park Service to generate dredging 
estimates for the Columbia Island Marina and begin dredging as 
soon as the environmental assessments are completed. The 
Committee encourages the Park Service to continue to work with 
the concessionaire to identify financing mechanisms for the 
dredging.
    A number of scientists question the natural regulation 
management program conducted by Yellowstone National Park as it 
relates to elk and bison, while others defend the approach. The 
Committee wishes to resolve the issue of population dynamics of 
the northern Yellowstone elk herd as well as the bison herd. 
The Committee thus directs the Service to initiate a National 
Academy of Sciences (Board on Environmental Studies and 
Toxicology) review of all available science related to the 
management of ungulates and the ecological effects of ungulates 
on the range land of Yellowstone National Park and to provide 
recommendations for implementation by the Service. The 
Committee has provided $250,000 within available funds for this 
first year of a two-year study.
    The Committee also wishes to address the risks of 
brucellosis in Yellowstone ungulates. Currently, the Service 
has no management plan in place to control this disease. The 
Committee urges the cooperation of the Service with the Animal 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in the rapid 
development of a safe and effective vaccine for bison and an 
effective means for vaccinating wild bison.
    The Service is also directed to develop a plan for vaccine 
implementation that will eliminate brucellosis from ungulates 
in Yellowstone National Park in accord with the results of the 
current National Academy of Science study of this issue.
    The Committee recognizes the successes of the long-term 
cooperative relationship between the Park Service and the 
Forest Service in the management of the Appalachian National 
Scenic Trail and the coordination carried out by the Park 
Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the management of 
several other national historic trails.
    The Committee strongly encourages these agencies to 
continue their interagency cooperation and sharing of resources 
in the administration of the scenic trails and to carry out the 
intent of the 1995 interagency agreement concerning national 
historic trails. The Committee has provided $100,000 
specifically for the Selma to Montgomery trail, authorized in 
the 1996 Omnibus Parks Act.
    The Committee is concerned about the unsafe conditions at 
the intersection of Virginia State Routes 29 and 234 in the 
Manassas National Battlefield Park, Prince William County, 
Virginia, and directs the National Park Service to cooperate 
with Virginia Department of Transportation and Federal Highway 
Administration officials to make necessary improvements to the 
intersection.
    Resource stewardship.--The Committee recommends 
$222,411,000, an increase of $29,101,000 above fiscal year 1997 
and $11,253,000 above the Administration's request. Funds 
include $1,245,000 for a 1 percent across the board increase, 
$9,209,000 for special need parks, $12,000,000 for South 
Florida research, $873,000 for collections cataloging upgrades 
at 291 parks, a $1,000,000 increase for air quality monitoring, 
$1,000,000 is provided for a new abandoned mine lands 
initiative, $583,000 to hire minerals experts for the Mojave 
National Preserve, increases of $2,000,000 for the inventory 
and monitoring initiative, $2,000,000 for historic structures 
stabilization, $1,000,000 to initiate a new vanishing treasures 
initiative, $1,000,000 for cultural cyclic maintenance and 
$1,458,000 for 6(c) retirement back pay and associated costs. 
In addition, $2,933,000 is provided for uncontrollable 
expenses.
    The Committee has not included the $2,400,000 to establish 
16 cooperative ecosystem study units. However, language is 
included in the Geological Survey section of the report 
providing additional guidance.
    Funds for other program expansions and new initiatives in 
the budget have not been provided.
    Visitor services.--The Committee recommends $291,849,000, 
an increase of $19,872,000 above the current fiscal year and 
$4,250,000 above the Administration's request. Within these 
totals are $2,422,000 for a 1 percent across the board 
increase, $9,571,000 for special need parks, $2,878,000 for 
6(c) retirement benefits and $5,601,000 for uncontrollable 
expenses. The Committee agrees with a reduction of $600,000 in 
non-recurring costs associated with the 1997 Presidential 
Inaugural.
    Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $381,310,000 an 
increase of $13,612,000 above the enacted level and the same 
level as recommended by the Administration. The Committee has 
provided $2,681,000 for a 1 percent across the board increase, 
$5,016,000 for a special parks initiative, $103,000 for safety 
training and $6,212,000 for uncontrollable expenses. The 
Committee agrees with a reduction of $400,000 in non-recurring 
costs associated with the 1997 Presidential Inaugural. Within 
these funds, the Committee directs the Park Service to provide 
$300,000 to make improvements on the Kolob Terrace Road at Zion 
National Park and $200,000 to complete renovations at the 
Eldora House within the Canaveral National Seashore.
    Park support.--The Committee recommends $239,012,000 an 
increase of $10,045,000 above the enacted level and $2,803,000 
below the Administration's request. The Committee has provided 
$1,712,000 for a 1 percent across-the-board increase, 
$1,004,000 for a special parks initiative, $963,000 to 
establish information management capability at seven parks, 
$500,000 for information management upgrades, $320,000 for 
workers compensation initiative retraining, $970,000 for 
financial management upgrades and $4,476,000 for uncontrollable 
expenses. The Committee has not funded the balance of program 
increases and new program proposals.
    External administrative costs.--The Committee recommends 
$97,743,000, a $5,084,000 increase over the enacted level and 
$700,000 below the request. Provided are $1,900,000 for FTS 
2000 telephone expenses and $3,184,000 for uncontrollable 
expenses. Additional funding for the IDEAS initiative is not 
provided.

                  national recreation and preservation

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $37,976,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        42,063,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        43,934,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +5,958,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +1,871,000
                                                                        

    The National recreation and preservation appropriation 
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 amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    Statutory or contractual aid.--The Committee recommends 
$6,472,000 for this account. The Committee has not agreed to 
include certain heritage area projects in the new Heritage 
Partnership Program. The $379,000 provided in previous years to 
the Steel Industry Heritage project has not been provided 
because they are eligible to compete with the other seven 
heritage projects, authorized in the Omnibus Parks Act of 1996, 
for the $5.35 million provided under the Heritage program 
activity. The Lackawanna Heritage project, formerly funded in 
the construction account, has been added to Statutory Aid. 
Funding for the new Heritage Initiative has been provided in a 
separate line item.
    Recreation programs.--The Committee has provided an 
additional $12,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
    Natural programs.--The Committee has provided an additional 
$113,000 for uncontrollable expenses but has not agreed to the 
request for $1,000,000 for a new watershed initiative. While 
the Committee continues its strong support of the River and 
Trails Conservation Assistance Program, there is concern over 
requests for new funding initiatives in the last several 
budgets for programs that are beyond the scope of the current 
assistance program. Since the Park Service has testified that 
there is a growing unmet need for the traditional river and 
trail conservation assistance, the Park Service is encouraged 
to focus future program increase requests on this core program. 
The Service is discouraged from expanding the program unless 
specifically authorized by the Congress.
    Cultural programs.--The Committee has provided an 
additional $335,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
    International Park affairs.--The Committee has provided an 
additional $26,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
    Environmental compliance.--The Committee has provided an 
additional $12,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
    Grants administration.--The Committee has provided an 
additional $39,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
    Heritage Partnership Program.--The Committee has provided 
$5,350,000 for a new Heritage Partnership Program, an increase 
of $3,000,000 above the request after discounting transfers 
from the statutory aid program. Within this total is $4,500,000 
for grants to heritage areas in accordance with Titles I-VI and 
VIII-IX of Division II of Public Law 104-333 and $850,000 for 
technical support. Information received by the Committee 
indicates that three of these areas have progressed further in 
their planning and are, therefore, ready to receive and match 
the highest annual authorized amount. Accordingly, the Essex 
National Heritage Area, the Ohio and Erie Canal National 
Heritage Corridor, and the Steel Industry Heritage project are 
to receive the maximum allowable authorized amount in fiscal 
year 1998. The Service is to distribute the balance to the 
remaining five heritage areas based on an assessment of the 
proposals received from the areas. The Service is reminded that 
it only has Congressional authorization to work on these eight 
areas specified in the Omnibus Parks Act of 1996.
    Bill language is included in Title III--General Provisions 
stipulating the conditions under which cities, towns and 
villages in certain counties in New York can participate in the 
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

                       historic preservation fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $36,612,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        45,612,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        40,412,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +3,800,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -5,200,000
                                                                        

    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 amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown on the following table:



    The Committee recommends $40,412,000 which includes 
$36,912,000 for grants-in-aid to the States, Indian tribes and 
historically black colleges and universities and $3,500,000 for 
the National Trust. The Committee expects the Trust to become 
completely self-supporting in fiscal year 1999.
    The Committee continues to be supportive of the efforts of 
the United Negro College Fund to identify critical 
rehabilitation and restoration needs of historically 
significant buildings. Over the years the Committee has 
provided $4,200,000 for matching grants to Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities through the United Negro College Fund 
to be used for ongoing projects. This funding, however, has 
left many unmet needs at some of the most needy colleges. 
Funding to begin restoration and preservation at some of the 12 
historically black colleges and universities was authorized in 
the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996. 
Based on the information provided to the Committee of the most 
needy colleges, $800,000 each is provided for Knoxville 
College, TN; Selma University, AL; Allen University, S.C; 
Tougaloo College, MS; and Fisk University, TN. The Committee 
has also provided $200,000 to the National Park Service to 
prepare a comprehensive assessment of the condition of the 
historic structures on the campuses of the colleges authorized 
in the Omnibus Parks Act of 1996. The Committee will use this 
information to guide future funding decisions. The Service is 
strongly encouraged to continue to work closely with the United 
Negro College Fund both to help assess and prioritize projects 
and help identify sources of matching funds. As in the past, 
the Committee will only consider projects that can provide the 
50% cost share. This cost share requirement also applies to the 
colleges funded in this bill.

                              construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $182,744,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       150,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       148,391,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -34,353,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -1,609,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $148,391,000 which is $34,353,000 
below the enacted level and $1,609,000 below the 
Administration's request. The Committee recommends the 
following distribution of funds:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee    
              Project                 Budget request     recommendation 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acadia NP, ME (complete carriage                                        
 roads/upgrade utilities &                                              
 facilities)......................         $6,500,000         $1,200,000
Accokeek Foundation, MD (rehab                                          
 environmental facilities)........  .................            200,000
Amistad NRA, TX (sewer treatment                                        
 plant)...........................            750,000            750,000
Blue Ridge Pky, NC (complete                                            
 administrative building).........  .................          1,500,000
Blue Ridge Pky, TN (repair dam)...          1,100,000          1,100,000
Blue Ridge Pky (EIS)..............  .................            300,000
Boston NHP, MA (replace elevator).          1,600,000          1,600,000
Carlsbad Caverns NP, NM (replace                                        
 water collection system).........  .................          3,752,000
Cuyahoga Valley NRA, OH (repair &                                       
 rehabilitation)..................  .................          4,500,000
Dayton Aviation NHP, OH-Hoover                                          
 Block (restoration)..............  .................          3,500,000
Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA (repair                                      
 dam).............................            900,000            900,000
Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA (repair                                      
 environ education facilities)....  .................          2,100,000
Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA (trail                                       
 development).....................  .................          2,000,000
Denali NP&P, AK (rehabilitate                                           
 Riley Creek Utilities)...........          4,150,000  .................
Everglades NP, FL (modified water                                       
 delivery)........................         11,900,000         11,900,000
Everglades NP, FL (replace                                              
 Flamingo water line).............          3,000,000          3,000,000
FDR home NHS, NY (complete water                                        
 supply & curatorial).............  .................          1,540,000
    Vanderbilt Mansion (heating/                                        
     cooling/elec)................  .................          1,300,000
    Eleanor Roosevelt (entrance                                         
     road/pky)....................  .................            660,000
Fort McHenry NM and Historic                                            
 Shrine, MD (rehab Historic Fort                                        
 Walls)...........................          1,800,000  .................
Fort Necessity NB, PA-Jumonville/                                       
 Braddock Grave (repair entry                                           
 access, parking).................  .................            955,000
Fort Necessity NB, PA-Mt.                                               
 Washington Tavern (repair entry                                        
 access, parking).................  .................          1,290,000
Gateway NRA, NJ (protect entrance                                       
 road)............................          4,800,000  .................
Gateway NRA, NY-Jacob Riis Park...          4,500,000  .................
Gateway NRA, NJ (Lighthouse)......  .................            884,000
General Grant NM, NY (restoration)            900,000            900,000
Glacier Bay NP&P (emg. repairs                                          
 dock)............................  .................            380,000
Grand Canyon NP, AZ (purchase                                           
 buses)...........................          2,900,000          2,900,000
GW Mem Pkwy, VA-Mt. Vernon Trail                                        
 (repair & rehabilitation)........  .................            300,000
Independence NHP, PA (utility                                           
 replacement).....................          6,300,000          4,300,000
Isle Royale NP, MI (Vessel Ranger                                       
 III).............................          2,300,000          2,300,000
Jean Lafitte NHP&P (Shoreline                                           
 stabilization)...................  .................          2,000,000
Lake Mead NRA, NV (replace water                                        
 system)..........................          4,700,000          1,700,000
Lewis & Clark Trail, NE                                                 
 (construction)...................  .................            300,000
Manzanar NHS, CA (repair fence)...  .................            310,000
Marsh-Billings NHP, VT (restore                                         
 carriage house)..................          2,400,000  .................
Minute Man NHP, MA (historic                                            
 battle road/trail)...............          2,000,000          2,000,000
Mount Rainier NP, WA (construct                                         
 Paradise Valley Employee Dorm)...          2,452,000  .................
National Capital Parks-Central, DC                                      
 (restore Wash. Monument).........          3,500,000          1,000,000
National Capital Parks-Central, DC                                      
 (Jefferson Memorial rehab).......          4,500,000          4,500,000
President's Park, DC (replace                                           
 HVAC)............................         11,500,000         11,500,000
Rutherford B. Hayes, OH                                                 
 (rehabilitation).................  .................            500,000
S.W. PA Heritage Comm, PA (various                                      
 rehabilitation)..................  .................          2,000,000
Sequoia NP, CA (replace Giant                                           
 Forest facilities)...............          6,000,000          3,000,000
Sotterley Plantation, MD                                                
 (restoration)....................  .................            600,000
Stones River NB, TN (rehab & trail                                      
 development).....................  .................            650,000
Trail of Tears NHT, NC (museum                                          
 exhibits)........................            600,000            600,000
Trail of Tears NHT, OK (museum                                          
 exhibits)........................            600,000  .................
Upper Delaware SRR, PA (repair                                          
 historic Aqueduct)...............  .................            420,000
Wind Cave NP, SD (replace                                               
 elevator)........................          1,400,000  .................
Zion NP, UT (purchase buses)......          6,850,000          3,210,000
                                   -------------------------------------
      Total Line Item.............         99,902,000         90,301,000
Emg, unscheduled, housing.........         15,808,000         15,000,000
Planning..........................         20,600,000         17,500,000
General Management Plan...........          7,725,000          7,725,000
Equipment Replacement.............         17,865,000         17,865.000
                                   -------------------------------------
      Grand Total Construction....    \1\ 161,900,000    \1\ 148,391,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes $11,900,000 requested in the proposed Everglades           
  Restoration Fund.                                                     

    The Committee commends the Park Service for its recent 
budget submissions for construction. Most of the projects have 
been extremely high priority items involving the replacement of 
water and sewer systems, major utilities, dam repairs, and long 
needed repairs to some of the country's most treasured 
monuments such as the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, the 
Washington Monument and Independence Hall.
    This Committee has made backlog maintenance its highest 
priority and is dedicated to the task of dramatically reducing 
the most critical backlog maintenance projects, particularly 
those of a health and safety nature over the next few years. 
The Committee has provided funds for 19 of the 26 most critical 
projects requested in the budget. This budget contained some 
unusually expensive projects. Two items, the repairs of utility 
systems at the White House and the construction of the modified 
delivery system part of the South Florida restoration effort, 
totaled $24 million alone.
    The Committee also commends the Park Service for its 
excellent work in developing a new line item construction 
program which will be reflected in the fiscal year 1999 budget 
submission. The current system places primary emphasis on the 
importance of individual projects to specific parks with 
secondary or no consideration given to a project's contribution 
to the National Park System. This method oftentimes placed 
greater importance on the larger parks where visitation is 
greater. This has contributed to the large backlog in the other 
units. This new approach is expected to be more balanced and, 
combined with the additional revenues generated by the 
Committee's Recreational Fee Demonstration Program, should 
enable the Park Service to reduce dramatically its backlog of 
maintenance needs over the next few years.
    The Committee has provided $200,000 to the Accokeek 
Foundation, which provides many interpretive educational 
programs for school children at Piscataway Park. These funds 
will be matched by funds from the State of Maryland to help 
upgrade existing infrastructures and facilities and install new 
signage and exhibits.
    A total of $1,500,000 is provided to complete construction 
of the Blue Ridge Parkway administration building in North 
Carolina. The Committee provides $300,000 to conduct an 
environmental impact statement of a site proposed for an 
interpretive center along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Roanoke, 
VA. Should this site be feasible, the Committee will consider 
the project if there is a formal agreement on the details of 
the partnership. This proposal should contain the total costs, 
provide for at least a 50/50 cost share and a commitment in 
writing from the Commonwealth of Virginia, or other government 
body, that the operations will be a non-Federal responsibility.
    The Committee has provided $3,752,000 to replace the water 
collection system at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. $4,500,000 
is available to the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area 
for repair and rehabilitation projects. A total of $3,500,000 
is included for restoration work at the Hoover Print Block 
which is part of the Dayton Aviation National Historical Park.
    The Committee has included $2,000,000 to continue trail 
work at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and 
$2,100,000 to begin restoration of housing units at the Pocono 
Environmental Education Center which is also part of the 
National Recreation Area. Included in the bill is $1,540,000 to 
complete the water supply system and provide for curatorial 
support at the Home of FDR National Historic Site. In addition, 
$1,300,000 is included to upgrade the heating, cooling, and 
electrical systems at the Vanderbilt NHS and $660,000 to 
upgrade the entrance road and visitor parking areas at the 
Eleanor Roosevelt NHS.
    The Committee includes $955,000 for repairs of entry roads 
and parking at Jumonville Glen and Braddock Grave Site and 
$1,290,000 for repairs of entry roads and parking at the Mt. 
Washington Tavern both are part of the Fort Necessity National 
Battlefield. $884,000 is provided to Gateway National 
Recreation Area in New Jersey to rehabilitate the historic 
Sandy Hook Lighthouse.
    The Committee recognizes the need for beach replenishment 
work at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area 
for both recreation purposes and in order to protect access to 
the park. However, the full scope and cost of this project is 
not presently known and therefore funding is not provided for 
this project at this time. The Committee will work with the 
National Park Service to define fully the project and to 
identify sources of funding that may be used for these purposes 
in the future.
    A total of $380,000 is included to make emergency repairs 
to park docks at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in 
Alaska. Included in the bill is $300,000 to make repairs to the 
Mount Vernon Trail which is part of the George Washington 
Memorial Parkway in Virginia. The Committee has included 
$2,000,000 for Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and 
Preserve for shoreline stabilization work.
    The Committee has included $300,000 to complete the Federal 
share of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail 
Interpretative Center in Nebraska. This project was authorized 
in Public Law 98-11. The Committee had previously appropriated 
$391,000 for this project which will be available for 
obligation when a match has been received from private sources. 
When completed, this facility will be owned and operated by the 
State of Nebraska.
    A total of $310,000 is provided to the Manzanar National 
Historic Site in California for fence repairs. The Committee 
provides $500,000 for rehabilitation work at the Rutherford B. 
Hayes home. Included in this bill is $2,000,000 for 
rehabilitation work at Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage 
Preservation Commission sites. The Committee has provided 
$600,000 for restoration work at the historic Sotterly 
Plantation in Maryland. These funds have been matched by the 
State of Maryland.
    The Committee has provided $375,000 to complete work on a 
2.6 mile historic trail and connector trail at Stones River 
National Battlefield. Also provided is the final $275,000 to 
complete restoration work at the Fortress Rosecrans and Bragg 
Headquarters, which are also part of the Stones River site. 
Within available funds, $150,000 is provided for a NAPA study 
on H.R. 682. A total of $420,000 is included for repairs to the 
historic aqueduct at the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreation 
River. The Committee directs the National Park Service to give 
priority consideration to replacing dilapidated employee 
housing at Grand Canyon and White Sands National Monument from 
the emergency housing funds provided in this bill.
    The Committee understands that the Park Service intends to 
allocate $2,800,000 in fiscal year 1997 to continue work on the 
U.S. Highway 27 bypass around the Chickamauga-Chattanooga 
National Military Park in Georgia. The completion of this 
project is one of the Committee's highest priorities. The Park 
Service has assured the Committee that at a minimum it will 
provide $8,850,000 in fiscal year 1998 from its Federal Highway 
Lands Program funds. The Committee expects this project to be 
completed in fiscal year 1999.
    The Committee has provided the Park Service with $7,725,000 
for General Management Plans. Within this amount, the Committee 
directs the Service to provide $200,000 to develop a 
cooperative management plan for Moccasin Bend, an area on the 
Tennessee River adjacent to Chickamauga--Chattanooga National 
Military Park. This site includes important aspects of human 
history from paleo-archaic sites to structures and artifacts 
associated with the Civil War and the Trail of Tears.
    In undertaking this study, the Park Service should consider 
a broad range of factors. The study should also assess the 
appropriateness of direct Park Service management, as well as 
alternatives and their effectiveness and efficiency in 
protecting significant resources and providing for public 
enjoyment.
    In undertaking the study, the Park Service should cooperate 
with all parties interested in the preservation and management 
of the site and develop a consensus management scheme. In 
soliciting public input, the Park Service is encouraged to 
consider a proposal to convene a community advisory panel as 
recommended by the Friends of Moccasin Bend group in 
Chattanooga. This study is a high priority for the Committee.
    Also included is $250,000 to conduct a study of a Northern 
Frontier Heritage area in New York. This study should include 
an assessment of the heritage area strategy authorized in the 
Omnibus Parks Act of 1996.
    The Committee is very concerned about recent reports of the 
seriously decayed state of 29 buildings on the south side of 
Ellis Island National Monument. These buildings comprised the 
hospital complex for millions of immigrants who first touched 
American soil on Ellis Island, and they were the site for the 
founding of the U.S. Public Health Service. As such, the 
buildings represent an invaluable historical landmark. The 
Committee directs the National Park Service to prepare an 
immediate assessment of the current conditions of these 
historic buildings and to provide the Committee with 
recommendations for their stabilization. This report, which 
should be provided to the Committee no later than January 1, 
1998, should include recommendations for both emergency 
stabilization and long-term rehabilitation of the south side 
buildings.

                    Land and Water Conservation Fund

                              (Rescission)

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      -$30,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       -30,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       -30,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends a 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 1998.

                 land acquisition and state assistance

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $53,915,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        70,900,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       129,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +75,085,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +58,100,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $129,000,000 for land acquisition, 
an increase of $75,085,000 from the enacted level and 
$58,100,000 above the fiscal year 1998 budget request. This 
amount includes $115,050,000 for line item projects, $3,000,000 
for emergencies and hardships, $7,450,000 for acquisition 
management, $2,500,000 for inholdings and $1,000,000 for 
administrative expenses to manage existing grants to States.
    The Committee agrees to the following distribution of 
funds:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Committee  
                     Area and state                       recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appalachian National Scenic Trail.......................      $4,200,000
Chattahoochee River NRA, GA.............................       3,000,000
Cuyahoga Valley NRA, OH.................................       4,000,000
Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania NMP, VA.....................       3,500,000
Golden Gate NRA (Giacomini Ranch), CA...................       1,550,000
Hagerman Fossil Beds NM, ID.............................         800,000
Indiana Dunes NL, IN....................................       3,000,000
Minute Man NHP, MA......................................         500,000
Olympic NP (Elwha/Glines), WA...........................       3,000,000
Saguaro NP, AZ..........................................       4,000,000
Santa Monica Mountains NRA (Backbone Trail), CA.........       1,000,000
South Florida--Big Cypress National Preserve, FL........      10,000,000
South Florida--Everglades NP, FL........................      66,000,000
Sterling Forest, NY.....................................       8,500,000
Stones River NB, TN.....................................       1,000,000
Voyageurs NP, MN........................................       1,000,000
Emergencies/hardships...................................       3,000,000
Inholdings & exchanges..................................       2,500,000
Land acquisition administration.........................       7,450,000
State grants administration.............................       1,000,000
                                                         ---------------
      Total.............................................    $129,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee has provided $1,000,000 for the Santa Monica 
Mountains National Recreation Area to help complete the 
Backbone Trail. To date, the Committee has appropriated over 
$150,000,000 for land acquisition at this area. In recent 
years, the Committee has expressed concern that there was no 
apparent priority setting process for this acquisition. At 
times, lands have been purchased in random order, and support 
groups are oftentimes at odds over which properties are more 
significant.
    The Committee understands that the Park Service is 
currently updating the Land Protection Plan for the area and 
strongly encourages the Service to establish clearly priorities 
for fee acquisition and explore opportunities for exchanges. In 
addition, the Committee is aware that State and private funding 
as well as funds from recent bond initiatives are available for 
acquisitions. The Committee strongly encourages these funds to 
be used, to the greatest extent possible, on lands within the 
boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation 
Area. There are many priority projects across the Nation which 
compete for limited funding.
    The Committee has provided $66,000,000 for the Everglades 
National Park and $10,000,000 for the Big Cypress National 
Preserve in Florida. This amount completes the federal land 
acquisition needs at these two parks.
    The Committee directs the National Park Service to actively 
explore the possibility of acquiring the inholdings within 
Dinosaur National Monument and Rocky Mountain National Park 
whose owners are interested in having their lands added to 
these National Park System units.

                      Everglades Restoration Fund

    Although the Committee has not agreed with the proposed 
Everglades Restoration Fund account, the Committee has provided 
$119,915,000 for the Everglades restoration effort. Within 
these amounts are $12,000,000 for research, $12,000,000 for 
modified water delivery and $76,000,000 to complete the federal 
land acquisition at the Everglades National Park and the Big 
Cypress National Preserve. In addition, $19,915,000 is provided 
for park management. These amounts are found in the operations, 
construction and land acquisition accounts.

                    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 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; the scientific understanding and technologies 
needed to support the sound management and conservation of our 
Nation's biological resources; 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, 1997...........................      $740,051,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       745,388,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       755,795,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +15,744,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +10,407,000
                                                                        


    The Committee recommends $755,795,000 for surveys, 
investigations, and research, an increase of $15,744,000 above 
the fiscal year 1997 level and $10,407,000 above the budget 
request.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    National mapping program.--The Committee recommends 
$135,785,000 for the national mapping program including 
increases of $1,860,000 for fixed costs, $3,000,000 for the 
OhioView initiative, and a decrease of $850,000 from geographic 
research and applications.
    The Committee concurs with USGS's request to refocus funds 
for its Urban Dynamics initiative.
    The Committee recognizes and commends the significant 
progress made by USGS in increasing its contracting of map and 
digital data production. As a result of the Committee's 
direction, the contracting for map and digital data production 
now approximates 50 percent of the funding available for these 
functions. The Committee expects that current USGS policies and 
the use of the private sector will be continued in this area. 
The revised budget structure approved by this Committee for the 
National mapping program reflects the program's evolution, new 
direction, and the integrated nature of its principal functions 
and activities. This evolution of the program from a 
concentration on map and data production to a broader 
information management role suggests to the Committee that the 
need for a specific contracting goal in one part of this 
revised budget structure is no longer appropriate, and could in 
fact, limit the USGS ability to contract in other areas. 
Accordingly, the Committee expects the USGS to continue to 
pursue greater use of commercially available capabilities, 
providing private sector support for a wider range of functions 
within the National mapping program.
    The $3,000,000 increase provided by the Committee for 
mapping is in support of high-performance computing and 
communications at EROS Data Center. The USGS needs to augment 
its information access, production, and data storage systems in 
time to serve data that will be delivered by Landsat 7 and EOS 
which are scheduled for launch in 1998. The additional funding 
will enable the Survey to develop this infrastructure and 
initiate a pilot project with the OhioView Consortium to 
distribute remotely sensed data to a wide array of data users.
    Geologic hazards, resources and processes.--The Committee 
recommends $229,175,000 for geologic hazards, resources, and 
processes including an increase of $2,743,000 for fixed costs 
and a decrease of $2,848,000 from continental surveys. Within 
the recommendation, the Committee directs the USGS to continue 
the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping program at the fiscal 
year 1997 funding level, including the State and education 
geologic mapping efforts.
    The Committee directs USGS to develop a study plan 
describing a collaborative research effort between NOAA and 
USGS on the risks and costs associated with coastal hazards, 
particularly from extreme storms, and report the findings to 
the Committee by March 15, 1998.
    The Committee is very supportive of the collaborative 
effort between USGS and the Department of Defense (DOD) to fund 
the Global Seismic Network. The current funding arrangement 
that will continue for the foreseeable future, is designed to 
meet both the needs of DOD for data that can be used in 
monitoring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as well as the 
scientific research produced by the Survey to better understand 
and predict seismic events.
    Water resources investigations.--The Committee recommends 
$194,882,000 for water resources assessments and research, 
including increases of $3,801,000 for fixed costs and decreases 
of $1,425,000 from water information delivery. Funding also is 
included for the Water Resources Research Institutes at the 
fiscal year 1997 level. The Committee expects the current 
policy with respect to awarding competitive grants through the 
Water Resources Research Institutes to be continued.
    The Committee has not provided any funds for the Kalamazoo 
initiative. The National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) 
program was subjected to three separate reviews during the 
various stages of its development by the National Academy of 
Sciences. The Committee has relied on these reviews to help 
judge the merits of this program. The Committee instructs the 
Survey that in the future no significant departure from the 
original design of NAWQA be presented unless a National Academy 
review is available to substantiate the need for such a 
modification.
    The Committee has included funding for USGS participation 
in the Federal Interagency National Acid Precipitation 
Assessment Program, including coordination and operation of the 
National Trends Network. The Committee feels that this is an 
important research activity of the USGS, and directs the USGS 
to continue its involvement at the fiscal year 1997 level.
    The Committee encourages and expects the USGS to explore 
the practicality and utility of developing a cooperative 
partnership with the National Water Trust, a public/private 
consortium being developed in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
    Biological research.--The Committee recommends $147,794,000 
for biological research, including increases of $2,659,000 for 
fixed costs, $1,000,000 for the cooperative research units, 
$2,000,000 for Federal lands research, $500,000 for coastal 
habitats research, $500,000 for Great Lakes research, $500,000 
for endocrine disrupter research, $500,000 for information 
management, $2,500,000 to establish a pilot grant program, and 
$135,000 to continue funding the community-based wetlands 
science education activities of the Caddo Lake Scholars 
program.
    The Committee has not approved the requested new funding 
for the Park Service to establish cooperative ecosystem study 
units. Two years ago the Committee recognized the USGS as the 
Department's single science agency. It is not the intent of the 
Committee to undermine that direction. However, the Committee 
recognizes that this is a unique time for land management 
agencies. There is a growing demand for sound science on which 
to base resource management decisions and at the same time 
limited Federal resources for science. Therefore there is a 
need for new partnerships and the Committee recognizes the 
value of cooperative activities directed to integrating the 
physical, biological and social sciences in evaluating 
scientifically sound and cost-effective approaches to address 
issues pertaining to the management of Federal lands. Programs 
that bring together resource managers, researchers, and science 
program administrators to examine natural resource issues from 
an integrated, multidisciplinary perspective are to be 
encouraged. While not approving the Park Service's request, the 
Committee encourages the Department to strengthen ties with 
academia and the States through cooperative university-based 
regional activities that leverage public and private funds and 
share personnel. To this end, the Committee has provided an 
additional $2,500,000 within the cooperative research units to 
establish a pilot competitive grant program to support high 
priority, multidisciplinary research needs of the land 
management bureaus. In considering applications, the survey is 
to consider the extent to which the proposals could fill 
critical research need of the land management agencies and the 
extent to which grants would further partnerships between 
Federal agencies and private/university cooperators.
    The Committee directs that no further reductions shall be 
made at the Tunison field station and that every effort should 
be made to provide additional resources for the laboratory.
    General administration.--The Committee recommends 
$25,584,000 for general administration, including an increase 
of $779,000 for fixed costs and a decrease of $252,000 from 
executive direction support.
    Facilities.--The Committee recommends $22,575,000 for 
facilities, including an increase of $30,000 for fixed costs 
and a decrease of $250,000 from rental payments.
    The Committee is concerned with the viability of the USGS 
library, which serves many users and purposes, and expects the 
USGS to maintain in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 funding for the 
library (including acquisitions) at no less than the library's 
fiscal year 1996 level.

                      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 
1998, MMS expects to collect and distribute about $6.7 billion 
from more than 72,000 active Federal and Indian leases. In 
addition, about $75 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, 1997...........................      $156,955,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       157,922,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       139,621,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -17,334,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -18,301,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:



    The Committee recommends $139,621,000 for royalty and 
offshore minerals management, a decrease of $18,301,000 below 
the budget request. The Committee recommendation includes 
increases in royalty management of $2,092,000 in valuation and 
operations and $2,607,000 in compliance and an increase of 
$1,000,000 in OCS lands to establish a clearinghouse for 
offshore petroleum production information at the University of 
New Orleans. The increases in royalty management will restore 
that program to the fiscal year 1997 level. The increases are 
more than offset by the use of an additional $24,000,000 in 
excess receipts in the OCS lands activity which decreases the 
appropriation for that program.
    The current 5-Year Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program 
is the most limited leasing program ever approved by the 
Secretary. Given this narrowing of the acreage offered for 
lease and the fact that U.S. oil imports now exceed 50 percent 
of domestic consumption, it is even more important that the MMS 
conduct the lease sales proposed in the program on schedule. 
The MMS should also minimize any further block deletions to the 
maximum extent practicable, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico 
which is undergoing a renaissance and offers the best hope the 
Nation has to stem the decline in domestic oil production. The 
entire Central and Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas are 
highly prospective hydrocarbon basins, and any further block 
deletions in these two planning areas should be based on sound 
science.
    The Committee has received several expressions of concern 
from industry about the proposed new oil valuation regulations 
and expects the MMS to work diligently to address these 
concerns before finalizing that rulemaking.
    The Committee has had a long-standing 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.
    Bill Language.--Bill language has been included under 
General Provisions, Department of the Interior to prohibit the 
use of funds for Outer Continental Shelf leasing activities in 
several areas. The leasing restrictions included for fiscal 
year 1998 are similar to those in previous fiscal years. The 
Administration has supported continuing these provisions for 
another year, while updating the language to conform to the 
current five-year plan. The areas covered by the Committee's 
recommendation include Northern, Central and Southern 
California, the North Atlantic, Washington-Oregon, Florida, the 
Mid and South Atlantic, and the North Aleutian Basin in Alaska. 
The revision proposed by the Administration, and included by 
the Committee, reflects the inclusion in the five-year plan of 
a sale in a small area offshore Florida and Alabama that was 
previously under moratoria. The governors of Florida and 
Alabama have expressed their support for this sale which is 
scheduled for 2001.

                           Oil Spill Research

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $6,440,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         6,118,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         6,118,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          -322,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $6,118,000, 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 equal to the budget 
request.

          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. The Committee has 
accepted the new business lines budget structure which was 
phased in last year. Funding levels for activities are provided 
in the new structure, and comparisons illustrate the changes 
relative to the new structure.

                       regulation and technology

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $94,672,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        93,709,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        95,437,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +765,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +1,728,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $95,437,000 for regulation and 
technology, $1,728,000 above the budget request and $765,000 
above the 1997 funding level. The amounts recommended by the 
Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are 
shown in the following table:




    The Committee has included a modest increase to cover 
partially fixed cost increases. The OSM was dramatically 
downsized during 1996. The Committee hopes that the OSM can now 
experience a period of relative stability at the same time that 
it increases its partnerships with States, tribes, citizens, 
and industry.

                    abandoned mine reclamation fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $177,085,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       177,348,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       179,624,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +2,539,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +2,276,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $179,624,000 for the abandoned 
mine reclamation fund, an increase of $2,276,000 above the 
budget request and an increase of $2,539,000 above the 1997 
funding level. The amounts recommended by the Committee 
compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the 
following table:



    The Committee has included $5,000,000, as requested, for 
the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative to address acid mine 
drainage problems which have destroyed over 7,000 miles of 
streams. The Committee is encouraged by this partnership effort 
and the ability of the OSM to bring various governmental, non-
governmental, and industry groups together to leverage federal 
funds to tackle this difficult problem. The Committee 
allocation includes an increase of $2,000,000 to ensure 
priority State restoration projects are accomplished. In 
addition, the Committee has included $276,000 to cover 
partially fixed cost increases within the OSM.
    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 1998 is $18 million. 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 and bill language which 
provides $5,000,000 to be used for projects in the Appalachian 
Clean Streams Initiative.

                        Bureau of Indian Affairs

                      operation of indian programs

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................    $1,443,502,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................     1,542,305,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................     1,526,815,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +83,313,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -15,490,000
                                                                        

    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 118 day schools, 48 boarding 
schools, and 14 dormitories. Lastly, the Bureau administers 
more than 46 million acres of tribally owned land.
    The Committee recommends $1,526,815,000 for the operation 
of Indian programs, an increase of $83,313,000 above the fiscal 
year 1997 level and a decrease of $15,490,000 from the budget 
estimate. The Committee agrees to all internal transfers 
proposed by the BIA in the budget request. Bill language is 
included providing for two-year funding.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:


    Tribal priority allocations.--The Committee recommends 
$757,348,000 for tribal priority allocations, the same as the 
budget request.
    The Committee supports the principles of Indian self 
determination and applauds the efforts of tribes to assume 
administration of BIA schools and programs. Currently over half 
of the BIA programs, including schools, are operated by tribes. 
The Committee also recognizes that the Bureau continues to 
reduce administrative costs in order to provide maximum 
resources directly to tribes. In particular, the Committee 
notes that the BIA has proposed a transfer of $3,400,000 in 
downsizing savings to TPA. However, as a prerequisite to 
contracting for additional Federal programs, sufficient funds 
must be available to the BIA to pay severance and lump sum 
payments to those Federal employees displaced as a result of 
tribal contracting activity. Therefore, the Committee directs 
the Bureau to use up to $3,400,000 of TPA funds to meet 
partially employee displacement costs related to increased 
contract and grant activity, including but not limited to TPA 
programs. While an increase is also provided for employee 
displacement in special program and pooled overhead, some 
tribes may still experience delays in contracting for BIA 
programs and schools. The Bureau is encouraged to work with the 
tribes to phase in contracting activity over time when employee 
displacement funds are insufficient.
    Other recurring programs.--The Committee recommends 
$547,796,000 for other recurring programs, including increases 
of $7,697,000 for fixed costs, $2,000,000 for Indian School 
Equalization Program (ISEP) funds, $1,000,000 for student 
transportation, $1,000,000 for tribally controlled community 
colleges and $5,000,000 for the Indian self-determination fund, 
and a decrease of $3,067,000 for internal transfers.
    Within resources management $800,000 is included for the 
Bering Sea Fisherman's Association, $325,000 for the Chugach 
Regional Resources Commission, and $69,000 for the Alaska Sea 
Otter Commission. Funding for the Native American Fish and 
Wildlife Society (NAFWS) is continued at the fiscal year 1997 
level. 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 
$60,606,000 for non-recurring programs, including increases of 
$405,000 for fixed costs and $427,000 for Gila River Farms, and 
a decrease of $2,668,000 for internal transfers.
    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.
    Central office operations.--The Committee recommends 
$47,339,000 for central office operations, including increases 
of $940,000 for fixed costs and $500,000 for records 
management, and a decrease of $600,000 for internal transfers.
    Area office operations.--The Committee recommends 
$41,686,000 for area office operations, including increases of 
$893,000 for fixed costs and $2,000,000 for land records, and a 
decrease of $68,000 for internal transfers.
    Special programs and pooled overhead.--The Committee 
recommends $72,040,000 for special programs and pooled 
overhead, including increases of $337,000 for fixed costs and 
$2,000,000 for employee displacement costs, and decreases of 
$1,569,000 for trust services and $2,801,000 for internal 
transfers.
    The Committee is disappointed with the Bureau's failure to 
respond adequately to the reorganization direction included in 
last year's report. Because of compacts, contracts, and grants, 
the Bureau has reduced some agency offices to less than five 
Federal employees that provide only limited trust functions yet 
the Bureau continues to identify these units as agencies. The 
Committee directs that these small units be consolidated into 
area or other agency offices. In addition, the Committee 
continues to believe that consolidation of area offices is 
viable and important to the Bureau and offers opportunities to 
produce significant savings. Any savings in resources made by 
these efforts should be available for transfer to tribes and/or 
tribal priority allocations subject to reprogramming after 
payment of employee displacement costs.
    The Committee has included bill language to allow the 
Cibecue Community School to use carryover school operations 
funds for the construction of a new high school facility. The 
language requires compliance with applicable building codes and 
that any requirement for additional construction funding for 
this facility come from non-Federal sources.
    Language has been included under Administrative Provisions, 
Department of the Interior, limiting the investment of Federal 
funds by Indian tribes to obligations of the United States or 
obligations that are guaranteed by the United States.
    In fiscal year 1998, the Bureau should continue to pay for 
and provide for current levels of service to the Office of 
Special Trustee (OST) for Information Resource Management 
systems and other contractual costs to support existing 
mainframe computers, licenses, and other costs similar to 1997. 
The Committee recognizes that BIA's IRM resources are limited 
and that system enhancements may be needed by both BIA and OST 
trust systems. The Committee expects that investments in 
information technology will be implemented in a coordinated and 
cost effective manner that ensures no duplication of resources 
between BIA and OST, particularly in the area of 
telecommunications.

                              construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $100,531,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       125,118,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       110,751,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +10,220,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -14,367,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:



    Education.--The Committee recommends $49,179,000 for 
education construction, including increases of $40,000 for 
fixed costs, $10,000,000 for construction of the Many Farms 
school which is the next school on the priority list, and 
$8,000,000 for FI&R to begin to address the significant backlog 
problems.
    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 1997. 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 
$5,400,000 for public safety and justice, including an increase 
of $1,000,000 for FI&R to begin to address the significant 
backlog problems.
    General administration.--The Committee recommends 
$7,851,000 for general administration and construction 
management, including an increase of $105,000 for fixed costs.
    Resources management.--The Committee recommends $48,321,000 
for resources management, including increases of $75,000 for 
fixed costs and $2,000,000 for safety of dams, and a decrease 
of $5,000,000 for the Wapato irrigation project.

 indian land and water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to 
                                indians

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $69,241,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        59,352,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        41,352,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -27,889,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -18,000,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $41,352,000 for Indian land and 
water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to Indians, 
including an increase of $11,000 for fixed costs and decreases 
of $8,000,000 for Fallon, $10,000,000 for Pyramid Lake, and 
$9,900,000 for Northern Cheyenne.

                 indian guaranteed loan program account

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $5,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         5,004,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         5,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1997.............................            -4,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for the Indian 
guaranteed loan program.

                          Departmental Offices

                            Insular Affairs

                       assistance to territories

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $65,188,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        67,214,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        68,214,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +3,026,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +1,000,000
                                                                        

    The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on 
August 4, 1995 through Secretarial Order No. 3191 which also 
abolished the former Office of Territorial and International 
Affairs. The OIA has important responsibilities to help the 
United States government fulfill its responsibilities to the 
four U.S. territories (Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin 
Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands 
(CNMI)) and the three freely associated states: the Federated 
States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall 
Islands and the Republic of Palau. The permanent and trust fund 
payments to the territories and the compact nations provide 
substantial financial resources to these governments. With the 
signing of the fiscal year 1996 Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act a large re-allocation of CNMI covenant 
grants was achieved. This reallocation: helps the Government of 
Guam with the impact of Micronesian immigrants on social and 
education programs; meets significant capital improvement needs 
in American Samoa; helps rehabilitate and resettle Rongelap 
Atoll; and helps with a variety of other problems in the 
Northern Marianas.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table: 



    Territorial Assistance.--The Committee recommends 
$17,440,000, which is $1,000,000 above the budget request and 
$3,018,000 above the 1997 funding level. The Committee expects 
the OIA to work closely with the insular governments to ensure 
that technical assistance funding is used efficiently and that 
high priority needs are identified and met. The Committee is 
very concerned about the current adverse impacts to the islands 
caused by the brown tree snake and potential devastation to 
Hawaii. Accordingly, the Committee has funded fully the request 
of $1,600,000 for this activity and has also included an 
increase of $1,000,000 for other technical assistance projects 
so that the focus on the brown tree snake effort does not 
detract from needed activities elsewhere. The Committee expects 
the OIA to continue to play a major coordinating role in 
Federal efforts directed at the brown tree snake problem to 
ensure that these resources support the Brown Tree Snake 
Control Plan and that the interests of the insular areas are 
represented. The Committee directs the OIA to submit a report 
by March 31, 1998 summarizing brown tree snake control and 
research efforts and the collaborative effort which includes 
the Department of the Interior bureaus and the involvement of 
insular governments, as well as other Federal and non-
governmental institutions.
    CNMI/Covenant grants.--The Committee recommends the 
mandatory grants as requested, $27,720,000. This includes the 
budget request of $11,000,000 for CNMI construction, $4,580,000 
for impact aid to Guam, $10,140,000 for American Samoa 
construction according to the American Samoa capital investment 
program as updated, and $2,000,000 for the CNMI labor and law 
enforcement initiative. The Committee is concerned with 
administration activities regarding the immigration and minimum 
wage issue in the CNMI. The Committee will watch carefully the 
activities of the OIA to see that it works to promote economic, 
social, and political development that will lead to greater 
self-government for the territories.
    American Samoa.--The Committee recommends $23,054,000, as 
requested, for American Samoa operations grants. The Committee 
remains concerned about the need to implement meaningful 
reforms as outlined in the financial recovery plan, including 
the imposition of reasonable user fees and reduction in the 
size of the government. In addition, the Committee emphasizes 
that it is vital for American Samoa to maintain an up-to-date 
capital investment plan that clearly identifies priority 
projects and to make this updated plan available to the 
Committee when the Department submits budget justifications.
    Guam.--The Committee notes the $4,580,000 payment to Guam 
using Covenant grant funds to address the impact resulting from 
the implementation of the compact of Free Association Act.
    Virgin Islands.--The Committee has included no special 
funding for the Virgin Islands but notes that some of the 
$1,000,000 increase provided for technical assistance to the 
OIA may be used for priority projects involving the Virgin 
Islands.

                      compact of free association

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $23,538,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        20,445,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        20,445,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -3,093,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $20,445,000, as requested, for the 
compact of free association. This is $3,093,000 below the 1997 
funding level. The amounts recommended by the Committee 
compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the 
following table:




    Federal services assistance.--The Committee recommends 
$7,354,000 as requested, an increase of $390,000 above the 1997 
funding level.
    Program grant assistance.--The Committee recommends 
$12,000,000 as requested, a decrease of $1,500,000 from the 
1997 funding level.
    Enewetak support.--The Committee recommends $1,091,000 as 
requested, the same funding level as in 1997 and previous 
years. The Committee remains concerned about the level of 
progress being made at food production, and directs the OIA to 
submit a report to the Committee by March 31, 1998 summarizing 
the status of food production and the prognosis for future food 
support funding needs.
    Rongelap Atoll.--On September 19, 1996, an agreement 
regarding United States assistance in the resettlement of 
Rongelap Atoll was concluded between the Department of the 
Interior and the Rongelap Atoll local government. The Committee 
understands that this financial arrangement is a full and final 
settlement and completes the United States financial 
commitment. Accordingly, the Committee recommends no additional 
payment be made beyond this agreement.

                        Departmental Management

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $58,286,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        58,286,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        58,286,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $58,286,000 for fiscal year 1998. 
This is the same amount as the 1997 enacted level and the 
fiscal year 1998 budget request. The Committee continues to 
urge the Department to ensure that administrative practices 
that consume a large amount of staff time are eliminated or 
greatly reduced. 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 or complex legal 
situation.
    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 directs the Department to 
submit a report to the Committee by March 31, 1998 documenting 
by bureau actions taken to reduce administrative bureaucracy 
and eliminate excess positions over the last three years and 
planned through the year 2000.

                        Office of the Solicitor

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $35,443,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        35,443,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        35,443,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $35,443,000 which is equal to the 
1997 enacted level and the fiscal year 1998 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.

                      Office of Inspector General

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $24,439,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        24,500,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        24,439,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................            61,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $24,439,000, the same as the 
enacted level and a $61,000 decrease from the budget request.

                   National Indian Gaming Commission

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $1,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         1,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         1,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $1,000,000, the budget request, 
for the National Indian Gaming Commission.

           Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $32,126,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        39,337,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        32,126,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -7,211,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $32,126,000 for the office of the 
special trustee for American Indians, the same as the fiscal 
year 1997 level and a decrease of $7,211,000 below the budget 
request.
    OST is proposing that 1997 and 1998 funding be used to 
acquire a trust system that goes beyond its direct operating 
responsibilities for individual Indian monies accounting, into 
the asset management functions of BIA, BLM, and MMS. However, 
the Strategic Plan provides little analysis on the 
interrelationship of the proposed system to existing systems 
and operations of the BIA, BLM, and MMS. The Committee is 
concerned about the lack of analysis of alternatives in the 
Strategic Plan given the significant resources being requested 
and specific GAO guidance with regard to development of the 
Strategic Plan. It seems infeasible that there is only one 
possible solution for all account types and processes. Prior to 
moving forward with the acquisition of any system, the Special 
Trustee is directed to ensure that the acquisition meets the 
requirements of the Information Technology Management Reform 
Act and has been approved by the Department. The Committee 
expects OST to make as much use as possible of existing and 
planned Departmental resources, including telecommunication 
resources.
    The Committee is encouraged by the progress made by OST in 
cleaning up the IIM data base and the interim improvements made 
to the current IIM system to improve accounting procedures. The 
Committee has no objections to the use of 1997 and 1998 funding 
for data cleanup and similar activities. However, activities 
should commence only on a coordinated basis with the affected 
bureaus. Funding for land records backlogs has been provided 
under BIA.
    The Committee recognizes that there is a serious problem 
with records management in OST/BIA and that the cost of poor 
record keeping is significant. However, the Committee is not 
convinced that establishment of a National Indian Fiduciary 
Records Center is the most effective solution. Therefore, no 
funds should be used to implement a centralized Indian records 
center as currently proposed by OST. The Committee believes it 
is imperative to develop workable alternative records 
management approaches, with independent assessments of costs 
and benefits, that are suitable to all agencies and bureaus 
involved. While OST and BIA cannot entirely rely on the 
National Archive and Records Administration to correct its 
records management deficiencies, NARA does have oversight 
responsibilities for Federal records management functions and 
possesses substantial records management expertise. 
Accordingly, the Committee expects OST to work closely with 
NARA in developing and implementing records management 
improvements.
    Funding for records management improvements may be used for 
joint training of OST and BIA staff; examination, disposal, and 
indexing of inactive records, and shipment to adequate storage 
facilities; contracts to develop workable alternative records 
management approaches; and other necessary corrective actions. 
The Committee expects that NARA will review any RFPs and 
provide advice in the selection of any contractor or expert 
engaged to develop and study workable alternative records 
management approaches. The Committee expects that these funds 
will be used based on a cooperative approach between BIA and 
OST as well as other impacted bureaus and agencies. The 
Committee recognizes that there are all types of records (trust 
and non-trust) dispersed throughout BIA in inadequate 
environments. The Committee expects that the examination and 
disposal of these records will proceed in a manner that will be 
cost effective for all records, not just trust records.
    The Committee understands that system enhancements are 
needed to BIA's Land Records Information System (LRIS), 
including enhancements to automate historic chain-of-title 
information and to provide field offices automated on-line 
access to the ownership data within the LRIS system. Such 
improvements will help prevent new backlogs from forming. 
Funding for LRIS systems enhancements is provided under the OST 
appropriation in fiscal year 1998 to ensure trust reform 
efforts are coordinated. The Committee directs the Special 
Trustee to allocate from funds available for trust system 
improvements a minimum of $1,000,000 for LRIS enhancements 
during 1998.
    Based upon tribal testimony received by the Committee, 
tribes seem to be unanimously opposed to implementation of the 
Special Trustee's Strategic Plan. Given that millions of 
dollars were provided to OST to complete the Strategic Plan, 
the Committee is disturbed that the results are unacceptable to 
tribes. Many tribes requested that language be included 
directing the Special Trustee to halt implementation until 
tribes have reached agreement on the plan, mainly objecting to 
establishment of a new entity and removal of trust functions 
from BIA. Generally, there appears to be support for systems 
improvements related to trust funds management, particularly 
IIM accounting. Since there is no broad support for the 
establishment of a new entity or a bank, the Special Trustee is 
directed not to plan further or implement any improvement 
efforts that move to or are in support of establishment of a 
new entity or a bank. Rather, the Special Trustee and affected 
bureaus, particularly BIA, should work together to develop and 
implement necessary reforms in a cooperative, and coordinated 
manner, and consult, as appropriate, with tribes on development 
and implementation.
    The Special Trustee is reminded of the Committee directive 
requiring regular reports to the Committee on progress made in 
the trust funds area. In fiscal year 1996, the report was to be 
submitted quarterly within 30 days of each quarter end; the 
Committee received only one report for fiscal year 1996 and 
that report was not received until April 1997. The Committee 
has changed the reporting requirement to semi-annual in 1997 
and expects to receive these reports in a timely manner, 
particularly since Congress has doubled funding for OST since 
1996. The Committee expects to be kept fully informed as to the 
improvements planned and implemented with these resources.

             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.
    Section 107 prohibits implementing a final rule concerning 
rights-of-way under section 2477 of the Revised Statutes. This 
section 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 Statutes. 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 107 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 108 through 111 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.
    Section 112 limits the investment of Federal funds by 
tribes and tribal organizations to obligations of the United 
States or obligations insured by the United States.
    Section 113 provides authority for lump sum payments of 
severance pay and continued health benefits to Federal Helium 
Operations employees who have been separated as a result of the 
closure of the helium program.
    Section 114 includes language requiring the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service to obtain the approval of the House 
and Senate Committees on Appropriations prior to the creation 
of any new regional office.

                       TITLE II--RELATED AGENCIES

                       DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                             Forest Service

    The U.S. Forest Service manages 192 million acres of public 
lands for multiple use nationwide, including lands in 44 
States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The Forest Service 
administers a wide variety of programs, including forest and 
rangeland research, State and private forestry assistance, 
wildfire suppression and fuels reduction, cooperative forest 
health programs, and human resource programs. The National 
Forest System (NFS) includes 156 national forests, 20 national 
grasslands, 4 national monuments, 9 land utilization projects, 
and the nation's first national tallgrass prairie established 
in 1996. The NFS is managed for multiple use, including timber 
production, recreation, wilderness, minerals, grazing, fish and 
wildlife habitat management, and soil and water conservation. 
The NFS includes about 47% of the nation's softwood inventory 
and supplies about 10% of the nation's softwood timber and 
generates approximately $900 million per year in revenues. 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. Recreational use of national forest 
land amounted to approximately 800 million visits in 1996. The 
NFS includes over 125,000 miles of trails and 23,000 developed 
facilities, including 4,389 campgrounds, 58 major visitor 
centers, and about one-half of the nation's ski-lift capacity. 
Recreation facilities on NFS lands had a combined capacity of 
2.1 million people-at-one-time in 1995. There are 51 
Congressionally designated areas, including 19 national 
recreation areas and 7 national scenic areas. Wilderness areas 
cover 35 million acres, nearly two-thirds of the wilderness in 
the contiguous 48 States. The Forest Service also has major 
habitat management responsibilities for more than 3,000 species 
of wildlife and fish, and 10,000 plant species and provides 
important habitat and open space for 300 threatened or 
endangered 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.
    The Committee is extremely concerned about the problem of 
forest and rangeland health. There is a great need for a 
comprehensive approach, including (1) insect and disease 
suppression and the application of science, (2) hazardous fuels 
and fire management through appropriate fuel reduction, 
including mechanical and prescribed burning, and (3) forest, 
range, and aquatic improvements and restoration through 
thinning, salvage, native vegetation management, and proper 
road system maintenance. The Committee recommends enhancing the 
nation's forest health program and has provided funding beyond 
that enacted last year, including increases of: (1) $7.8 
million for forest and rangeland research; (2) $8.8 million for 
the forest health management accounts in State and Private 
Forestry; (3) $21 million for the fuels reduction program in 
the wildfire operations account; and (4) $10 million for 
National Forest System forest vegetation management, $2.3 
million for rangeland vegetation management, $3.0 million for 
wildlife habitat management, and $6.1 million for watershed 
improvements. The Committee also recommends an increase of $4 
million for road maintenance to help minimize adverse impacts 
to the environment and yet maintain needed public and 
management access to the NFS lands.

                     forest and rangeland research

    Forest and rangeland research conducts research through a 
network of six regional research and/or experiment stations, a 
national forest products laboratory, and the International 
Institute for Tropical Forestry. Scientific information is 
essential for formulating policy and responsibly managing and 
conserving the health and productivity of all forests and 
rangelands of the United States.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $179,786,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       179,781,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       187,644,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +7,858,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +7,863,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $187,644,000 for forest and 
rangeland research, an increase of $7,863,000 above the budget 
request and $7,858,000 above the 1997 funding level. This 
funding includes, as described in the budget request, $200,000 
to continue the ``CROP'' project on stagnated forest lands 
within the Colville National Forest, $300,000 for the landscape 
management project at the University of Washington, $250,000 to 
support research and outreach activities at the Olympic Natural 
Resources Center, $1,350,000 to support the Evanston Research 
Office, including $500,000 for the ongoing Lincoln Park 
ecosystem restoration project, and $250,000 for the Arid Lands 
Consortium. The urban forestry research studies at Syracuse, NY 
and UC Davis, CA should be funded at least at the 1997 level. 
In addition, increased funds have been provided including 
$3,000,000 to enhance the forest inventory and analysis (FIA) 
program for the south and southeast and $1,000,000 to enhance 
forest health projects in the Rocky Mountain research station. 
The remainder of the increase is to cover partially fixed cost 
increases for the overall program.
    The Committee urges the Forest Service to enhance State, 
industry and citizens partnerships for the FIA program and 
encourages the southern station to use the increased funds to 
strive towards a 5-year inventory cycle. The Committee urges 
that the increased forest health funding for the Rocky Mountain 
station be used for studies of the economic utilization of 
materials removed for fuels reduction and to inventory fuel 
conditions on pilot areas, as well as study options for fuel 
removal and prescribed fire and the effects of these options on 
insect and disease problems, on watershed and habitat values, 
and on recreational use of forest lands. The Committee expects 
that the research project funding levels indicated in the 
supporting materials to the budget justification will be 
followed absent a reprogramming request.

                       state and private forestry

    Through cooperative programs with State and local 
governments as well as with the 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 Forest Service provides special 
expertise and disease suppression for all Federal and tribal 
lands, as well as cooperative assistance with the States for 
State and private lands. The stewardship program affects over 
3.5 million acres of private forests and assists over 200,000 
woodland owners. The urban and community forestry program 
assists over 13,000 urban areas.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $155,461,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       156,408,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       157,922,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +2,461,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +1,514,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $157,922,000 for State and private 
forestry, $1,514,000 above the budget request and $2,461,000 
above the 1997 funding level.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table: 


    Forest health management.--The Committee recommends 
$74,992,000 for forest health management, which is $4,000,000 
above the budget request and $8,826,000 above the 1997 funding 
level. The Federal lands forest health management account 
provides forest health science and suppression services for all 
Federal lands (BLM, NPS, FWS, and DOD) and tribal lands, and 
funds science and survey work for the States. The Committee is 
very concerned with forest health in the broad sense, and 
accordingly has funded fully the Forest Service request and has 
provided an increase of $4,000,000 to enhance the vital 
partnership with the State foresters for cooperative fire 
management. The Committee understands that this funding level 
will support fully the agency's 1998 needs for insect and pest 
treatments (including gypsy moth suppression), inventories and 
assessments. If additional pest emergencies arise, the 
Committee would look favorably on reprogramming or supplemental 
funding requests. The Committee urges the Forest Service to 
take a comprehensive forest health view and include substantial 
efforts to manage and control noxious, exotic and alien plants 
on NFS lands. Forest health inventories and planned actions 
need to be incorporated into the national forest land 
management plans such that a complete understanding of current 
and desired future conditions emerges and is developed in 
cooperation with the public.
    Cooperative forestry.--The Committee recommends $82,930,000 
for cooperative forestry, $2,486,000 below the budget request 
and $6,365,000 below the 1997 funding level. Given the great 
urgency and backlog of public land management funding needs, 
the Committee has focused its limited resources there; yet the 
Committee recommendation maintains the stewardship incentives 
program and the forest legacy program at the 1997 funding 
level. The Committee recommendation for urban and community 
forestry includes $11,007,000 for the northeast and midwest 
($1,550,000 for the Chicago area); the urban forestry activity 
also includes funding for the urban resources partnership 
program. The Committee recommendation includes $1,250,000 in 
the urban and community forestry activity and $500,000 in the 
forest stewardship activity to support the northeastern 
Pennsylvania community forestry program. Within the economic 
action program the Committee has provided $1,000,000 for the 
wood in transportation program as requested, $1,150,000 for the 
forest products conservation and recycling program as 
requested, and $5,000,000 to continue the rural development 
through forestry program, of which $3,000,000 is included for 
the northeast and midwest. The Chesapeake Bay program and the 
National Agroforestry Center should be funded at least at the 
1997 level.

                         International Forestry

    The Committee has not provided specific funding for 
international forestry activities, similar to the past two 
years. The Committee recommends that the Forest Service may, 
with appropriate reprogramming approval of the Committee, spend 
up to $3,000,000 from benefiting functions to cover vital 
international activities of benefit to those programs.

                         National Forest System

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................    $1,278,176,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................     1,325,672,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................     1,364,480,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +86,304,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +38,808,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $1,364,480,000 for the National 
Forest System, $38,808,000 above the budget request and 
$86,304,000 above the 1997 funding level. The amounts 
recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates 
by activity are shown in the following table: 



    Land management planning.--The Committee recommends 
$36,174,000 for land management planning. This funding is 
provided for national forest and grassland planning, including 
plan amendments, revisions, and updates. The Committee notes 
that this funding level is equal to the budget request for this 
activity and is $1,050,000 above the 1997 level. There should 
be no budgetary reasons for the Forest Service not to make full 
progress on forest planning because the Committee is 
recommending the requested funding level for this activity. The 
Committee remains very concerned with the total cost of forest 
planning and the lack of controls over both the cost of the 
activity and the products resulting. The Committee has 
separated out the inventory and monitoring functions from the 
forest planning functions so the Committee can track the true 
cost of forest planning, and to ensure that needed inventory 
and monitoring actions are funded.
    The Committee urges the Forest Service to continue progress 
in updating out-of-date forest plans. The updated plans should 
incorporate realistic budgetary projections and should include 
a realistic outline of the program of work, and resulting 
costs, that are being projected and planned. There needs to be 
a linkage between the forest planning processes, where public 
input is used to make land management decisions and 
projections, and the budgetary formulation and allocation 
process. The Committee urges the Forest Service to include 
realistic and clear projections of the forest planning 
workload, with cost estimates by forest and region, in the next 
and subsequent budget justifications. The Committee directs the 
Forest Service to provide a report to the Committee by January 
15, 1998 describing the methods by which the Forest Service 
plans to implement linkages between the budgetary formulation 
and allocation process and the forest planning process.
    Inventory and monitoring.--The Committee recommends 
$90,964,000 for inventory and monitoring activities. This 
funding level is $6,839,000 below the comparable budget request 
and is $4,000,000 below the 1997 funding provided for these 
activities. The Committee takes note of the recent General 
Accounting Office reports on decision making and has therefore 
isolated the inventory and monitoring costs so there should be 
no further reason for the Forest Service to continue to avoid 
meaningful monitoring activities. The Committee expects that 
the inventory and monitoring activities will be forest-plan 
driven and will provide reliable, scientifically sound 
information needed for multiple use management. The Committee 
urges the Forest Service to maintain information about 
landslide susceptibility and geological mapping as part of the 
forest plan inventory process. The Committee recommendation 
includes $8,000,000 for watershed assessments as part of the 
President's Pacific Northwest plan implementation.
    Recreation use.--The Committee recommends $218,293,000 for 
recreation use, $2,000,000 above the budget request and 
$7,142,000 above the 1997 funding level. The Committee is 
pleased with the spirit of entrepreneurship and action that the 
Forest Service has used to implement the recreation fee 
demonstration program, and accordingly has increased the 
recreation management activity funding so that all fixed cost 
increases are covered. The Committee encourages the Forest 
Service to continue in this spirit and to be more inclusive of 
non-traditional recreation projects when selecting additional 
pilots for the demonstration program. The Committee stresses 
that the recreation fee demonstration authority is intended to 
permit the Federal agencies to enter into cooperative 
agreements with other Federal, State, county, city, tribal, and 
other governmental entities for joint fee projects. The 
Committee intends that: (1) under these cooperative agreements, 
one party may collect fees authorized under another party's 
jurisdiction on behalf of that party and distribute those fees 
to that party; (2) once fees are divided according to a 
mutually agreed upon cooperative agreement, the process for 
allocating funds prescribed in the recreation fee demonstration 
should apply to fees authorized by the fee demonstration; and 
(3) these cooperative agreements should be attached to 
recreation fee demonstration project business plans and 
included in the parties' fiscal records. Detailed instructions 
regarding the implementation of the recreation fee 
demonstration project and reporting requirements are included 
at the front of this report so that similar requirements 
pertain to each of the four agencies included in the fee 
demonstration.
    The Committee is concerned that the Forest Service has not 
focused sufficient resources at Lake Isabella, CA, since the 
Forest Service took over management of the lake a few years 
ago. Therefore the Committee has provided funds in the 
construction account to help rehabilitate facilities, and the 
Committee urges the Forest Service to provide substantial 
operational funds from the increases to various appropriate NFS 
activities for the recreation area, and to consider updating 
the forest plan to include management standards and goals for 
the area.
    The Committee remains concerned about the methods employed 
to count visitation and urges the Forest Service to work with 
fellow land management agencies to derive compatible and 
consistent use measures. The Committee directs that the Forest 
Service report to the Committee by January 31, 1998 on 
visitation and use measures and the manner in which the Forest 
Service is improving in this area. The Committee recognizes the 
national significance of the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, 
and Florida National Scenic Trails and the Nez Perce National 
Historic Trail and provides $900,000 for their administration 
and an additional $300,000 for those parts of the Appalachian, 
North Country and Ice Age National Scenic Trails and the Lewis 
& Clark, Santa Fe, Iditarod, Oregon, California, and Pony 
Express and Overmountain Victory National Historic trails 
managed by the Forest Service. The Challenge Cost Share (CCS) 
program funding should be as described in the budget 
justification and be implemented as described under 
administrative provisions below.
    Wildlife, fish and rare plant habitat management.--The 
Committee recommends $97,704,000 for wildlife, fish and rare 
plant habitat management, $810,000 over the budget request and 
$11,893,000 over the 1997 funding level. The funding level for 
the threatened, endangered and sensitive (TES) species habitat 
management activity includes $90,000 for the southwestern 
willow flycatcher monitoring and management program at Lake 
Isabella, CA. The Committee encourages the Forest Service to 
provide technical assistance to counties on endangered species 
issues as appropriate. The CCS program funding should adhere to 
the budget justification and be implemented as described under 
administrative provisions below, except that the funding levels 
for the TES species and anadromous fish programs may be reduced 
because the Committee has not funded the budget request for 
these programs.
    Rangeland management.--The Committee recommends $43,313,000 
for rangeland management, $4,075,000 below the budget request 
but $3,000,000 above the 1997 funding level. The Committee 
notes the progress the Forest Service is making in fulfilling 
the grazing allotment schedule. The Committee notes the 40% 
funding increase provided to this program in 1997 and so has 
recommended limiting the increase this year. The Committee 
commends the Sharing Common Ground partnership program and has 
allocated $300,000 for this program within the increase 
provided. The Committee also notes the progress being made 
regarding noxious and exotic plants, and has included 
$4,000,000 within the rangeland vegetation management activity 
for on-the-ground work to help implement the new interagency 
strategy. These activities should be done in an integrated, 
interdisciplinary fashion consistent with forest plans. Forest 
plans should be updated to indicate management priorities and 
desired future conditions regarding exotic and noxious plant 
issues. Future interdisciplinary needs for this program, 
including research, forest health management, forestland and 
wildlife habitat management and wildland fire management, 
should be clearly spelled out in future budget justifications. 
The rangeland vegetation management activity should strive to 
include $500,000 in CCS projects.
    Forestland management.--The Committee recommends 
$275,765,000 for forestland management, $6,000,000 above the 
budget request and $23,997,000 above the 1997 funding level. 
The Committee is very concerned about the health of forests on 
national forest system lands and accordingly has provided a 
large increase to the forestland vegetation management 
activity. The Forest Service should use these funds to manage 
forests with appropriate commercial or non-commercial methods 
to result in healthier, well-stocked stands that will be more 
resistant to fires and disease problems but will still have 
valuable watershed and habitat value. Selection of priority 
stands for treatment should consider the resulting forest 
conditions, including the potential for fuels reduction, the 
potential for enhanced habitat values, as well as the potential 
for increased timber growth. The Forest Service should give 
priority for pre-commercial thinning to highly productive 
forests in the commercial timber base where small investments 
now may result in large future returns. The Forest Service is 
encouraged by the Committee to complete inventories of NFS old-
growth forests and to exercise care to avoid inadvertently 
including unidentified old-growth timber in new timber sales. 
The Forest Service should use $500,000 of the vegetation 
management funds within the CCS program so as to maximize the 
impact of these Federal funds. The Committee has included 
$300,000 to continue the CROP program to treat stagnated stands 
on the Colville National Forest and $350,000 to assist the Arid 
Lands Consortium. Now that the Forest Service has eliminated 
the reforestation backlog, the Committee has recommended (in 
section 322) amending the Reforestation Trust Fund Act to 
provide flexibility so the Forest Service can use these funds, 
if appropriate, for forest health enhancing activities to help 
reduce the backlog of lands that could benefit from management 
action.
    Timber sales.--The Committee is aware of the widespread 
forest health problems in the national forests across the 
country. In this regard, the Committee understands that the 
agency can use the timber sale program as a cost-efficient tool 
to thin and restructure forest stands. Funds within the timber 
sales management account may be used for this purpose, and the 
agency is encouraged to make every effort to include preventive 
forest health treatments as part of timber salvage efforts. To 
facilitate the fiscal year 1998 timber sale program and to 
ensure the most efficient expenditure of Federal 
appropriations, the Committee has funded the program to produce 
a total sale offer of 3.8 BBF, consisting of 2.525 BBF of 
``green'' sales, with an additional 1.275 BBF of salvage sales. 
The Committee notes that this harvest level is greatly reduced 
from recent times and that local economies cannot withstand 
further reductions to this program. The Committee expects the 
Forest Service to allocate funding in a manner which will 
optimize forest plan outputs, taking full advantage of green 
and salvage sale preparation capacity agency-wide. Funding 
should be allocated to those forests which have the highest 
likelihood of attaining current forest plan goals, objectives, 
and targets.
    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. The Committee is concerned with the 
escalating costs of the timber sales program and so endorsed 
the benefiting function concept and charge-as-worked in the 
1995 budget reform so that the Congress would better be able to 
track and control costs. Accordingly, the funding provided for 
timber sales should be sufficient to cover the various 
interdisciplinary project-related planning, inventory and 
analysis needed to complete environmental clearances. To ensure 
that Congress is adequately informed and notified of progress 
and delays in implementing the fiscal year 1998 program, the 
Committee requests the agency 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 and an 
identification of the volumes offered, sold, and harvested 
categorized as net merchantable sawtimber. Timber program 
accomplishments should report both green and salvage timber 
actually sold and transferred to purchasers and on the volume 
offered. Any additional salvage opportunities that may arise 
during fiscal year 1998 should not impact green sale targets. 
The Committee notes that timber sales contracts are offered to 
accomplish specific multiple resource objectives and hence it 
is inappropriate for timber purchasers to be awarded contracts 
if they have no intention of fulfilling the contract. The 
Committee notes that House Report 103-551 specifically allows 
Forest Service managers to use scaling when selling salvage 
sales or thinnings. The Committee expects the Forest Service to 
use fully the flexibility authorized in House Report 103-551 
for rapidly deteriorating timber.
    The 1996 appropriations act established the timber sales 
pipeline restoration fund to help the Forest Service obtain 
supplemental funding to do timber sales planning work. The 
Forest Service should provide the Committee a detailed report 
by January 31, 1998 on the operation of this fund and the 
schedule and plan for its full implementation and eventual 
termination once the pipeline volume is restored. The report 
should explain how the Forest Service will provide proper 
accounting of activities and receipts generated by the fund and 
a five year plan of action for use of the fund. This action 
plan should be updated and resubmitted to the Committees on 
Appropriations annually. Timber sales using this fund should be 
itemized in the regular quarterly sales reports.
    The government and purchasers of timber sales pursuant to 
section 2001(k)(3) (Public Law 104-19) reached agreement that 
these sales would be replaced in order to eliminate logging of 
certain environmentally sensitive sales. The total costs of 
timber sales work for these replacement sales is estimated at 
$17,000,000, of which to date the Forest Service has allocated 
$10,000,000. The Committee approves an additional $7,000,000 
reprogramming of soon to be expired funds appropriated prior to 
fiscal year 1997. The Committee expects that this will be 
sufficient funding to complete the replacement timber process 
for section 2001(k)(3).
    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 understands 
that a number of adjustments were made in Forest Service 
receipt accounts at the end of fiscal year 1996 to assure 
adequate funds were available for payments to States. 
Subsequently, the Northern Spotted Owl guarantee payment was 
made from the General Fund of the Treasury in accordance with 
Public Law 103-443. The Committee, therefore, encourages the 
Forest Service to reverse the adjustments made in 1996 before 
returning any funds to Treasury. The Committee also expects a 
report on the final actions taken by the Forest Service with 
regard to the 1996 payments to States. The report, submitted by 
January 31, 1998, should include a discussion of any policy 
changes being considered or implemented in 1997 with regard to 
the distribution of National Forest Fund receipts.
    Soil, water and air management.--The Committee recommends 
$52,729,000 for soil, water and air management, $3,000,000 
above the budget request and $10,615,000 above the 1997 funding 
level. The Committee has provided a substantial increase to 
this program because of its concern for overall forest and 
riparian health and long term site productivity, and recognizes 
the vital impact of soil, hydrology, and air expertise to 
contribute in a team effort to solving the overall land 
management situation. Included within the increase is 
sufficient funding to coordinate with States to assure that 
their State implementation plans for meeting air quality 
standards are updated to cover any increased Forest Service 
prescribed fire activities that are likely to result from the 
increased focus on treating hazardous fuels. The Committee 
recommends $25,000 for watershed monitoring at Waldo Lake, 
Oregon and the funding level for the CCS program should be 
increased to $750,000.
    Minerals and geology management.--The Committee recommends 
$36,767,000 for minerals and geology management, $1,432,000 
above the budget request and $1,000,000 above the 1997 funding 
level. The increase recommended by the Committee is for fixed 
cost increases.
    Land ownership management.--The Committee recommends 
$63,053,000 for land ownership management, $4,000,000 above the 
budget request and $6,000,000 above the 1997 funding level. The 
Committee expects the Forest Service to use the increase to 
enhance public service. Within the increase a minimum of 
$2,000,000 is to assist the Forest Service to contribute 
appropriate resource input to the relicensing of various 
hydropower projects on NFS lands and to assist Forest Service 
efforts to establish updated fair market values for hydropower 
facilities on NFS lands. The Committee recognizes that local 
communities and counties stand to benefit greatly from active 
Forest Service participation in the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) licensing and relicensing process. Fees 
currently collected for use on National Forest System lands do 
not reflect fair market value because they are based on an 
outdated market survey. The Committee feels that it is 
imperative that a method be established and implemented that 
accurately determines fair market value for the use of federal 
lands for hydropower development. The Committee therefore 
directs the Forest Service to provide a report by January 31, 
1998 on the options that could be used in determining and 
calculating fair market values for hydropower projects that use 
NFS lands and what the ramifications of a new system would be 
for Federal receipts. The Committee also recognizes that the 
Forest Service administration of hydropower projects involves a 
significant commitment of time and resources in meeting its 
statutory obligations. Congress through the passage of the 
Federal Power Act intended the FERC to collect funds from 
licensees to reimburse Federal agency contributions to the 
relicensing effort. This cost recovery mechanism would allow 
the Forest Service to participate fully in the relicensing 
process and ultimately provide significant benefits to forest 
users. The Committee therefore directs the Forest Service to 
provide a report to the Committee by January 31, 1998 on 
current expenditures and projected future collections needed to 
facilitate the relicensing effort. Documentation of these 
efforts and program needs should be made in the forest plans 
and should be clearly displayed in the budget justification for 
fiscal year 1999 and thereafter.
    Infrastructure management.--The Committee recommends 
$109,251,000 for infrastructure management, $2,000,000 above 
the budget request and $5,224,000 above the 1997 level. The 
Committee recognizes the great importance of proper road 
maintenance to provide access for the wide array of pubic 
service and recreation, as well as management activities, 
occurring on the vast NFS lands. The Committee also recognizes 
that the severe decline of the timber program in recent years 
has caused a dramatic decrease in available funds for road 
maintenance that is essential to provide public and government 
access as well as to prevent damage to soils, watersheds, 
streams and fish and wildlife habitat. Accordingly, the 
Committee has provided a substantial increase to help alleviate 
road maintenance problems and has doubled the funds to 
$10,000,000 that may be used to decommission or obliterate 
roads where they are no longer needed or are in environmentally 
sensitive areas. In addition, the Committee directs that the 
funds generated as a result of 16 U.S.C. 501 be used for 
priority road, trail and bridge maintenance projects to reduce 
the backlog. This will aid public use of the NFS lands and 
significantly enhance environmentally sensitive areas, 
especially along riparian areas and streams. The Committee 
directs the Forest Service to provide a summary report by March 
31, 1998 of facility, road and bridge maintenance, repair and 
replacement needs that clearly indicates the extent of the 
backlog and suggests a long-term plan for alleviating this 
situation. The report should explain how the Forest Service 
will include this workload in comprehensive transportation 
plans, and how these transportation plans will be linked to 
forest plans so that the local public has an opportunity to 
comment on desired future conditions for public access to NFS 
lands.
    Law enforcement operations.--The Committee recommends 
$63,967,000 for law enforcement operations, an increase of 
$2,000,000 above the budget request and $4,330,000 above the 
1997 funding level. The Committee is concerned about the use of 
Forest Service law enforcement resources in activities more 
appropriately handled by other law enforcement agencies. The 
Forest Service should collaborate and cooperate with States and 
local agencies to the greatest extent possible. The Committee 
is concerned about the expenditure of funds by the Forest 
Service on the Cleveland National Forest for the interdiction 
of illegal immigrants. The Committee notes that Forest Service 
law enforcement is expected to expend funds only for the 
protection of resources and public and employee safety. The 
Committee urges that neither permanent staffing nor assignment 
of law enforcement personnel on a temporary basis should exceed 
staffing levels on the Cleveland National Forest prior to 
initiation of Operation Gatekeeper by the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service.
    General administration.--The Committee recommends 
$276,500,000 for general administration, $26,500,000 above the 
budget request and $17,147,000 above the 1997 funding level. 
The Committee recognizes that general administration funding 
has lagged severely during recent years and that the agency and 
department request for funding for this activity was nearly 
$300 million. Hence, the Committee has provided an increase for 
general administration. The Committee remains concerned about 
the large investment in new computer equipment and information 
management but urges the Service to move ahead with the project 
615 procurement and installation. The Committee urges the 
Forest Service to improve the unacceptable fiscal situation and 
implement integrated fiscal and budget formulation and 
allocation systems that can be tied to forest plan objectives 
and a program of work. Such a system should help implement the 
requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 
1993. The Committee directs that the Forest Service provide a 
report by March 31, 1998 documenting progress being made in 
these fiscal matters and a plan for future implementation, 
including costs and performance measures. The Forest Service 
should collaborate as much as possible with fellow Federal land 
management agencies funded in this bill when implementing 
computer systems, geographic information systems and software, 
and geographic and analytical data and procedures. The 
Committee does not have the resources to support duplicative 
systems covering the same geographic areas that may be 
implemented by different agencies. Due to intermingled lands, 
close collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management is 
especially warranted.
    General.--The Committee is concerned about accountability 
for funds. Whereas the Committee has supported substantial 
simplification of Forest Service budget structures recently, 
there is an alarming tendency for the Forest Service to 
reprogram funds without Congressional notice or approval. As 
discussed by the Committee last year, the Forest Service is to 
maintain all specific Congressional designations, in any 
amount, or to submit a reprogramming request if any such 
designation is proposed for a change, even if it falls below 
the reprogramming levels specified above. There also is a lack 
of accountability for certain large programs. Because of this 
the Committee has included bill language regarding 
reprogramming of funds by the Forest Service.
    The Committee urges the Forest Service to maintain at least 
the 1997 funding level for the Pacific Northwest Forest plan 
and urges the Service to see that the ``Jobs in the Woods'' 
program is used to hire dislocated timber and forest workers 
from forest dependent communities and to provide job training 
in support of those workers.
    The Committee continues to support and encourage the land 
management agencies to work with each other to consolidate 
activities at the field level as a means of achieving savings 
and providing improved services to the public. The Committee 
recognizes the Trading Post pilot program of the BLM and the 
Forest Service as a means to promote customer service and 
efficiency in the management of public lands and national 
forests. The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture should 
use all the mechanisms and authorities available to them in 
support of the Trading Post pilot program, provided that no 
actions shall alter, expand, or limit the existing 
applicability of public laws and regulations pertaining to 
lands administered by the BLM or the Forest Service.
    The Committee commends Forest Service efforts to leverage 
its funds with non-Federal partners through its challenge cost 
share (CCS) program. The Committee expects that the Forest 
Service will comply with the suggested CCS funding levels in 
the budget justification special exhibit unless otherwise noted 
in this report. The Committee expects that CCS funds will not 
be used for purposes other than establishing joint activities 
with tribal, State, and private partners. Because each Federal 
dollar available for cost sharing results in more dollars 
available for on-the-ground activities, the Committee directs 
that a cap of 10 percent be placed on allowable Forest Service 
internal charges against CCS funds. As a result, at least 90 
percent of the funds appropriated for CCS would be available 
for matching partners at the field level.
    The Committee encourages the Forest Service to use 
contracting as much as practicable in forestry, engineering and 
other activities. The Committee is concerned that the Forest 
Service allocation of funds does not provide equitable 
treatment to all regions. The Service should reexamine its 
funding allocation criteria and demonstrate in the budget 
justification greater equity that reflects the program of work 
and the potential benefits.
    The Committee has included $1,600,000 for operations at the 
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
    The Committee seeks additional information on Forest 
Service activities dealing with the acquisition of water 
rights. By May 1, 1998, the Forest Service should provide a 
report detailing its short and long term plans for acquiring 
non-reserved water rights.
    The Committee remains concerned, as stated last year and 
confirmed by GAO reports, that the Forest Service is not 
realizing all of the funds possible through right-of-way 
agreements and encourages the Service to implement a market 
value approach to right-of-way processing to the extent 
feasible under existing law. The Committee commends the 
Cherokee National Forest's ongoing efforts to maximize public 
benefits accruing from investment in the Ocoee Olympic 
Whitewater venue and its partner efforts with the Tennessee 
Valley Authority, the State, and local stakeholders developing 
future uses of the site. As visitor numbers continue to exceed 
expectations at the Ocoee site, the Committee urges the Forest 
Service to maintain a commitment to planning and construction 
necessary to meet recreation needs, as well as balancing other 
competing demands and uses of the forest.
    Administrative provisions.--Bill language is included which 
prevents reprogramming without the advance approval of the 
House and Senate Committees on appropriations in compliance 
with the reprogramming procedures contained in the front of 
this report. The Committee expects the Forest Service to seek 
approval for desired changes to Congressionally designated 
allocations to accounts, activities, and projects. The 
Committee has continued language limiting clearcutting in the 
Wayne NF, OH and the Shawnee NF, IL and continued language 
regarding ``Jobs in the Woods'' grants in the State of 
Washington. The Committee has included langage to facilitate 
relocation of the San Bernardino National Forest supervisor's 
office to the former Norton Air Force Base. This retrofitting 
is estimated to cost $1,200,000. The Committee commends such 
cost saving efforts and encourages other agencies to collocate 
at this site, as appropriate. The Committee has also included 
language to facilitate cooperative efforts between the 
Secretary and the Pinchot Institute for Conservation for the 
purpose of restoring the Grey Towers National Historic 
Landmark. The Committee expects the Institute to pursue 
aggressively fund raising efforts to assist the restoration of 
this important facility.
    The Committee has continued language which requires advance 
submission of proposals to change regional boundaries, close 
regional or station headquarters offices, or change the 
appropriations structure, but the language does not require 
advance approval of efforts to change operations or boundaries 
at the ranger district or national forest level. The Committee 
notes that the new reprogramming guidelines are extremely 
important. The Committee expects that the guidelines will be 
followed in their entirety, including provisions regarding 
assessments, administrative overhead accounts, and initiation 
of new programs or changes to allocations specifically denied, 
limited, or increased by the Congress. The Committee directs 
the Forest Service to include the assessments known as national 
commitments, as well as similar entries or successors, as a 
part of the normal budget justification process, and submit a 
report to the Committee 90 days after this bill is enacted 
describing and enumerating national commitments for fiscal 
years 1994 through 1998 including funding sources, and 
accomplishments for previous years and anticipated 
accomplishments for proposed national commitments. The 
Committee is concerned that too much funding is being diverted 
to various ``off-the-top goals'' and hence funding at the field 
level has suffered.
    The Committee has allowed the use of $2,000,000 from 
benefiting functions for the National Forest Foundation which 
is to be used for administrative costs and matching funds to 
further the multiple use and public service mission of the 
Forest Service.

                        wildland fire management

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997 (including $550,000,000                     
 emergency)...........................................    $1,080,016,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       514,311,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       599,715,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................      -480,301,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +85,404,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $599,715,000 for wildland fire 
management, $85,404,000 above the budget request, $480,301,000 
below the 1997 funding level which included $550,000,000 in 
emergency appropriations, and an increase of $69,699,000 above 
the 1997 funding level excluding the emergency appropriations.
    The Committee supports the principles and recommendations 
contained in the 1995 Federal Wildland Management Policy and 
Review Report. The Committee has added substantial resources to 
aid wildfire operations, including an increase of $21,000,000 
for fuels reduction. The Committee supports the minor 
restructuring proposed by the Administration for the wildland 
fire preparedness and operations activities. The appropriation 
includes $319,315,000 for preparedness and $280,400,000 for 
fire operations, including $50,000,000 for fuels reduction 
activities. Within the latter, natural fuels reduction 
activities in regions 5 and 6 are allocated at least $8,000,000 
each.
    The Committee urges the Administration to release funding 
included in the 1997 appropriations act to repay funds borrowed 
from the Knutson-Vandenberg (KV) cooperative trust fund during 
previous wildfire emergencies. The Committee endorses the goal 
of fully compensating the KV fund so that essential 
reforestation and improvement projects supported by the fund 
are not diminished. Elsewhere the Committee has recommended an 
appropriation of $128,000,000 to repay the KV fund for moneys 
advanced during previous firefighting emergencies.
    The 1998 wildland fire budget requested by the Department 
of the Interior and the Forest Service begins to address the 
Committee's concerns about fuels management and a common Forest 
Service and Interior Department wildland fire management 
program. However, the budgets proposed by the two agencies 
remain inconsistent and inadequate in some key areas.
    The Committee's recommendation funds both Interior and the 
Forest Service wildland fire programs at about the same 
percentage of the Most Efficient Level (MEL) for preparedness, 
82 percent. The Committee notes that the requests from the two 
agencies differed in the manner in which planning and 
preparedness for fuels management was funded. The Committee 
expects that both agencies will fund all fuels management 
activities from the Hazard Fuels Operations subactivity in the 
Operations activity. Funding for fuels management should be 
readily available for interagency and cross-boundary planning 
and projects and interagency planning and implementation teams. 
The Forest Service and the Department of the Interior should 
not charge each other for personnel and other resources. To 
ensure that both agencies use the same approach, the Committee 
requests a joint report from the two Departments no later than 
December 31, 1997, that explains how all fuels management 
activities and emergency land and water rehabilitation will be 
funded and implemented.
    The Committee is concerned that both the Forest Service and 
the Department of the Interior lack consistent and credible 
information about the fuels management situation and workload, 
including information about fuel loads, conditions, risk, 
flammability potential, fire regimes, locations, effects on 
other resources and priorities for treatment in the context of 
values to be protected. The 1998 request appears to contain no 
strategy or program for assessing priorities, for evaluating 
treatment alternatives (such as mechanical removal), or for 
monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and consequences of 
fuels management activities and treatments. Thus, the Committee 
directs that within the funding available for wildland fire 
preparedness, up to $4,000,000 may be used to further fire 
sciences and management capability to supplement the current 
effort that primarily funds site and species specific issues. 
This fire science and management activity in the Forest Service 
should work closely with the new Interior Department fire 
science program and other cooperators.
    The Forest Service fire management and science program is 
to have four principal purposes: (1) to establish and implement 
a comprehensive approach for fuels mapping and inventory that 
includes the location and condition of fuels, the appropriate 
treatment frequency, potential effects on other resources, and 
priorities for treatment; (2) to evaluate various treatment 
techniques for cost effectiveness, ecological consequences, and 
air quality impacts; (3) based on priorities and consistent 
with forest plan and land management plan direction, to develop 
long-range schedules that describe sequencing of treatments, as 
appropriate, such as commercial or pre-commercial thinning and 
prescribed burning; and (4) to establish and implement a 
protocol for monitoring and evaluating fuels treatment 
techniques in a manner that measures performance over time and 
that allows conclusions to be drawn about the effectiveness and 
consequences of fuels management activities.
    By January 1, 1998, the Department of the Interior and the 
Forest Service are to submit to the Committee a joint Fire 
Sciences Plan that includes an assessment of the current state 
of knowledge about fuels conditions, an integrated approach to 
improved fuels mapping and inventory, an approach for program 
monitoring and evaluation, and an approach for setting 
treatment priorities. The plan should evaluate non-fire fuel 
treatments.
    The Forest Service fuels treatment programs should be 
conducted on the basis of priorities identified through 
considerations of inventory data. Inventories should provide 
information regarding fuel conditions and ecological 
information as well as property and other human values 
potentially at risk. In establishing priorities for fuels 
treatment, consideration should be directed toward human health 
and safety, community protection, forest, range and watershed 
health, wildlife habitat needs, and plant community restoration 
and protection as well as the potential to reduce subsequent 
catastrophic fires. The Committee directs that there be 
substantial interdisciplinary coordination of this inventory 
and prioritization and that the program of work be consistent 
with forest plans and that program interests be coordinated 
across budget lines and activities in order to concentrate 
resources for achieving forest health objectives. Forest plans 
should be updated as soon as practical to reflect this 
increased workload. The mechanical treatment and burning 
program should be coordinated with States and local 
communities, including water, air, and habitat authorities. 
Fuels operations funds may be blended with vegetation 
management, habitat management or improvements funding in NFS 
programs to further enhance the multiple benefits that occur 
from this increase in resources for fuels reduction activities.
    Finally, the Committee is concerned that the five wildland 
fire management agencies do not use the same approach for 
wildland fire management planning. The Committee believes that 
it is important for all agencies to have an approach to 
planning that allows for consistent calculation of fire 
protection needs and for addressing fuels treatment needs. 
Beginning in fiscal year 1999, the Committee directs that the 
Forest Service provide a more detailed and comprehensive budget 
submission that at a minimum is based on methods and procedures 
in common with the Department of the Interior.

                    reconstruction and construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $180,184,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       146,084,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       160,122,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -20,062,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +14,038,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $160,122,000 for reconstruction 
and construction, an increase of $14,038,000 above the budget 
request and a decrease of $20,062,000 below the 1997 funding 
level.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    Facilities construction and reconstruction.--The Committee 
recommends $45,022,000 for facilities construction and 
reconstruction, an increase of $12,740,000 above the budget 
request and a decrease of $14,952,000 from the 1997 funding 
level. The CCS funding levels should follow the budget 
justification.
    The overall facilities construction funding includes:

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Fire, Administrative, and other (FAO).................       $12,996,000
Recreation............................................        29,466,000
Research..............................................         2,560,000
                                                                        

    Fire, Administrative, Other (FAO).--The Committee 
recommendation for FAO facilities construction and 
reconstruction includes the budget request and in addition, 
$1,500,000 for Boulder ranger district projects (CO), $500,000 
to complete the Wayne National Forest supervisor's office (OH), 
$500,000 for the Oakridge (OR) ranger station, and $2,300,000 
for the Grey Towers National Historic Site (PA) restoration. 
The Committee recommends that the Forest Service carefully 
investigate the opportunities to collocate any new Boulder 
office with county, State or other appropriate institutions or 
use the district allocation for other more urgent recreational 
facility construction.
    Recreation Facilities construction.--The Committee 
recommendation includes the budget request and in addition, the 
following earmarks: $1,000,000 for Badin Lake (NC) projects, 
$640,000 for Barton Flats campground (CA), $500,000 for the 
Chilowee campground rehabilitation (TN), $1,700,000 for the 
Cradle of Forestry (NC), $250,000 for Lake Isabella (CA) 
rehabilitation projects, $1,600,000 for Midewin National 
Tallgrass Prairie (IL) projects, $400,000 for Nantahala river 
rehabilitation projects (NC), $1,000,000 for the Pikes Peak 
Summit House cost share (CO), $100,000 for the Sawtooth 
Harriman trail structure (ID), $200,000 for the Upper Ocoee 
corridor project (TN), and $550,000 for Waldo Lake projects 
(OR). The Committee expects that State, local and other sources 
will be able to raise all additional funds needed to construct 
the Pikes Peak Summit House.
    Road reconstruction and construction.--The Committee 
recommends $89,100,000 for road reconstruction and 
construction, an increase of $2,806,000 above the budget 
request and a reduction of $3,900,000 below the 1997 funding 
level. The Committee recommendations for timber roads is 
$6,000,000 less than that appropriated in 1997; the 
recommendation for recreation roads is $1,100,000 above the 
1997 funding level; and the recommendation for general purpose 
roads is $1,000,000 above the 1997 funding level. The Committee 
is very concerned that the vast NFS lands have sufficient roads 
to provide public access and access for management activities 
and that these roads be maintained and built to standards that 
do not cause adverse impacts to watersheds. The Committee 
recommendation provides $20,000,000 to reconstruct 180 miles of 
roads and $1,500,000 to build directly only 8 miles of new 
roads in the entire NFS system, an area comprising nearly 9% of 
the United States. Engineering support is provided to the 
purchaser credit and purchaser elect programs to provide for 
the reconstruction of an additional estimated 2000 miles of 
roads and construction of 300 miles of new roads. The Committee 
expects that road decommissioning and closures will 
considerably exceed the extent of new road construction. The 
Committee emphasizes that in an area as vast as the national 
forest system, it is essential to public service and management 
activities that there be provisions made to build at least some 
new roads, yet the Committee is greatly limiting the extent of 
this activity compared to the recent past.
    The Committee is concerned that the Forest Service needs to 
update transportation plans and make them fit the current and 
future needs for environmentally sensitive forest management 
that is consistent with forest plans and developed with local 
community input. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Forest 
Service to revise its transportation planing procedures and to 
incorporate them into the forest planning process and to 
display clearly to the public the intended transportation 
systems that are needed for public access, for routine 
management actions, and to provide access in the case of fires. 
The Committee also directs the Forest Service to report by 
February 15, 1998 on its progress in updating the 
transportation planning process. This report should also 
provide an overview of the extent of the national forest system 
road system, the means by which the Forest Service intends to 
decommission any unneeded or environmentally substandard roads, 
and a schedule and plan to bring the system in line with future 
projected public and management needs.
    Timber purchaser road credits.--The Committee has retained 
the provision by which the Forest Service may designate 
$50,000,000 for timber purchaser road credits. As recently 
documented by the Federal Budget Consulting Group and Price 
Waterhouse LLP, the purchaser road credit system is a very 
efficient system to accomplish needed work. The Committee has 
however provided bill language which limits the use of the 
purchaser road credits to small businesses which would be 
particularly hard-hit if the credits were abolished and they 
had to come up with the substantial initial capital needed to 
operate sales.
    Trails.--The Committee recommends $26,000,000 for trail 
construction, a decrease of $1,508,000 from the budget request 
and an increase of $4,000,000 above the 1997 funding level. 
Within this allocation, the Committee earmarks $500,000 for 
construction on the Continental Divide trail and $300,000 for 
the Harriman trail in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area 
(ID). CCS funding should adhere to the budget justification.

                            land acquisition

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $40,575,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        41,057,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        45,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +4,425,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +3,943,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $45,000,000 for land acquisition 
which is $4,425,000 above the enacted level and $3,943,000 
above the budget request. This amount includes $33,200,000 for 
line item projects, $7,500,000 for acquisition management, 
$1,800,000 for cash equalization, $2,000,000 for emergencies 
and hardships and $500,000 for wilderness protection.
    The Committee agrees to the following distribution of 
funds:

                                                                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Committee    
                    Area and State                       recommendation 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appalachian National Scenic Trail....................         $3,000,000
Arapaho NF (Wedge tract), CO.........................            350,000
California Wilderness (NF inholdings), CA............          1,500,000
Chattooga Watershed (including Fodderstacks), GA-NC-                    
 SC..................................................          1,000,000
Chequamegon-Nicolet NF (WI Wild Waterways), WI.......          2,000,000
Cleveland NF (Rutherford Ranch), CA..................          2,000,000
Daniel Boone NF, KY..................................          1,000,000
Gallatin NF (Taylor Fork), MT........................          3,000,000
Hoosier NF, IN.......................................            500,000
Jefferson NF (Guest River Gorge), VA.................            300,000
Los Padres NF (Big Sur), CA..........................          2,000,000
Mark Twain NF (MO Ozark Mountain Streams), MO........            500,000
Michigan Lakes and Streams (Huron-Manistee NF,                          
 Consumers Power), MI................................            250,000
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie NF (Skagit Wild & Scenic                         
 River), WA..........................................            700,000
Nantahala NF (Thompson Tract), NC....................          1,200,000
New Mexico NFs (Santa Fe NF, Jemez NRA), NM..........            750,000
Pacific Northwest Streams (including Beaver Marsh &                     
 Sam's River), OR-WA.................................          2,500,000
San Bernardino NF, CA................................          2,000,000
Sawtooth NF (Sawtooth NRA), ID.......................          1,800,000
Sumter NF (Jocassee), SC.............................          3,000,000
Uinta & Wasatch-Cache NF (Bonneville Shoreline                          
 Trail), UT..........................................            500,000
White Mountain NF (Lake Tarleton), NH................          2,650,000
White River NF (Warren Lakes), CO....................            700,000
Cash equalization....................................          1,800,000
Emergency acquisitions...............................          2,000,000
Wilderness protection................................            500,000
Acquisition management...............................          7,500,000
                                                      ------------------
      Total..........................................         45,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee has not provided funds for land acquisition 
for the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The Forest Service 
has not prepared a land adjustment plan to date which will 
identify and prioritize lands for purchase. The site, which was 
only established in 1996, received $3,200,000 in fiscal year 
1997. Included was $1,600,000 for operations and $1,600,000 to 
construct administrative buildings. This bill maintains the 
operating base and provides an additional $1,600,000 for new 
public use facilities. The Committee has made this site a 
priority and will consider land acquisition dollars at the 
appropriate time.

        acquisition of lands for national forests, special acts

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $1,069,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         1,069,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         1,069,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $1,069,000 for acquisition of 
lands for national forests, special acts, the same as the 
budget request and the same as in 1997. 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, 1997...........................          $210,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................           210,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................           210,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $210,000 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, 1997...........................        $3,995,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         3,811,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         3,811,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          -184,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $3,811,000, the budget request, 
for the range betterment fund, 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, 1997...........................           $92,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................            92,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................            92,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $92,000, the budget estimate, for 
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.

          midewin national tallgrass prairie restoration fund

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................  ................
Budget estimate, 1998.................................          $100,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................           100,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +100,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $100,000, the budget estimate, for 
a new account, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (NTP) 
restoration fund. Authority for the program is contained in 
sections 2915(d) and (e) of Public Law 104-106 and are made 
available for the purpose of restoring and administering the 
Midewin NTP in accordance with section 2915(f) of the Act.

                    cooperative work, forest service

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................  ................
Budget estimate, 1998.................................  ................
Recommended, 1998.....................................      $128,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................      +128,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................      +128,000,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $128,000,000 for Cooperative Work, 
Forest Service to repay the fund for moneys advanced for 
previous emergency firefighting. This repayment should be 
merged with the Knutson-Vandenberg trust fund as authorized in 
Public Law 71-319, as amended. The Committee believes that the 
KV fund is vital for reforestation and habitat improvement 
projects and that planned projects should not be jeopardized by 
shortfalls that exist in the overall account.

                          DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

                         Clean Coal Technology

                              (rescission)

    The Committee recommends a rescission of $100,000,000 for 
clean coal technology programs. The Committee does not object 
to the use of up to $15,000,000 in available funds for 
administration of the clean coal program in fiscal year 1998.
    The Committee has not agreed to the proposed advance 
appropriation for a new clean coal technology program targeted 
toward the Chinese market. The Committee believes clean coal 
funding should be dedicated to fulfilling our existing 
commitments.

                 fossil energy research and development

    The fossil energy programs of the Department of Energy make 
prudent investments in long-range research and development that 
help protect the environment through higher efficiency power 
generation, advanced production technologies and improved 
compliance and stewardship operations. These activities 
safeguard our domestic energy security. This country will 
continue to rely on fossil fuels for the majority of its energy 
requirements for the foreseeable future, and the activities 
funded through the fossil energy research and development 
account ensure that fossil energy technologies continue to 
improve with respect to emissions reduction and control and 
energy efficiency.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $364,704,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       346,408,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       312,153,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -52,551,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -34,255,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $312,153,000 for fossil energy 
research and development, a decrease of $34,255,000 below the 
budget request. The decrease is largely due to the transfer and 
consolidation of all the advanced turbine system programs in 
the Energy Conservation account.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:


    Coal.--The Committee recommends $106,763,000 for coal 
research, an increase of $6,714,000 above the budget request. 
Changes to the budget request are shown in the following table:
      

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Advanced pulverized coal-fired powerplant--downselect                   
 to one contract......................................       $10,000,000
Indirect fired cycle..................................       (6,000,000)
Advanced research and environmental technology--                        
 monitoring PM2.5 speciation..........................         3,000,000
Advanced research and technology development:                           
    Coal technology...................................         (200,000)
    University coal research..........................       (1,000,000)
    Undergraduate internship program (no new starts)..          (50,000)
    Technical and economic analysis...................         (200,000)
International program support.........................         (500,000)
    HBCUs.............................................         (200,000)
                                                       -----------------
      Subtotal, Advanced research and technology                        
 development..........................................       (2,150,000)
                                                                        

    The Committee believes that the balance of the funds 
remaining in the indirect fired cycle activity should be 
focused on heat engine research. The Committee encourages the 
Department to use the capabilities of the University of 
Tennessee Space Institute for developing plans for potential 
future tests, in the indirect fired cycle research area, 
relating to the fluidized bed coal pyrolyzer/char combustor 
concept.
    The Committee has included $3,000,000 for data monitoring 
and development of cost effective control technologies as a 
basis for any new PM 2.5 air quality regulations proposed by 
the Environmental Protection Agency. The Department should work 
very closely with the EPA to ensure that these regulations are 
based on sound science.
    The Committee has not agreed to the transfer of $1,864,000 
from coal research to the cooperative research and development 
account. Coal research projects should be awarded on a 
competitive basis.
    The Administration is currently negotiating an agreement 
with 130 nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is 
likely to be signed in Kyoto later this year. If ratified, this 
agreement may impose binding limits on CO2 emissions 
that would come into force in 2010 to 2020. The Energy 
Information Administration presently predicts that fossil fuels 
will be supplying roughly 88% of domestic energy consumption in 
the year 2015. Thus, if the United States is to agree to 
CO2 targets, we must further look at how to limit 
CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. Since 1970, with 
the help of Federally-funded research and development, the 
energy industry has sharply reduced fossil fuel emissions of 
SO2, NOx, and particulate matter. Cost-shared 
research also has the potential to provide cost-effective 
CO2 emissions reductions. The Committee encourages 
the Department to evaluate quantitatively the potential 
CO2 emissions savings from various options, 
including the coupling of high-efficiency fossil energy systems 
with CO2 removal and sequestration and demand-side 
management technologies. The results should be incorporated in 
the fiscal year 1999 budget request along with appropriate 
funding proposals.
    Oil Technology.--The Committee recommends $49,419,000 for 
oil technology research, a decrease of $2,750,000 below the 
budget request and an increase of $3,482,000 above the 1997 
level. Changes to the budget request are shown in the following 
table.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Exploration and production support research:                            
    Analysis and planning.............................        ($500,000)
    Regulatory impact analysis........................         (350,000)
    Recovery efficiency processes.....................         (550,000)
    Technology transfer (excluding PTTC)..............         (200,000)
    Exploration and drilling..........................         (800,000)
                                                       -----------------
      Subtotal, Exploration and production support                      
 research.............................................       (2,400,000)
Exploration and production environmental research:                      
    Program planning and analysis.....................         (125,000)
    Risk assessment/groundwater protection data base..           450,000
    Advanced oil recovery work with States............         (175,000)
                                                       -----------------
      Subtotal, Exploration and production environment                  
 research.............................................           150,000
Processing research (downstream operations)                             
    Environmental compliance..........................         (200,000)
    Upgrading research................................         (300,000)
                                                       -----------------
      Subtotal, Processing research (downstream                         
 operations)..........................................         (500,000)
                                                                        

    The Committee agrees that the reduction to the technology 
transfer activity should not be taken from funding for the 
Petroleum Technology Transfer Council.
    The Committee has received many endorsements of the oil 
technology program from industry over the past year and the 
increases above the 1997 level recommended by the Committee 
reflect that program support.
    Natural Gas.--The Committee recommends $61,560,000 for 
natural gas and fuel cell research, a decrease of $41,423,000 
below the budget request. Changes to the budget request are 
shown in the following table:

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Exploration and production--coal mine methane (no new                   
 starts)..............................................        ($963,000)
Advanced turbine systems--transfer and consolidate                      
 turbine programs in energy conservation..............      (31,379,000)
Utilization--gas to liquids, ceramic membrane                           
 technology...........................................         2,000,000
Environmental research and regulatory analysis:                         
    Technology development............................       (1,800,000)
    Outreach and technology transfer..................         (200,000)
                                                       -----------------
      Subtotal, Environmental research and regulatory                   
 analysis.............................................       (2,000,000)
Molten carbonate fuel cells...........................      (32,669,000)
Advanced concepts/solid oxide fuel cell...............      (12,412,000)
Fuel cell systems--consolidate program and downselect                   
 to two contracts.....................................        36,000,000
                                                                        

    The Committee has consolidated the advanced turbine systems 
programs under the Energy Conservation account. The Committee 
expects Fossil Energy to continue to administer its portions of 
the ATS program and $45 million is included in the Energy 
Conservation account for the fossil energy ATS program. The DOE 
Controller should ensure that those funds are transferred to 
Fossil Energy through the Department's financial plan.
    The Committee recommends consolidating the fuel cell 
programs into a single subactivity and downselecting from 3 to 
2 contracts as soon as possible to minimize project costs.
    The Committee is very concerned about a recent request for 
proposals issued by Fossil Energy to initiate new fuel cell 
applications. The Committee believes the agency should not be 
initiating any new programs in this area without express 
approval through the budget process and strongly advises Fossil 
Energy to cancel this RFP.
    Cooperative Research and Development.--The Committee 
recommends $5,040,000 for cooperative research and development, 
a decrease of $796,000 below the budget request. The Committee 
expects these funds to be distributed under the same procedure 
used in fiscal year 1997. The Committee has not agreed to the 
transfer of $1,864,000 from coal research to cooperative R&D.
    Environmental Restoration.--The Committee recommends 
$12,935,000, the budget request, for environmental restoration.
    Fuels Program.--The Committee recommends $2,173,000, the 
budget request, for the fuels conversion, natural gas and 
electricity program.
    Headquarters Program Direction.--The Committee recommends 
$14,659,000, the budget request, for headquarters program 
direction.
    Energy Technology Center Program Direction.--The Committee 
recommends $52,107,000 for energy technology center program 
direction, an increase of $4,000,000 above the budget request 
and $2,207,000 below the 1997 level. The Committee expects 
Fossil Energy to ensure that there is an equitable staffing 
alignment between the Pittsburgh and Morgantown locations of 
the Federal Energy Technology Center.
    General Plant Projects.--The Committee recommends 
$2,532,000, the budget request, for general plant projects.
    Mining.--The Committee recommends $4,965,000, the budget 
request, for the mining/materials partnership program.

                      alternative fuels production

                     (including transfer of funds)

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       -$4,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        -1,500,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        -1,500,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +2,500,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends the deposit of investment income 
earned as of October 1, 1997 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, 1997, is 
estimated to be $1,500,000.

                 naval petroleum and oil shale reserves

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $143,786,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       117,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       115,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -28,786,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -2,000,000
                                                                        

    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 
Reserve 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 66,000 oil 
equivalent barrels per day in fiscal year 1998. Total receipts 
in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 are estimated to be about $500 
million and $280 million respectively.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $115,000,000 for the Naval 
petroleum and oil shale reserves, a decrease of $2,000,000 
below the budget request. The decrease recommended by the 
Committee is for operations at the Elk Hills reserve. The 
Committee expects that the sale of the Elk Hills reserve will 
be consummated only when the Department has determined that it 
is making the best possible transaction for the American 
taxpayer.
    The Committee expects to be kept fully informed of any 
plans to dispose of or transfer the Naval oil shale reserves to 
the Department of the Interior or any other entity.
    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. Bill language also 
is included to permit the use of excess receipts for operation 
of Elk Hills in the event that the sale of that reserve is 
delayed.

                          energy conservation

    The energy conservation program of the Department of Energy 
funds cooperative research and development projects aimed at 
sustaining economic growth through more efficient energy use. 
Activities financed through this program focus on markedly 
improving existing technologies as well as developing new 
technologies which ultimately will displace some of our 
reliance on traditional fossil fuels.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $569,762,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       707,700,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       636,766,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +67,004,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -70,934,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:


    The Committee recommends $636,766,000 for energy 
conservation, a decrease of $70,934,000 below the budget 
request and an increase of $67,004,000 above the 1997 level. Of 
this amount, an indefinite portion is to be derived from the 
excess amount for fiscal year 1997, 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 $20,000,000.
    Again this year the Department has failed to set priorities 
among the various program increases requested for Energy 
Conservation. The Department, with the exception of the 
industry sector, has been totally unresponsive to the 
Committee's questions for the record with respect to 
priorities.
    The Committee has strongly supported the consolidation of 
the industry programs through the ``Industries of the Future'' 
initiative. The Committee is concerned that the other programs 
under the energy conservation account lack a similar focus. 
This is especially true in the buildings sector programs but 
also applies to the transportation programs which seem to be 
divided into two areas; the Partnership for a New Generation of 
Vehicles and everything else. There also needs to be a more 
consolidated approach to the technology access activities 
within the industry programs. The Committee expects the agency 
to prepare a strategic plan for focusing these programs along 
similar lines to the Industries of the Future program and to 
submit that plan to the Committee for review and approval by 
December 15, 1997. The Committee will consider any future 
budget increases based on such an approved strategic plan. The 
plan should concentrate on eliminating the proliferation of 
``mini-bureaucracies'' in hundreds of different programs and 
emphasize ``one-stop shopping'' for the many different users of 
these programs.
    Buildings.--The Committee recommends $225,140,000 for 
building technology, a decrease of $77,275,000 below the budget 
request and $5,903,000 below the 1997 level. Within the amount 
recommended by the Committee $120,845,000 is for low income 
weatherization assistance grants and $29,000,000 is for State 
energy program grants. These are the same grant levels as in 
1997. The Committee notes that there also is a 15 percent set-
aside provision for weatherization in the low income home 
energy assistance program funded by the Department of Health 
and Human Services. Changes to the budget request are shown in 
the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Budget Activity/Subactivity/project                 Amount     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building System Design:                                                 
    Building America.................................       ($2,100,000)
    Advanced housing technology (no new starts)......          (400,000)
    Industrialized housing...........................          (300,000)
    Residential energy efficiency....................        (1,000,000)
    Home energy rating system (terminate program)....        (1,535,000)
    Affordable homes for low-income housing..........        (1,000,000)
    Rebuild America..................................          (580,000)
    Commercial/multifamily R&D.......................        (1,150,000)
    Best practices...................................        (3,125,000)
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Building System Design.............       (11,190,000)
                                                      ==================
Building Equipment and Materials:                                       
    Hi-cool heat pump................................        (1,200,000)
    Fuel cell building micro-cogeneration............          (700,000)
    Lighting and appliances R&D......................        (1,000,000)
    Lighting applications............................          (500,000)
    Lighting collaboratives..........................          (580,000)
    Energy star partnerships (terminate program).....        (3,000,000)
    Volume purchases.................................        (1,100,000)
    Emerging technology introduction.................        (1,100,000)
    Materials and structures.........................          (400,000)
    Highly reflective surfaces.......................          (600,000)
    Electrochromic research/windows..................        (1,100,000)
    Superwindow collaborative........................          (250,000)
    Advanced glazing.................................          (700,000)
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Building Equipment and Materials...       (12,230,000)
                                                      ==================
Codes and standards..................................        (6,900,000)
Weatherization assistance program....................       (33,255,000)
State energy program.................................        (8,000,000)
Management and planning:                                                
    Technology and sector data.......................          (200,000)
    Analytical studies and planning..................          (500,000)
    Support to EIA (transfer to EIA).................        (5,000,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee has not agreed to increase the low income 
housing cooperative with the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development. The Committee continues to believe that this 
program should be financed by HUD with the DOE funding limited 
to technical assistance.
    The Committee has eliminated funding for the Energy Star 
partnerships program. The Committee believes that this program 
blatantly crosses the line into marketing and commercialization 
that should be left to the private sector. It is inappropriate 
for the DOE to be going into stores such as Circuit City and 
Montgomery Ward to market energy efficiency. The Committee 
believes that the agency needs to make information available 
without choosing individual businesses with which to partner; 
thereby establishing a Federal presence in selected markets.
    The Committee has also eliminated funding for the home 
energy rating system project. The Committee believes that, if 
this project is to be renewed in future budget years, it should 
not continue to focus on the same initial pilot program States 
but rather replace those States with new participants so that, 
eventually, all States are given an opportunity to participate 
in the program without increasing total annual funding for the 
program.
    Within the funds provided for lighting research and 
development, the Committee expects the Department to support 
lighting research cost-shared with industry, including 
cooperative work on compact fluorescent lighting cost 
reduction.
    Federal Energy Management Program.--The Committee 
recommends $19,800,000 for the Federal energy management 
program which is equal to the 1997 level and a decrease of 
$11,300,000 below the budget request. Changes to the budget 
request are shown in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Budget Activity/Subactivity/project                 Amount     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal energy management program:                                      
    Program activities...............................      ($11,000,000)
    Program direction................................          (300,000)
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Federal energy management program..       (11,300,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee continues to believe that the Department 
needs to work with the Office of Management and Budget to 
ensure that energy efficiency improvements are funded in 
individual agency budgets.
    Bill language is included under Administrative Provisions, 
Department of Energy, permitting the Department to receive 
reimbursements from other Federal agencies--such funds for, or 
resulting from, energy saving performance contracts and other 
private financing mechanisms--and to use those funds to pursue 
other Federal agency energy savings contracts through the 
Federal energy management program.
    Industry.--The Committee recommends $179,000,000 for 
industry sector programs, an increase of $39,441,000 above the 
budget request and $61,434,000 above the 1997 level. The 
increase for these programs is largely due to the transfer from 
Fossil Energy and the consolidation in this account of all the 
advanced turbine systems activities. Changes to the budget 
request are shown in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Budget Activity/Subactivity/project                 Amount     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Industries of the future (specific):...............                   
    Forest & paper products..........................         ($600,000)
    Steel............................................          (333,000)
    Aluminum.........................................        (1,074,000)
    Metal casting....................................          (990,000)
    Glass............................................          (882,000)
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Industries of the future (specific)        (3,879,000)
                                                      ==================
Turbine programs:                                                       
    Industrial turbines (cogeneration):                                 
        Catalytic combustion.........................         3,000,000 
        Major contracts..............................         7,000,000 
    Utility turbine program (transfer from Fossil                       
     Energy).........................................        45,000,000 
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Turbine programs...................        55,000,000 
                                                      ==================
Technology access:                                                      
    Industrial assessment centers....................          (500,000)
    Motor challenge..................................        (1,500,000)
    NICE \3\.........................................        (6,000,000)
    Climate wise (eliminate program).................        (3,780,000)
    Inventions and innovations.......................           400,000 
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Technology access..................       (11,380,000)
                                                      ==================
Management and planning; evaluation and planning.....          (300,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee agrees that:
    1. Funding for the Climate-Wise program should be left to 
the Environmental Protection Agency;
    2. Funding for the turbine programs should be budgeted 
under a single account to show the true scope of the entire 
program; however, funding for the turbine programs formerly 
funded in the fossil energy account should by transferred via 
the Department's financial plan to Fossil Energy to permit that 
agency to continue to administer its portions of the overall 
program; and
    3. Increases for the turbine program should provide for the 
conclusion of the program in the year 2000.
    Transportation.--The Committee recommends $184,196,000 for 
transportation programs, a decrease of $19,050,000 below the 
budget request and an increase of $8,993,000 above the 1997 
level. Changes to the budget request are shown in the following 
table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Budget Activity/Subactivity/project                 Amount     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technology deployment                                                   
    Clean Cities.....................................       ($1,300,000)
    Infrastructure, systems and safety...............        (3,150,000)
    EPACT replacement fuels..........................          (300,000)
    Vehicle field test/evaluation....................        (1,200,000)
    Technical information development................          (650,000)
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Technology deployment..............        (6,600,000)
                                                      ==================
Advanced automotive technologies                                        
    Systems optimization.............................        (1,000,000)
    On-board storage for natural gas vehicles........         1,200,000 
    Student vehicle competitions.....................          (150,000)
    Electric vehicle R&D.............................        (1,400,000)
    Vehicle systems R&D/hybrid propulsion............        (6,000,000)
    Highpower energy storage.........................        (7,000,000)
    Fuel cell R&D....................................       (10,000,000)
    Advanced combustion engine R&D...................           100,000 
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Advanced automotive technologies...       (24,250,000)
                                                      ==================
Advanced heavy vehicle technologies                                     
    High efficiency engine R&D/cooperative program w/                   
     diesel manufacturers............................         6,600,000 
    Heavy vehicle alternative fuels R&D:                                
        Heavy duty engine R&D for natural gas                           
         vehicles....................................         3,500,000 
        Continue ongoing infrastructure systems and                     
         safety R&D for natural gas vehicles.........           300,000 
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Advanced heavy vehicle technologies        10,400,000 
                                                      ==================
Transportation materials technologies; propulsion                       
 materials/ceramics..................................         2,500,000 
Implementation and program management:                                  
    Evaluation, planning and analysis................          (600,000)
    Program direction................................          (500,000)
                                                      ------------------
        Subtotal, Implementation and program                            
         management..................................        (1,100,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee expects that the reduction to the budget 
request for systems optimization will not be taken from 
cooperative projects with the Gas Research Institute or from 
natural gas vehicles research. The agency should also work 
closely with industry to establish priorities for fueling 
infrastructure research for natural gas research.
    Policy and Management.--The Committee recommends 
$28,630,000 for policy and management, a decrease of $2,750,000 
below the budget request and an increase of $2,480,000 above 
the 1997 level. Changes to the budget request are shown in the 
following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Budget Activity/Subactivity/project                 Amount     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Headquarters contractual services....................          (500,000)
Golden field office contractual services.............          (500,000)
International market development.....................          (300,000)
Information and communications.......................        (1,450,000)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    General.--The Committee expects that reductions to the 
Argonne National Laboratory funding in fiscal year 1998 will 
not be disproportionate to the reductions at other National 
laboratories.

                          economic regulation

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $2,725,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         2,725,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         2,725,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The economic regulation account funds 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 funded by this Committee is for those activities 
specific to this bill; mainly those related to petroleum 
overcharge cases. All other activities are funded on a 
reimbursable basis from the other elements of the Department of 
Energy. Prior to fiscal year 1997, this account also funded the 
Economic Regulatory Administration.
    The Committee recommends $2,725,000 for economic 
regulation, which is equal to the budget request and to the 
1997 level.

                      strategic petroleum reserve

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $209,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       209,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       209,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $209,000,000 for construction and 
operation of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is to be 
repaid from the SPR fund established to receive proceeds from 
the sale of SPR oil.
    Bill language has been recommended to provide for the sale 
of a portion of the oil from the SPR and for the use of 
$209,000,000 in proceeds from the sale of that oil for 
operational expenses of the SPR. The Committee regrets that a 
further sale of oil is required to pay for operations of the 
SPR in fiscal year 1998. The alternative of funding SPR 
operations through direct appropriations was not feasible 
within the 602(b) allocation. The Committee expects this to be 
the final year in which oil will be sold to pay for SPR 
operations.

                         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 the same as that included in previous 
years.
    The Committee recommends retaining bill language, included 
for the past nine 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, 1997...........................       $66,120,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        62,800,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        66,800,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +680,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +4,000,000
                                                                        

    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 $66,800,000 for the Energy 
Information Administration, an increase of $4,000,000 above the 
budget request. Previously the Committee provided $5,000,000 in 
the energy conservation account to reimburse EIA for work done 
for that organization. The Committee believes that savings can 
be achieved by directly appropriating these funds to EIA. 
Accordingly the Energy Conservation buildings program has been 
reduced by $5,000,000, which more than offsets the $4,000,000 
increase to EIA's budget. Program reductions below the fiscal 
year 1997 level should be achieved primarily through reducing 
contract support.
    The Committee notes that the budget and staffing for EIA 
has declined dramatically over the past few years. In fiscal 
year 1994 the budget was $86,553,000. The 1998 recommended 
level represents a 23 percent reduction over four years. EIA 
underwent similar reductions in the early 1980s. The agency has 
done an admirable job of restructuring and downsizing its 
program and staff to meet the budget balancing goals of the 
past few Administrations without jeopardizing the quality of 
its statistical products. The Committee believes that further 
staffing reductions may negatively affect the quality of EIA's 
products and encourages the Department to review its strategic 
alignment initiative with respect to EIA staffing and to revise 
upward EIA's target staffing levels, including the fiscal year 
1998 target. In order to meet the staffing target for fiscal 
year 1998, the Committee expects the EIA to use early 
retirement, ``buy-out'' authority and attrition to avoid or 
minimize any reduction in force. The Department should report 
to the Committee by December 15, 1997 on its plan for revising 
EIA's staffing targets and EIA's plan for reaching its staffing 
target in fiscal year 1998.

            administrative provisions, department of energy

    Bill language is included under Administrative Provisions, 
Department of Energy, permitting the Department to receive 
reimbursements from other Federal agencies and to use those 
funds to pursue other Federal agency energy savings contracts 
through the Federal energy management program.

                DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

                         Indian Health Service

                         indian health services

    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 37 hospitals, 61 health centers, 4 school health 
centers, and 48 health stations. Tribes and tribal groups, 
through contracts with the IHS, operate 12 hospitals, 134 
health centers, 4 school health centers, 60 health stations, 
and 168 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.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................    $1,806,269,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................     1,835,465,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................     1,829,008,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +22,739,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -6,457,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $1,829,008,000 for Indian health 
services, an increase of $22,739,000 from the fiscal year 1997 
level and a decrease of $6,457,000 from the budget request.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table: 



    Hospitals and Health Clinics.--The Committee recommends 
$898,765,000 for hospitals and clinics, including increases of 
$9,371,000 for fixed costs and $6,370,000 for staffing new 
facilities and a decrease of $7,800,000 which is a transfer to 
the facilities account to consolidate all utility costs.
    Dental Health.--The Committee recommends $65,037,000 for 
the dental program, including increases of $896,000 for fixed 
costs, $1,058,000 for staffing new facilities, and $300,000 for 
a periodontal program.
    The Committee has provided $300,000 to establish three 
pilot sites for the treatment of diabetes and periodontal 
disease. IHS should establish these pilot sites in areas with 
the highest incidence of diabetes. This new pilot program will 
allow IHS to determine the best ways to implement the new 
protocol developed as a result of the joint IHS and National 
Institution of Dental Research study.
    Mental Health.--The Committee recommends $39,034,000 for 
mental health, including increases of $459,000 for fixed costs 
and $234,000 for staffing new facilities.
    Alcohol and Substance Abuse.--The Committee recommends 
$91,677,000 for alcohol and substance abuse prevention and 
treatment, including increases of $195,000 for fixed costs.
    The Committee recommends that the fetal alcohol syndrome 
project at the University of Washington be funded at the fiscal 
year 1997 level. This project is providing important insight 
into early identification of fetal alcohol syndrome. Early 
identification and intervention by health care professionals 
result in significantly improved lives for those afflicted by 
fetal alcohol syndrome.
    Contract Health Services.--The Committee recommends 
$371,348,000 for contract health services which includes 
increases of $23,000 for fixed costs and a program increase of 
$3,000,000 with a portion of this increase for new tribes.
    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.
    The Committee directs the IHS to provide an equitable 
allocation of IHS resources to the Pascua Yaqui tribe of 
Arizona from within the increase in Contract Health Services. 
The Committee estimates the total funding needed for the Pascua 
Yaqui tribe in fiscal year 1998 to be $8.4 million.
    Public Health Nursing.--The Committee recommends 
$27,994,000 for public health nursing, including increases of 
$382,000 for fixed costs and $936,000 for staffing new 
facilities.
    Health Education.--The Committee recommends $8,855,000 for 
health education, including increases of $66,000 for fixed 
costs and $157,000 for staffing new facilities.
    Community Health Representatives.--The Committee recommends 
$44,311,000 for community health representatives, including an 
increase of $338,000 for staffing new facilities.
    Alaska Immunization.--The Committee recommends $1,328,000 
for Alaska immunization, the same as the budget request.
    Urban Health.--The Committee recommends $25,277,000 for 
urban health including an increase of $9,000 for fixed costs 
and a program increase of $500,000.
    Indian Health Professions.--The Committee recommends 
$28,293,000 for Indian health professions, including an 
increase of $23,000 for fixed costs.
    Tribal Management.--The Committee recommends $2,348,000 for 
tribal management, the same as the budget request.
    Direct Operations.--The Committee recommends $46,924,000 
for direct operations, including an increase of $865,000 for 
fixed costs and a decrease of $2,650,000 in downsizing savings.
    Self-Governance.--The Committee recommends $9,097,000 for 
self governance, including an increase of $7,000 for fixed 
costs.
    Contract Support Costs.--The Committee recommends 
$168,720,000 for contract support costs. The Committee has 
provided $7,500,000 for the Indian Self Determination Fund for 
new and expanded contracts and $500,000 which is mostly a 
transfer from the facilities account.
    General.--The Committee is aware that there are a number of 
tribes whose funding is well below their level of need, 
including the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewas. The 
Committee urges the Indian Health Service to work within its 
allocation to begin to rectify funding inequities.

                        indian health facilities

    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.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................      $247,731,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       286,535,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       257,310,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +9,579,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -29,225,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $257,310,000 for Indian health 
facilities, an increase of $9,579,000 from the fiscal year 1997 
level and a decrease of $29,225,000 from the budget request.
    Maintenance and Improvement.--The Committee recommends 
$39,334,000 for M&I, the same as the budget request.
    Sanitation Facilities.--The Committee recommends 
$89,042,000 for sanitation facilities, including an increase of 
$153,000 for fixed costs and a program increase of $1,000,000.
    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 housing should be used to 
serve housing provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Housing 
Improvement Program, new homes, and homes renovated to like-new 
condition. Onsite sanitation facilities may also be provided 
for homes occupied by the disabled or sick who have physician 
referrals indicating an immediate medical need for adequate 
sanitation facilities at home. IHS project funds shall not be 
used to provide sanitation facilities for new homes funded by 
the housing programs of the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development.
    Construction Facilities.--The Committee recommends 
$14,900,000 for facilities construction, including $1,000,000 
for modular dental units and $13,900,000 to begin construction 
of the Hopi Health Center.
    The Committee has recommended $1,000,000 for modular dental 
units. As in past years, the Committee directs IHS to 
incorporate modular dental units in its base for future budget 
requests. In addition, IHS should provide a report to the 
Committee by March 1, 1998, detailing how many dental units 
have been purchased since fiscal year 1994 and how many units 
still need to be purchased to replace outdated units or to 
service remote areas.
    Facilities and Environmental Health Support.--The Committee 
recommends $101,029,000 for facilities and environmental health 
support, including increases of $1,301,000 for fixed costs, 
$907,000 for staffing new facilities, and a transfer of 
$7,800,000 from the services account to consolidate utility 
costs.
    Equipment.--The Committee recommends $13,005,000 for 
equipment which includes a decrease of $1,500,000 due to 
administrative savings.
    Contract Support Costs.--The Committee has transferred 
$482,000 to the services account to consolidate all contract 
support costs.
    The Committee again recommends that funds provided for the 
facilities program 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

    The Committee has transferred jurisdiction for the Office 
of Indian Education from the Interior and Related Agencies 
Subcommittee to the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education.

                         OTHER RELATED AGENCIES

              Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $19,345,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        19,345,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        18,345,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -1,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -1,000,000
                                                                        

    The dispute between the Hopi and Navajo tribes is 
centuries-old. The Hopi were the original occupants of the land 
with their origin tracing 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 634 households remain be 
relocated, of which 84 are full-time residents on the Hopi 
Partitioned Land. A total of 2,768 Navajo families have been 
relocated from the Hopi Partitioned Land.
    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $18,345,000 
for salaries and expenses of the Office of Navajo and Hopi 
Indian Relocation, which is a decrease of $1,000,000 from both 
the 1997 level and the budget estimate.
    The Committee expects the Office to stop further 
development on the New Lands beyond that required to meet 
expressed interest by relocatees in relocating to that area.
    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.

    Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts 
                              Development

                        payment to the institute

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $5,500,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         5,500,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         3,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -2,500,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -2,500,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $3,000,000 for the Institute of 
American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, 
with the understanding that this will be the last year Federal 
funding will be provided.

                        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 150 years in the ``increase and diffusion of 
knowledge among men'' in accordance with the donor's 
instructions. For some years, it used 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 24,600,000 visitors in 1996 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 140 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, DC and New York City in the fields of 
science, history, technology and art; a zoological park in 
Washington, DC 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, 1997...........................      $318,492,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       334,557,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................       334,557,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +16,065,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $334,557,000, an increase of 
$16,065,000 above the enacted level and the same as the fiscal 
year 1998 budget request. This amount provides $10,353,000 for 
uncontrollable expenses, $835,000 for nonrecurring costs, and 
$6,547,000 for priority program requirements. Included in this 
amount is $1,225,000 which is the final increment of operating 
funds needed for the submillimeter array telescope at the 
Astrophysical Observatory in Hawaii, $4,362,000 to staff and 
equip new and renovated facilities such as the National Museum 
of Natural History's East Court Project, the National Museum of 
the American Indian Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, the 
Tropical Research Institute, and $960,000 for enhancements to 
the Collections Information System which provides electronic 
outreach to the public.

        construction and improvements, national zoological park

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $3,850,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         3,850,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         3,850,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $3,850,000, which is level with 
the 1997 enacted level and the fiscal year 1998 budget request. 
The Committee continues to urge the Smithsonian to concentrate 
these funds on ongoing repairs, preventive maintenance and 
improvements of its existing facilities.

                  repair and restoration of buildings

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $39,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        32,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        50,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       +11,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       +18,000,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for repair and 
restoration of buildings, an increase of $11,000,000 over the 
enacted level and $18,000,000 above the fiscal year 1998 budget 
request. The Committee continues to recognize backlog 
maintenance as the highest priority for the Smithsonian. 
Testimony the last two years confirms the total backlog 
maintenance need to be $250,000,000.

                              construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $10,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        58,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................                 0
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -10,000,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -58,000,000
                                                                        

    The Committee does not provide the $58,000,000 requested in 
the fiscal year 1998 budget for the construction of the 
National Museum of the American Indian Mall museum (NMAI).
    The Committee provided $4,000,000 to the Smithsonian to 
complete planning and design of the NMAI Mall museum in the 
fiscal year 1997 bill. The conference report included language 
stating that this would be a logical stopping point on this 
project. The funds were provided so that the $5,300,000 in 
Federal funds and the $3,400,000 in donated funds already spent 
on design would not be wasted.
    The Committee previously directed the Smithsonian to 
downsize the building or raise additional private funds for 
this project. The Smithsonian has not complied with these 
directives. In addition, the Smithsonian has testified that 
should $50,000,000 not be provided each year for the next ten 
years for its Repair & Restoration program, major museum 
buildings will need to be closed to the public because of its 
critical backlog of maintenance needs. The Committee notes that 
its recommendation for the repair and restoration account fully 
addresses the annual need by providing $50,000,000 in this 
bill, $18,000,000 more than the Administration's request.
    In summary, the Committee has appropriated the budget 
request for uncontrollables, program increases and the National 
Zoological Park. It has exceeded the request for major repair 
and renovations. However, it does not agree that providing 
construction funds for a third National Museum of the American 
Indian, given the critical backlog maintenance needs, is 
prudent at this point in time.

                        National Gallery of Art

                         salaries and expenses

    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.

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $54,281,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        53,899,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        55,837,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +1,556,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        +1,938,000
                                                                        

    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $55,837,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the National Gallery of Art, an increase of 
$1,938,000 above the budget request. The amount recommended by 
the Committee includes increases of $981,000 for mandatory pay 
increases, $207,000 for water and sewer costs, and $750,000 to 
maintain the special exhibition budget at the 1997 level.

            repair, restoration and renovation of buildings

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $5,942,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         5,942,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         6,442,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +500,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................          +500,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $6,442,000 for repair, restoration 
and renovation of buildings, an increase of $500,000 above the 
budget request. The increase recommended by the Committee is to 
address the most critical backlog maintenance needs at the 
National Gallery.

                              construction

    The Committee has not included funding for Smithsonian 
Institution construction yet expresses strong support for the 
Air & Space Museum Extension to be located at Washington Dulles 
International Airport in Virginia.
    The Committee believes that the financing plan developed 
for this project, which requires funds for construction to be 
non-federal, should be a model for further Smithsonian museum 
projects.
    The Committee notes that the Commonwealth of Virginia has 
exceeded required commitment to the project as has the local 
business community and believes this meritorious project should 
proceed.

             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, 1997...........................       $12,475,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        11,375,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        11,375,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -1,100,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $11,375,000, the budget request, 
for operations and maintenance. This represents an increase of 
$500,000 over the base allocation for fiscal year 1997. This 
increase will allow the Center to maintain a portion of the 
enhanced security and anti-terrorism funds provided under 
Public Law 104-208. This total also provides the 3.1 percent 
Federal pay-raise.

                              construction

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $12,400,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         9,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         9,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -3,400,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $9,000,000, the same as budget 
request. The capitol budget will be used to continue to address 
several critical remedial actions, particularly life safety and 
accessibility projects, needed to bring the structure up to 
current standards and codes.

            Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $5,840,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         5,840,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         1,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        -4,840,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -4,840,000
                                                                        

    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.
    In the Center's early years it appears it was more 
successful in bringing the worlds of scholarship and public 
policy together. At that time the work of the scholars appeared 
to have some relevance to current public policy issues. That 
objective is no longer of importance to the current management 
and as a result the Center seems to have lost its public policy 
function.
    A recent review of the Center by the National Academy of 
Public Administration was critical of the Center on a number of 
fronts. While the Academy cited some accomplishments, the 
Academy pointed out that the Center lacked a clear mission 
statement; did not have a process for choosing scholars which 
would ensure a connection between the scholars work and 
relevant public policy issues; and demonstrated little or no 
connection between the Center's programs and the fellows. In 
fact the Academy review noted that the Center currently 
emphasizes scholarly pursuits over its public policy 
objectives. The original goal of the Center, to link these two 
worlds, has effectively been lost.
    The Academy review was also highly critical of the Center's 
management. The only accomplishment the Academy could cite for 
the current director was obtaining new office space on 
Pennsylvania Avenue. While management deficiencies could be 
addressed with a change in leadership, it is the Committee's 
view that the Center has operated so long without a clear 
mission that it may be impossible to reestablish one within an 
organization that has no relevance to real world public policy 
issues.
    The Committee does, however, want to continue to honor the 
principles and ideals, most notably peace and international 
cooperation, of President Wilson.

           National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities

                    National Endowment for the Arts

                       grants and administration

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $82,734,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       119,240,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        10,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -72,734,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................      -109,240,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $10,000,000 for the National 
Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The Committee notes that this 
level is consistent with the agreement reached on the floor of 
the House during the debate over the fiscal year 1996 Interior 
appropriations bill.

                            matching grants

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $16,760,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        16,760,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................                 0
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................       -16,760,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -16,760,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends no funding for matching grants.

                 National Endowment for the Humanities

    The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was created 
in 1965 to encourage and support national progress in the 
humanities. The NEH provides, through a merit-based review 
process, grants in support of education, research, document and 
artifact preservation, and public service in the humanities.

                       grants and administration

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $96,100,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................       118,250,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        96,100,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................       -22,150,000
                                                                        


    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $96,100,000 for grants and 
administration, $22,150,000 below the budget request and the 
same as appropriated in 1997. This funding level is consistent 
with the agreement reached on the floor of the House during 
debate over the fiscal year 1996 Interior appropriations bill.

                            matching grants

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $13,900,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        17,750,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        13,900,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -3,850,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends the same level of funding for 
matching grants as appropriated in fiscal year 1997, 
$13,900,000. This is $3,850,000 below the budget request. The 
Committee notes that museums located in inner city areas can 
positively impact the communities in which they are located and 
have a special responsibility to improve the cultural and 
educational opportunities for inner city youth living in nearby 
neighborhoods.

                Institute of Museum and Library Services

                       office of museum services

                       grants and administration

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $22,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        26,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        23,390,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................        +1,390,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................        -2,610,000
                                                                        

    The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was 
created in the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996 (Public 
Law 104-208) which merged library services functions of the 
Department of Education into the Institute of Museum Services 
(IMS). The IMS functions now come under the Office of Museum 
Services (OMS) portion of the IMLS. The OMS appropriation 
remains in the Interior and related agencies bill and the 
Office of Library Services appropriation remains in the Labor, 
Health and Human Services appropriations bill. The OMS provides 
operating support, conservation support and professional 
services to assist museums. General operating support awards 
assist museums with essential operating expenditures.
    The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the 
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:




    The Committee recommends $23,390,000 for the Office of 
Museum Services, which is $2,610,000 below the budget request 
and $1,390,000 above the 1997 funding level for the former 
Institute of Museum Services. The Committee is encouraged by 
the progress to date of this merger and is pleased that there 
has been so little disruption of services to the museum 
community. The recommended funding level includes increases 
above 1997 of $390,000 for fixed cost increases and $1,000,000 
within the services to the profession activity for the national 
leadership projects initiative. The Committee encourages the 
museum and library functions within the IMLS to enhance overall 
collaboration and work towards greater efficiencies as 
envisioned by the new authorization.

                        Commission of Fine Arts

    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.

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................          $867,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................           867,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................           907,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................           +40,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................           +40,000
                                                                        

    The Committee recommends $907,000 for salaries and expenses 
of the Commission of Fine Arts, which is $40,000 above both the 
budget request and the 1997 funding level. The $40,000 increase 
is for fixed cost increases.

               national capital arts and cultural affairs

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $6,000,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         6,000,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         6,000,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    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 1998, the Committee recommends 
$6,000,000, which is equal to the 1997 level and the budget 
request.

               Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $2,500,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         2,745,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         2,700,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +200,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................           -45,000
                                                                        

    The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established 
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Advisory 
Council was reauthorized as part of the Omnibus Parks and 
Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-333). The 
Council's 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 that the Advisory Council 
aggressively pursue private funding to support the council's 
technical development and training activities.
    The Committee recommends $2,700,000 for salaries and 
expenses of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. This 
is $45,000 less than the budget request and $200,000 above the 
1997 funding level.

                  National Capital Planning Commission

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................        $5,390,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................         5,740,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................         5,700,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          +310,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................           -40,000
                                                                        


    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.
    To support this mission, the Committee recommends 
$5,700,000, $40,000 below the budget request and $310,000 above 
the 1997 funding level. The Committee remains interested in the 
Beltsville area conceptual plan and the ramifications it may 
have for government office building costs in the future. The 
Committee has provided funds above the 1997 level for fixed 
cost increases, but the Committee has not provided funds for 
the NCPC to become full partners and purchasers of a Washington 
Geographical Information System. The Committee recognizes the 
importance of such a geographic information system to the 
proper planning and management of the national capital area, 
but the Committee does not believe that the NCPC should be the 
primary supporter or operator of such a system. Rather, the 
NCPC should collaborate with other institutions and share its 
special and detailed planning expertise.

             Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission

                         salaries and expenses

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................          $500,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................                 0
Recommended, 1998.....................................                 0
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................          -500,000
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Commission, in 
conjunction with the National Park Service in the Department of 
the Interior, was responsible for planning and overseeing the 
completion of a suitable memorial to President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt. The Memorial was opened in May 1997. There is no 
further need for funding for the Commission in fiscal year 
1998.

                United States Holocaust Memorial Council

                       holocaust memorial council

                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                                        
Appropriation enacted, 1997...........................       $31,707,000
Budget estimate, 1998.................................        31,707,000
Recommended, 1998.....................................        31,707,000
Comparison:                                                             
    Appropriation, 1997...............................                 0
    Budget estimate, 1998.............................                 0
                                                                        

    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 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 $31,707,000, the budget request. 
This amount actually reflects a $1,000,000 increase over the 
enacted base. The Committee is allowing the Holocaust Museum to 
retain the $1,000,000 provided last year on a one-time basis 
for anti-terrorism security positions.
    The Committee continues to be concerned about the growing 
backlog maintenance and significant repairs for a building that 
is only four years old. Since its opening in April 1993, the 
Committee has provided additional funds to make major repairs 
to the heating, ventilation and air condition system, museum 
exhibit areas, the skylights which have been leaking and 
rusting as well as other significant repairs and replacements. 
Responses to Committee questions regarding the reason for the 
backlog included the need to spend repair and rehabilitation 
funds on security needs. In fact, the Committee has provided 
millions in additional earmarked funds the last several years 
specifically for enhancements to security.
    The Committee has provided no-year funds specifically for 
repair, rehabilitation and exhibit development and production 
each year since the museum opening. The Committee has also been 
generous with its annual appropriations. Therefore, the 
Committee strongly urges the Holocaust Museum to balance 
maintenance needs with program and staff enhancements as it 
prepares for the fiscal year 1999 budget submission. If the 
maintenance backlog is increasing, then future staff, space and 
program increases should be deferred.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

    The 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 unless it is funded in the VA, HUD and Independent 
Agencies fiscal year 1998 appropriations, and makes use of such 
funds subject to reprogramming.
    Section 313 continues a limitation of funding relating to a 
pedestrian bridge between New Jersey and Ellis Island.
    Section 314 continues a limitation on accepting and 
processing applications for patents and on the patenting of 
Federal lands; permits processing of grandfathered 
applications; and permits third-party contractors to process 
grandfathered applications.
    Section 315 provides that no funds can be used for the 
purposes of acquiring lands in the counties of Gallia, 
Lawrence, Monroe, or Washington, Ohio, for the Wayne National 
Forest.
    Section 316 continues a limitation on issuance of a final 
rulemaking on jurisdiction, management and control over 
navigable waters in the State of Alaska with respect to 
subsistence fishing.
    Section 317 keeps in place only the regulations and interim 
rules in effect prior to September 8, 1995 (36 CFR 223.48, 36 
CFR 223.87, 36 CFR 223 Subpart D, 36 CFR 223 Subpart F, and 36 
CFR 261.1) governing the export of State and Federal timber in 
the western United States. This language is retained so that 
the Administration, Congress and affected parties can have more 
time to address policy issues with respect to Public Law 101-
382, the Forest Resources Conservation and Shortage Relief Act 
of 1990. The language prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture or 
the Secretary of the Interior from reviewing or making 
modifications to existing sourcing areas. The language 
prohibits either Secretary from enforcing or implementing 
regulations promulgated on September 8, 1995 at 36 CFR Part 
223. The bill language also directs the Secretary of Commerce 
to continue the 100 percent ban on the export of logs that 
originate from Washington State-owned public lands.
    Section 318 prohibits the use of funds for the western 
director and special assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture.
    Section 319 limits Jobs in the Woods programs to timber 
dependent areas in Washington, Oregon, and northern California.
    Section 320 amends the Recreational Fee Demonstration 
program established as section 315 in the Department of the 
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1996. The 
amendment permits the land management agencies to keep 100 
percent of funds collected by the program beginning in fiscal 
year 1998.
    Section 321 prohibits the use of recreational fees for the 
construction of any permanent structure without advance 
Committee approval.
    Section 322 amends existing law to enhance forest health 
activities by the Forest Service.
    Section 323 requires the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem 
Management project to do economic and social analyses. The 
Committee is very concerned about the discrepancy in the level 
of analysis between the impacts on the environment and the 
impacts on individuals and communities in the Interior Columbia 
Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP) draft environmental 
statements (DEISs) released in May 1997 by the Secretaries of 
Agriculture and Interior. It is very important to the Committee 
that the project integrate, to the greatest extent practicable, 
information available regarding the economic and social 
conditions, and cultures and customs of the communities within 
the project area in a manner comparable to the natural resource 
analyses involved in the project. Economic and social analyses 
should not blur nor obscure the very real concerns of the many 
natural resource dependent communities within the 164 sub-
basins in the project area. The recommended bill language 
requires that a more thorough analysis be done at the sub-basin 
level and that this be released for public review and comment 
as an addition to the two DEISs of May 1997. The Secretaries 
should extend the comment period for the existing DEISs as 
necessary in order to include this additional analysis and 
public review. The final environmental impact statements and 
record of decisions for the projects may not be released unless 
they incorporate this new analysis and the public comments to 
the analysis. It is the intent of the Committee that the 
prescriptive standards generated by the project should reflect 
local conditions for both the natural resources and the human 
resources of the project area.
    Section 324 includes language stipulating the conditions 
under which cities, towns, and villages in certain counties in 
New York can participate in the Hudson River Valley National 
Heritage Area.

                              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
Department of Energy, Clean Coal Technology...........       100,000,000
                                                                        

                           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 to which transfer is to be               
  Account from which transfer is to be made       Amount                      made                     Amount   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels          $1,500,000  General Fund of the Treasury.........    $1,500,000
 Production.                                                                                                    
Department of Energy, Strategic Petroleum       209,000,000  Treasury, SPR Fund...................   209,000,000
 Reserve.                                                                                                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                 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.
    Language is included under Bureau of Land Management, 
Management of lands and resources, permitting the collection of 
fees for processing applications and for certain public land 
uses, and permitting the use of these fees for program 
operations.
    Language is included under Bureau of Land Management, 
Payments in lieu of taxes, to exclude any payment that is less 
than $100.
    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 included 
providing for a Youth Conservation Corps. Language is included 
under United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural resource 
damage assessment, to allow previous proceeds from past 
liquidation of stocks and other noncash payments to remain 
available until expended. Language is also included limiting 
funding for the Endangered Species Act listing program.
    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 included limiting the use of funds for 
the purchase of lands. Language is also included to allow the 
Secretary to sell land and interests in land and deposit the 
receipts in the Lahontan Valley and Pyramid Lake Fish and 
Wildlife Fund.
    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.
    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 and limiting the use of funds to specified amounts for 
certain offices.
    Language is included under United States Geological Survey, 
Surveys, investigations and research, providing for two-year 
availability of funds for biological 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; and requiring cost sharing 
cooperative topographic mapping activities.
    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 Minerals Management Service, 
Royalty and offshore minerals management, 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 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 included is allowing the 
State of Maryland to set aside funds for acid mine abatement. 
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 and to permit local school boards to determine 
teacher compensation rates. Language also is included allowing 
the Cibecue Community School to use carryover funds to 
construct a new school building.
    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 
1997; 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 
to the Bureau of Reclamation, and providing Safety of Dams 
funds on a non-reimbursable basis.
    Language is included under Departmental Offices, Insular 
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 Departmental offices, Office of 
Special Trustee for American Indians, specifying that the 
statute of limitations shall not commence on any claim 
resulting from trust funds losses.
    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, 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 General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, limiting the investment of Federal funds by 
Indian tribes.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, providing for expanded employee benefits to 
compensate for the closure of the helium program.
    Language is included under General provisions, Department 
of the Interior, prohibiting the use of funds to establish a 
new regional office in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
without advance approval from the Appropriations Committees.
    Language is included under Forest Service, National forest 
system, earmarking funds for obliteration of roads.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Wildland fire 
management, allowing the use of funds to repay advances from 
other accounts.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Reconstruction 
and construction, limiting use of purchaser road credits to 
small businesses.
    Language is included under Forest Service, Midewin National 
Tallgrass Prairie Restoration Fund, allowing use of certain 
receipts to help restore the site.
    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 
damaged lands or waters, 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 Foreign Agricultural Service 
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, 
allowing technical assistance to rural communities, providing 
$2,000,000 for matching funds and administrative expenses for 
the National Forest Foundation and also for the National Fish 
and Wildlife Foundation, providing that funds shall be 
available for payment to counties within the Columbia River 
Gorge National Scenic Area pursuant to Public Law 99-663, 
providing authority to the Pinchot Institute for activities at 
Grey Towers National Historic Landmark, allowing payments to 
Del Norte County, CA pursuant to Public Law 101-612, and 
allowing funds for retrofitting at Norton Air Force Base for 
Forest Service offices.
    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 SPR oil and 
the use of proceeds for SPR operations and waiving the Budget 
Act.
    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 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; 
prohibiting issuance of procurement documents without 
appropriations; permitting the use of contributions and fees 
for cooperative projects; and permitting the Federal Energy 
Management Program to accept funds from other Federal agencies 
for energy saving performance contracts.
    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 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 and 
to allow retention of receipts generated through geographic 
information system services.
    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 1996.
    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 
regarding the use of excess funds from contracts with Indian 
tribes; allowing payments to tribes on the first business day 
of a fiscal quarter; limiting use of funds for the AmeriCorps 
program; and limiting use of funds relating to a bridge between 
New Jersey and Ellis Island.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions 
continuing a limitation on accepting and processing 
applications for patents and on the patenting of Federal lands; 
permitting processing of grandfathered applications; and 
permitting third-party contractors to process grandfathered 
applications.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions, 
limiting the use of funds for the Wayne National Forest and for 
the Shawnee National Forst.
    Language is included in Title III--General provisions, 
limiting the use of funds for issuing a final rulemaking on 
jurisdiction over subsistence fishing in Alaska; limiting the 
use of funds for enforcing certain timber policies; amending 
the pilot recreational fee demonstration program for the land 
management agencies in this bill by removing the base year 
provision; requiring Committee approval prior to using 
recreational fees for constructing permanent buildings; 
providing greater flexibility for use of the reforestation 
trust fund by the Forest Service; prohibiting use of funds for 
certain Secretary of Agriculture office functions; requiring 
social and economic analysis be included in the Interior 
Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management project documents; and 
specifying conditions under which certain counties and 
municipalities in the State of New York may participate in 
Heritage area programs.

                  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:
  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Resource Management
  National Park Service, National Recreation and Preservation
    Department of Energy:
  Fossil Energy Research and Development
  Energy Conservation
  Economic Regulation
  Strategic Petroleum Reserve
  Energy Information Administration
    Other Related Agencies:
    National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities:
  National Endowment for the Arts
  National Endowment for the Humanities
    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 315(c)(1), subsections (A) and (B) under the 
heading ``Title III--General Provisions'' in section 101(c) of 
Public Law 104-134, as amended by Public Law 105-18, is further 
amended as follows:
          [(A) Of the amount in excess of 100% of the amount 
        collected in fiscal year 1994, eighty percent to a 
        special account in the Treasury for use without further 
        appropriation, by the agency which administers the 
        site, to remain available for expenditures in 
        accordance with paragraph (2)(A).]
          [(B) Of the amount in excess of 100% of the amount 
        collected in fiscal year 1994, twenty percent to a 
        special account in the Treasury for use without further 
        appropriation, by the agency which administers the 
        site, to remain available for expenditure in accordance 
        with paragraph (2)(B).]
          (A) Eighty percent to a special account in the 
        Treasury for use without further appropriation, by the 
        agency which administers the site, to remain available 
        for expenditure in accordance with paragraph (2)(A).
          (B) Twenty percent to a special account in the 
        Treasury for use without further appropriation, by the 
        agency which administers the site, to remain available 
        for expenditure in accordance with paragraph (2)(B).
    The proviso under the heading ``Natural Resource Damage 
Assessment Fund'' in Public Law 104-134 is amended as follows: 
Provided, That sums provided by any party [in fiscal year 1996 
and thereafter] heretofore and hereafter are not limited to 
monetary payments and may include stocks, bonds or other 
personal or real property, which may be retained, liquidated or 
otherwise disposed of by the Secretary and such sums, to remain 
available until expended, or properties shall be utilized for 
the restoration of injured resources, and to conduct new damage 
assessment activities
    Section 303(d)(1) of Public Law 96-45 is amended as 
follows:
          (1) reforestation and timber stand improvements as 
        specified in section 1601(d) of this title and other 
        forest stand improvement activities to enhance forest 
        health and reduce hazardous fuel loads in the National 
        Forest System; and

                    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......................................           $13,054
Outlays:                                                                
    Fiscal year 1998..................................             8,781
    Fiscal year 1999..................................             3,421
    Fiscal year 2000..................................               798
    Fiscal year 2001..................................               202
    Fiscal year 2002 and future years.................                34
                                                                        

               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..................................              $904
Fiscal year 1998 outlays resulting therefrom..........               454
                                                                        

    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:
                          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 rollcall 
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 no. 1

    Date: June 26, 1997.
    Measure: FY 1998 Interior Appropriations bill.
    Motion by: Mr. Yates.
    Description of Motion: Appropriates an additional 
$89,500,000 for the National Endowment for the Arts and sells 
an identical amount of oil from the Strategic Petroleum 
Reserve.
    Results: Rejected 28 yeas to 31 nays.
        Members Voting Yea            Members Voting Nay
Ms. DeLauro                         Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Dicks                           Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Dixon                           Mr. Callahan
Mr. Edwards                         Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Fazio                           Mr. DeLay
Mr. Foglietta                       Mr. Dickey
Mr. Forbes                          Mr. Hobson
Mr. Frelinghuysen                   Mr. Istook
Mr. Hefner                          Mr. Kingston
Mr. Hoyer                           Mr. Knollenberg
Miss Kaptur                         Mr. Kolbe
Mrs. Lowey                          Mr. Latham
Mrs. Meek                           Mr. Lewis
Mr. Moran                           Mr. Livingston
Mr. Murtha                          Mr. McDade
Mr. Obey                            Mr. Miller
Mr. Olver                           Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Pastor                          Mr. Neumann
Ms. Pelosi                          Mrs. Northup
Mr. Porter                          Mr. Packard
Mr. Price                           Mr. Parker
Mr. Sabo                            Mr. Regula
Mr. Serrano                         Mr. Rogers
Mr. Skaggs                          Mr. Skeen
Mr. Stokes                          Mr. Taylor
Mr. Torres                          Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Visclosky                       Mr. Walsh
Mr. Yates                           Mr. Wamp
                                    Mr. Wicker
                                    Mr. Wolf
                                    Mr. Young
                             rollcall no. 2

    Date: June 26, 1997.
    Measure: FY 1998 Interior Appropriations bill.
    Motion by: Mr. Obey.
    Description of Motion: Appropriates an additional 
$315,000,000 for the land acquisition and priority land 
exchanges.
    Results: Rejected 21 yeas to 31 nays.
        Members Voting Yea            Members Voting Nay
Mr. Dicks                           Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Dixon                           Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Edwards                         Mr. Callahan
Mr. Fazio                           Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Hefner                          Mr. DeLay
Mr. Hoyer                           Mr. Dickey
Mrs. Lowey                          Mr. Forbes
Mrs. Meek                           Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Mollohan                        Mr. Hobson
Mr. Moran                           Mr. Istook
Mr. Obey                            Mr. Kingston
Mr. Olver                           Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Pastor                          Mr. Kolbe
Ms. Pelosi                          Mr. Latham
Mr. Price                           Mr. Lewis
Mr. Sabo                            Mr. Livingston
Mr. Serrano                         Mr. Miller
Mr. Skaggs                          Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Stokes                          Mrs. Northup
Mr. Torres                          Mr. Packard
Mr. Visclosky                       Mr. Parker
                                    Mr. Porter
                                    Mr. Regula
                                    Mr. Rogers
                                    Mr. Skeen
                                    Mr. Tiahrt
                                    Mr. Walsh
                                    Mr. Wamp
                                    Mr. Wicker
                                    Mr. Wolf
                                    Mr. Young
                                    
                                    
                 DISSENTING VIEWS OF HON. DAVID R. OBEY

    Despite the best efforts of moderate Republicans on this 
Committee, the extremist elements in the Republican Conference 
and within the Republican leadership have succeeded in placing 
a poison pill in yet another Appropriations Bill.
    Two years ago we faced a series of repeated government shut 
downs because House Republicans and their leaders chose to use 
Appropriations bills as the battle ground to fight for 
extremist policies which were in the end not even supported by 
members of their own party. Last year, a number of major 
domestic Appropriations bills passed in the House, could not 
even be brought to the Senate Floor because the funding 
provided was an embarrassment to Senate Republicans facing 
reelection. Only a few months or so ago, extraneous provisions 
tacked on to an emergency disaster relief appropriation bill at 
the insistence of House and Senate Republican leaders caused 
flood victims in the upper Midwest, California and other States 
to go for months without needed aid because of the partisan 
misuse of the appropriations process.
    Now we have the first major Appropriation Bill for fiscal 
1998 being reported from committee and we are again facing an 
impasse as the result of leadership imposed policies which are 
completely out of sync with the views of a broad spectrum of 
the American people.
    The good which the National Endowment has done is 
indisputable. It has taken music, theater, dance, sculpture and 
painting from the society pages of large city newspapers and 
made it accessible to ordinary Americans in towns and villages 
across this country. It has given all Americans a greater sense 
of what is beautiful in the human spirit and what we can do 
with our imagination if we dare to try. It has helped all 
Americans develop a better connection with their own cultural 
heritage and that of their fore fathers.
    Since the Endowment was created three decades ago we have 
seen a dramatic increase in artistic performances and 
activities. We have seen a dramatic increase in private 
contributions to the arts. When the NEA was established, there 
were only 56 nonprofit theaters in the United States. Today 
there are more than 400. The number of orchestras has 
quadrupled to more than 200. The same is true for opera 
companies. Dance companies have grown by more than eight fold. 
Public arts agencies in small towns and cities have grown to 
more 3,000.
    The record of the Endowment, like that of most enterprises 
is not unblemished. Opponents of NEA funding now base their 
opposition almost entirely on objections to several dozen grant 
applications which the endowment chose in years past to fund. 
What opponents of the Endowment fail to acknowledge is that 
objections have been raised to only about 40 of the 112,000 
grants which NEA has awarded during its 30 years of existence. 
That doesn't even round to one tenth of one percent. Further, 
there is clear evidence that the leadership of the Endowment 
has gotten the message and that far greater vigilance is now 
being exercised to avoid these mistakes now than in the past.
    This committee deals frequently with needed programs that 
have failed in one respect or another to meet our and the 
public's expectations. If these programs can be reformed to 
meet the interests of the country and of our individual 
constituents we don't normally throw the baby out with the bath 
water. We should not do so with respect to support of the arts. 
Even if we restore funding for the NEA in this bill to $99 
million, the amount available for the current year, we will be 
supporting the arts at levels 40% below the support we provided 
a few years ago. We should do not less than that and the 
proposed termination of the NEA contained in the reported bill 
is the kind of extremist policy which has gotten this committee 
and this Congress in so much trouble over the last several 
years.

                                                         Dave Obey.
DISSENTING VIEWS REGARDING THE WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR 
                                SCHOLARS

    We wish to register our dissent with respect to the 
recommended funding level for the Woodrow International Center 
for Scholars and portions of the language concerning the Center 
contained in the Committee's report.
    We appreciate Chairman Regula's willingness to listen to 
our concerns and to make significant changes in the language of 
the Subcommittee report. However, in our view, the report still 
gives an inadequate account of the National Academy of Public 
Administration (NAPA) review of Wilson Center operations, and 
the Committee has come to conclusions regarding Center funding 
which that review does not even remotely warrant.
    First, the report languages alleges that the work of the 
scholars at the Wilson Center no longer has relevance to 
current public policy or real world issues. As a result, the 
report claims the Center has lost its public policy function 
and its original goal of linking the worlds of learning and 
public policy.
    In fact, the NAPA review does not provide any quantitative 
analysis or substantive review of the scholarly outputs of the 
Center--either recent or at any point in its history--which can 
substantiate such a claim. We therefore invite the House to 
review the list of projects undertaken by the 67 Scholars in 
Residence during 1996-97, some of which are listed below. 
Research initiatives such as the following can hardly be 
described as irrelevant or cited as proof that the Center has 
lost its public policy function:
          ``The Jordanian-Palestinian Dynamic in Jordan and the 
        Arab-Israeli Peace Process''
          ``Developing the Rule of Law in Emerging Democracies: 
        The Role of U.S. Foreign Policy and Foreign 
        Assistance''
          ``Militarism and National Development in Korea 1931-
        92''
          ``The Evolution of the Revolution: post-Khomeini 
        Iran''
          ``Ideology, Pragmatism, and Party Formation in post-
        Soviet Russia''
          ``Competitive Advantage: Political Competition and 
        Economic Reform in post-Communist Transitions''
          ``Muslim/Christian relations in Twentieth Century 
        Egypt''
    The NAPA review further offers no quantitative analysis of 
the seminars, workshops, and other programs the Center has 
offered and the degree to which these programs are effectively 
linking the scholarly initiatives with its public policy 
programs. Again, we invite the House to review the list of 
policymakers who have participated in Center programs in 1997. 
In our view, participation by such prominent public 
policymakers as the following indicates that the Center is 
attempting to link the worlds of public policy and learning:
          Secretary of State Warren Christopher
          General Barry McCaffrey, Director of the Office of 
        National Drug Control Policy
          Alan Greenspan, Federal Reserve Chairman
          Robert Orr, Director of Global and Multilateral 
        Affairs, National Security Council
          Alvaro de Soto, Assistant Secretary General for 
        Political Affairs, the United Nations
          U.S. Reps. Ben Gilman, Nancy Pelosi, and Chip 
        Pickering
          U.S. Senator Joe Biden
    Secondly, the Committee report's allegations with respect 
to the Center's leadership are similarly based on the 
incomplete assessment contained in the NAPA review. Although 
the report states that ``the only accomplishment the Academy 
could cite for the current director was obtaining new office 
space,'' the reviewers did not conduct a substantive analysis 
of the director, but focused on staff comments with respect to 
the senior leadership of the Center. In fact, the NAPA review 
stated, ``. . . members of the board and the council generally 
rate the leadership's performance highly. They applaud the 
director's relocation efforts and ability to attract highly 
visible fellows and guest scholars to the center . . .'' While 
there is undoubtedly room for improvement in leadership--
especially a more active role for the Board of Directors--the 
only personnel recommendation in the review is for periodic 
assessments of the director by the Board.
    Thirdly, the report states that it may be ``impossible for 
the Wilson Center to reestablish a clear mission within the 
current organization.'' By contrast, the NAPA review suggests 
that it is highly possible for the Center to re-invent itself, 
stating that the Center ``merits continued support because it 
is in a position to play an important role in both the academic 
and public policy communities.''
    In conclusion, despite its shortcomings, the NAPA review is 
helpful in two ways. One, it notes key assets the Center has 
accumulated over the past 30 years, including consistent 
attraction of outstanding scholars and practitioners who have 
produced high quality publications; nonpartisan, nonideological 
analysis; and facilitation of discussion between scholars and 
public policy specialists. Two, it makes a number of 
recommendations to improve the work and effectiveness of the 
Center, particularly with regard to personnel evaluations for 
the director, board involvement in clarifying the mission of 
the Center, and the need to improve the Center's efforts to 
link the worlds of learning and public affairs by balancing its 
scholarly focus with strengthened public service programs and 
initiatives.
    Unfortunately, the Committee has largely ignored these 
components of the report. Instead of recognizing the Center's 
attributes and implementing the recommendations contained in 
the report, the Committee has called for effectively de-funding 
the agency. The Committee therefore has rendered irrelevant the 
very review it required the Center to undertake--at taxpayer 
expense--last year.
    In this time of fiscal constraint, there is no federal 
agency or recipient of federal funding that should not be 
subject to careful scrutiny. In submitting these dissenting 
views, we in no way mean to imply that there is not room for 
improvement at the Center, or that the Subcommittee should not 
exercise its oversight authority. However, in the absence of 
careful review or any Committee hearings on the Wilson Center 
during the FY98 cycle, we must respectfully object to the 
Committee's conclusions and funding recommendation.

                                   David Price.
                                   Dave Obey.
                                   Sidney R. Yates.
                                   Norm Dicks.
                                   David E. Skaggs.
                                   Jim Moran.
                                   Vic Fazio.
                                   Steny Hoyer.
                                   Tom Foglietta.
                                   Nancy Pelosi.
                                   Rosa L. DeLauro.
                                   John W. Olver.
                                   Carrie P. Meek.
                                   Martin O. Sabo.
                  DISSENTING VIEWS BY HON. NORM DICKS

    I wish to express my strong opposition to the Committee's 
actions to fund the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at 
only $10 million for Fiscal Year 1998, a level of funding 
targeted at shutting down the organization. I believe that 
eliminating federal support for the arts is a major mistake an 
a tragedy for our nation.
    For those in the Congress concerned and conscious of 
deficit reduction, I wish to point out that the Interior 
Appropriation Subcommittee has already drastically reduced base 
funding for the Arts by 40 percent.
    Those who believe the NEA funding should be reduced further 
or eliminated are saying to this nation and their constituents 
that we should not invest in our culture and in creativity. To 
be against the arts agency's existence is to say that we should 
not support ballets, symphonies, or theater performances. It's 
time to look at the real truth and the real value of the NEA, 
and move beyond the scapegoating for convenience of this 
important cultural institution for our nation.
    Let's examine the real record, and stop viewing this agency 
through a prism of distortion. Since its creation in 1965, the 
NEA has awarded over 100,000 grants and less than 40 have been 
considered to be very controversial. It is estimated that the 
Endowment costs each American just 38 cents a year. However, 
with this modest investment, the agency helps enhance the 
quality of life for our citizens, by supporting theaters, 
touring dance companies, folk festivals, arts education, 
orchestras, museums, and a wide variety of other programs.
    Many widely acclaimed programs began with the talent of 
individuals who had received seed money from the NEA, and many 
rural areas of our nation would not be able to enjoy arts 
programs without outreach by the Endowment.
    We must recognize that the small investment made by the 
federal government in funding the NEA creates tremendous 
leverage in obtaining private investment. For every dollar 
spent by the Endowment, it attracts $11 in investment from the 
private sector. In fact, many private sector contributors rely 
heavily on the NEA's grant selection process as a guide to the 
kinds of programs that should be supported.
    Endowment support has helped to increase audience support 
for all art forms. For example, the annual audience for 
professional dance has grown from one million to more than 16 
million over the past 28 years. Audiences for the work of 
professional opera companies have grown to over 7.6 million, 
compared to only 5 million a decade ago. Non-profit theaters 
serve an audience that has grown to over 20 million. Symphony 
performance attendance has risen to over 27 million annually. 
all of this has occurred with seed support from the NEA.
    The NEA's Underserved Communities Initiative, created in 
1990, has awarded grants in every state to broaden public 
access to art in rural, inner-city, and artistically 
underserved areas.
    Also, support for the arts is support for the economy. The 
NEA's modest budget has annually generated matching funds 
estimated at over $1.2 billion. These monies permeate the 
economy. At least 1.3 million full time jobs are supported by 
the arts; $25.2 billion is earned through salaries, wages, and 
entrepreneurial income; local governments receive $790 million 
in taxes and fees; state governments receive $1.2 billion; and 
the Federal government receives $3.4 billion in income tax 
revenue.
    It is clear that the outreach and support granted by the 
NEA to the arts has an incredible ripple effect throughout our 
economy, and restricting or eliminating the NEA's ability to 
perform that outreach would be both economically and culturally 
devastating.
    In my home state of Washington, many arts and cultural 
institutions have benefited from NEA grants, including: 
Tacoma's Broadway Theater, the Tacoma Art Museum, the Centrum 
Foundation, the Washington State Arts Commission, the Before 
Columbus Foundation, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the 
Bainbridge Island Arts Council, the Seattle Art Museum, the 
Spokane Symphony Society, the Washington State Historical 
Society, and the Seattle Children's Theater Association.
    Not just in my district, but throughout the nation, the 
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is serving our nation 
well. It is important for our future, and it should receive the 
support of this Congress because that is what the American 
people expect of us, and we should not let them down.

                                                        Norm Dicks.

                                
