Kit Bond

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I understand that H.R. 748 has arrived from the House. I ask for its first reading.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. This is the Veterans Affairs, HUD, independent agencies appropriations measure?

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BOND. With the concurrence of the majority leader and the minority leader, I think we are prepared to have one more vote on an amendment to be offered by Senator Bumpers. I believe other amendments pending can be resolved without a vote, so we hope to be able to have the vote on the amendment and start the vote for final passage prior to 7 o'clock. I ask unanimous consent the debate on an amendment to be offered by the Senator from Arkansas be 20 minutes, equally divided in the usual form.

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I yield myself 2 minutes. I just appreciate the effort the Senator from Arkansas is making to ensure that the spending on this widely supported and strongly endorsed program is kept under control, but the space station is already operating under administrative caps. I understand the authorizing committee is examining the potential for legislated caps. I think this is an issue appropriately to be referred to the authorizers. It deserves careful consideration, not brought forward here in the last moment on an appropriations bill debate. I just say, Mr. President, space station is a research and development project. It has a lot of uncertainties but tremendous promise. It is rocket science. We are dealing with rocket science. We should not lock NASA in stone with caps that are pulled out of thin air here at the last minute in the appropriations process. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the Bumpers amendment.

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, it is with deep gratitude that I express my appreciation to the Senator from Arkansas. I believe he has another amendment and I now feel a wonderful sense that we will be willing to accept it if he wishes to proceed with that.

Mr. BOND. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, we have had conversation with the authorizing committees and, from our standpoint, I have found no objection from the committees of jurisdiction. This one is well outside the scope of our normal activities. So I am awaiting any expression of concern. We have not had any concern from the committees who have jurisdiction over immigration.

Mr. BOND. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 6:40 p.m. the Senate proceed to H.R. 2158, the House companion bill, all after the enacting clause be stricken, the text of S. 1034 be inserted, H.R. 2158 be read for the third time, and a vote occur on passage, all without further action or debate.

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I send a group of amendments to the desk, en bloc, and ask for their immediate consideration.

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendments be dispensed with.

Mr. BOND. My colleagues from Kansas and Alabama are correct. these studies are critical to determining whether the EPA's rulemaking is appropriate. I concur with the Senators in the importance of this research and ensuring that the particular research projects funded address the most critical questions associated with particulate matter exposure.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate disagree with the amendment of the House, agree to the request for a conference, and, further, that the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, I thank the Chair. Madam President, with my distinguished ranking member, I am pleased to present to the Senate the fiscal year 1998 VA-HUD and Independent agencies appropriations bill. This bill is not perfect, as is usually the case with the measures that we present, and not everyone is fully satisfied, but, nevertheless, every attempt was made to achieve a balanced, fair bill which meets our highest priority. While I am very grateful for the support of the appropriations chairman in the allocation process, it should be recognized that the allocation is slightly above the amount assumed in the budget agreement. Our job was made extremely difficult once again this year by an extraordinarily tight initial 602(b) allocation. I might add that we are awaiting final Budget Committee action, which I expect will be forthcoming shortly, to achieve the final allocation numbers. The allocation represents a reduction of about $1.4 billion below the President's request in outlays. Clearly, fulfilling the President's request in many areas has been impossible under these numbers. The bill totals approximately $69.4 billion in discretionary budget authority, plus an additional $21.5 billion in mandatory spending. Our highest priority was adequately funding VA medical programs, which in the budget agreement took a $300 million cut. Protecting VA medical care meant that fulfilling the President's full request for EPA, for which a 12 percent or $850 million increase was requested, simply was not possible. In addition, the subcommittee did not apply cuts totaling $230 million to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or the National Science Foundation which were assumed in the budget agreement. Finally, the budget agreement suggested that public housing, community development block grants, the HOME Program for local governments to assist in housing, and the McKinney Homeless programs all be cut. Clearly, those cuts were unacceptable, and we did not include them. For the Veterans Administration the committee recommendation totals $18.7 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $92 million above the President's request and almost $400 million above the amount assumed in the budget agreement. Increases were provided to VA medical care, research, and the State home construction grant program, the latter of which demand far exceeds available Federal matching funds. The recommendation for VA is predicated on enactment of reconciliation legislation giving VA authority to retain collections from third-party payers and copayments. Such collections are estimated to total $600 million next year, and together with the medical care appropriation will result in an increase over fiscal year 1997 of $617 million in available discretionary funding for VA medical care. The amount recommended will enable VA fully to continue on the path of improving the quality of health care services, increase the number of veterans served, and increase the provision of care in ambulatory and community-based settings. The bill would also require VA to begin implementation of a number of preliminary recommendations of the National Academy of Public Administration report regarding the Veterans Benefits Administration. These recommendations are intended to improve and expedite the processing of veterans' claims for benefits. Addressing this problem is long overdue. For the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the committee recommends $25.4 billion, including flat funding for most programs such as CDBG, HOME, public housing, and homeless assistance. The budget agreement assumes cuts in each of these programs. And as I indicated, the committee did not accept that budget agreement recommendation. In addition, the mark restores the President's budget cut of $365 million to elderly and disabled housing, with a total of $839 million included in the recommendation for this program. Furthermore, the bill provides $9.2 billion to fund section 8 contract renewals fully for which the budget resolution included a special reserve account. For the Environmental Protection Agency, the committee recommendation totals almost $7 billion, an increase of $180 million over the fiscal year 1997 level. While this recommendation is $680 million less than the President's request, the reduction is attributable primarily to the decision not to fund a requested 50 percent increase for Superfund. Given that the Superfund Program is sorely in need of reform and reauthorization, with the General Accounting Office designating it as a high-risk program subject to fraud, waste and abuse, coupled with our budget constraints previously described, a $700 million increase simply could not be justified. Senators Chafee and Smith, chairman of the authorizing committee and subcommittee respectively, have indicated their opposition to a large boost in Superfund appropriations prior to reauthorization and reform badly needed in that program. Finally, there are serious questions as to whether EPA could even spend the full amount being requested. In terms of operating programs, which are up almost $100 million over last year, the largest reduction--$122 million--below the request was taken from a laboratory construction project in Research Triangle Park, NC. Sufficient funds remain available to continue progress on the new building at this time. In addition, all major operating program accounts in the Environmental Protection Agency will receive increases. Again, this year the committee made as its highest priority EPA funding for States for implementation of environmental requirements. A significant increase is recommended for State revolving funds. The committee recommendation restores the President's proposed $275 million cut to clean water State revolving funds and fully funds the $175 million increase for drinking water State revolving funds, for a total of $2.075 billion. These funds are vitally needed, Madam President, with the EPA's estimate of drinking water and clean water infrastructure requirements nationally exceeding $200 billion. I believe every Member of this body, when she or he returns to their State, will find that these priority needs are there. They are critical and they are absolutely essential to maintaining the health of our populace as well as the quality of our environment. In addition, the committee recommends a $50 million boost to State environmental assistance grants, in part for additional responsibilities in the area of air quality standards, for a total of $725 million. The leaking underground storage tank grants are increased $5 million, for a total of $65 million. This program is vital in protecting ground water resources. To minimize controversy and expedite consideration of this bill, there are no EPA legislative provisions included in the committee recommendation. If Members wish to offer such amendments, we ask that you bring them forward. We will deal with those in the full body. We did not deal with them in committee. For the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the committee recommends $13.5 billion for NASA, the same as the President's request. The past few weeks in the news have exemplified NASA's situation, from the heady excitement of seeing the American robot Sojourner cruising the surface of Mars to the continued concerns over the safety of our American astronaut and his Russian companions on the Mir space station. We have supplied NASA with the President's request and will work with the agency to allow them the flexibility to continue their exciting research and development missions while at the same time working to control their costs. For the National Science Foundation, the recommendation includes $3.377 billion for the National Science Foundation, $10 million above the President's request and $60 million above the budget agreement assumptions. This subcommittee believes that research and development is essential to our Nation's future and wants to give the NSF the necessary resources. Included in the mark for NSF funding is the provision for a new plant genome initiative. An interagency working group convened by the President's science adviser has recently reported on the exciting prospects in genome research. Their report recommends expanding current studies of plant genomes to economically important crop species, including corn. We have supplied NSF with the resources to jump-start that effort and applaud the agency's interest and support in exploring the broader applications of the research they fund. For the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the recommendation totals the President's request of $788 million exactly, including $320 million for disaster relief. A prohibition on spending is included in the recommendation, consistent with legislation FEMA recently proposed to reform the disaster relief account. This is an area I have long been interested in addressing, as the costs of this program are completely out of control. The limitation on spending included in this measure as recommended by FEMA would prohibit disaster relief funds from being spent on such projects as golf courses, stadiums, parks, and recreational facilities, trees and shrubs. While the limitation on spending is modest, it is at least a first step, long overdue, and an important one that we should take. I anticipate the authorizing committee will expedite its consideration of FEMA's proposed Stafford Act amendments in September. Also in FEMA, the newly authorized dam safety program is fully funded at $2.9 million and State and local assistance grants are increased $3 million. I might add that, as mentioned earlier, we are waiting final action from the Budget Committee to revise the 602(a) allocation, which is anticipated shortly, after which the subcommittee 602(b) allocation will be revised so that we may be in conformance with that allocation. The action is necessary owing to the budget resolution's special treatment of the HUD section 8 contract renewal accounts. Privilege Of The Floor

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I believe the leader is going to be here shortly to discuss the voting schedule for tonight. I know votes were scheduled to begin at 5:15, but pending the arrival of the majority leader, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, I now ask unanimous consent that there be a period for the transaction of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, we are now back on the VA-HUD bill. I see my colleague from Minnesota has come in. I understand he wants to speak on another measure. But I ask my colleagues, if they have any business, if they wish to do anything, please be here before 6 o'clock. We are willing, ready, and able to do business and move forward on VA- HUD. But we do not need to hold personnel here if nobody is going to come forward. With that invitation, or request, that all of our colleagues who may have either amendments or colloquies advise the ranking member or myself by 10 o'clock tomorrow that we will be here for votes, it will be a good opportunity for us to determine what measures are going to come before the body so we can schedule the work on this very important bill and move forward. I thank my colleagues for their cooperation. I hope they will let us know what amendments they have.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent on behalf of the Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services to meet on Monday, July 21, 1997, at 2:30 p.m. for a hearing on ``The Compliance Review Process and Missile Defense.''

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, for the information of all Members, tomorrow the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1023, the Treasury, general governmental appropriations bill with 10 minutes of debate, and at 10 a.m. a series of votes, possibly three, will occur on the remaining pending amendments to the Treasury, general government appropriations bill, including a vote on final passage of S. 1023. Following disposition of S. 1023, the Senate will resume consideration of the VA- HUD appropriations bill. Therefore, additional votes will occur during Tuesday's session of the Senate.

Mr. BOND

Mr. BOND. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until the hour of 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22. I further ask that on Tuesday, immediately following the prayer, the routine requests through the morning business hour be granted, and at 9:50 a.m. the Senate resume consideration of S. 1023, the Treasury, general governmental appropriations bill with 10 minutes of debate equally divided in the usual form between Senator Campbell and Senator Kohl.

Mr. BOND. I also ask unanimous consent that from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. the Senate recess for the weekly policy luncheons to meet.