Pete Domenici

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I commend Senator Hutchison, along with Senators Dodd and Feinstein for introducing this bill today. I am pleased to join in this effort. The election of Vicente Fox as President of Mexico is a remarkable event in the history of our neighbor to the south. After 71 years of rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party, Mexico is about to embark on an important test of its new democracy. Mr. Fox has spoken very eloquently and persuasively in recent weeks and he has offered some interesting new ideas on critical issues which affect both of our countries, like immigration, trade and controlling illegal drugs. Some of his ideas are quite impressive, and they certainly will spur debate both in the United States and in Mexico. I think it is important for our leaders in the United States, particularly those in the border region, to engage Mr. Fox, talk with him, listen to his ideas and offer our own thoughts to him. In this spirit of cooperation and acceptance, I think it is critical for the United States to suspend the drug certification process for Mexico this coming year. Mr. Fox needs time to build his administration, and to develop his own plan for dealing with the drug cartels. As we all know, the history of drug cooperation between the United States and Mexico has not been great. Mexico remains the source of 70 percent of the foreign grown marijuana in the U.S., 50-60 percent of the cocaine and 25-30 percent of the heroin. In recent months, our federal law enforcement authorities have dismantled a major heroin ring operating out of Nayarit, Mexico, which was responsible for much of the black tar heroin in the Southwest. It is this heroin which has torn apart the northern New Mexico county of Rio Arriba, which has the highest per capita heroin overdose rate in the Nation. President-elect Fox has said that he will redouble his country's efforts to fight the drug cartels, and will increase the number of criminals extradited to the United States to stand trial. I have fought for years for more extraditions, and I am pleased that President Fox shares my goal. I want to give Mr. Fox time to prove that he means what he says. Engaging in the certification process in March of 2001, within only 120 days of Mr. Fox's first day in office, will only serve as a hindrance to developing mutual cooperation between the two new administrations. The bill we have introduced today merely waives for one year the requirement that the President make a certification decision about Mexico. This waiver would not exempt Mexico from any of the annual reports or other activities associated with the certification process, including review by the State Department in its annual report to Congress. It simply says that the next United States President need not grade Mexico and its new President in his first four months in office by choosing between certification, decertification or certification through a national interest waiver. Mr. Fox should make no mistake--Senators from the Southwest care deeply about the drug problem, which affects our communities, courts, jails, hospitals and border region like no other issue. We expect Mr. Fox to set concrete, measurable goals and timetables for crippling the drug cartels and ending narco-corruption. This is a fair bill, one that respects the new democracy in Mexico, and recognizes that the new administration needs time to set its own agenda. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and the new President of Mexico on this and other important issues of mutual interest between our two countries.

Mr. DOMENICI

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, my amendment to strike the language in section 204 results from an agreement reached between myself and Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt to delay implementation of a solicitor's opinion concerning the ownership of water facilities and related use of Rio Grande water, and to work toward a long-term solution to these water issues. At issue is the relationship between ownership of water facilities and the desire to maintain flows in the Rio Grande. Secretary Babbitt agreed to refrain from implementing a June 19 Solicitor's opinion, unless agreed to by the parties in litigation and the state engineer, or as permitted by court order. I committed to work with him to achieve a long-term solution to these complicated water issues, and we agreed the current allocation, ownership and use of water in New Mexico have raised some issues of the greatest magnitude and at this time the most appropriate forum for their resolution is Federal court. I have moved to strike this language based on the good faith of Secretary Babbitt, and I also note that he agreed to continue to resolve water issues related to the Fort Sumner Irrigation District (FSID) and the Pecos River, recognizing that the FSID and MRGCD facilities have different status. However, based on our good faith discussions, I will continue to work with him on the Pecos issue, and expect that the Department will not take adverse action against that irrigation district in the meantime. the harding lake watershed study

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I would be pleased to respond to the Senator's question. As my good friend pointed out, the funding allocation for the Energy and Water Subcommittee for fiscal year 2001 did not afford us the luxury of initiating new construction projects. However, I am aware of the Senator's strong support and interest in this project and, should the subcommittee receive sufficient additional budgetary resources, I will assure my colleague that the project outlined by the Senator would certainly be considered along with numerous other projects which have been brought to the subcommittee's attention. objectionable provisions

Mr. DOMENICI. I would be pleased to work with the Senator from Idaho, the Senator from Washington, and other members of the Northwest delegation to assure expeditious enactment of any such necessary legislation.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, the Senator from Idaho is correct.

Mr. DOMENICI. I agree with your view that these funds could utilized for the type of infrastructure support you have described. If distressed communities in the Mississippi River Delta region are struggling to qualify for federal assistance due to their inability to provide the local match for infrastructure improvements, I think it should be one of the highest priorities for these funds to be applied in this way.

Mr. DOMENICI. Yes, Senator, In fact, it is the interest of the subcommittee to bring this federal support to the Mississippi River Delta region in the most timely and cost-efficient manner. It is my understanding that much like in your own State of Mississippi, the other six states have similar delivery systems in place through their local community colleges, universities, departments of transportation, and water resource agencies that should be used as the primary vehicles through which these funds are properly administered to provide the greatest regional impact.

Mr. DOMENICI. Yes. It is my understanding that this is the area suffering most in terms of economic distress.

Mr. DOMENICI. The provisions included in the bill do not specifically define the Delta.

Mr. DOMENICI. I thank Senator Warner for bringing this matter to may attention. I am aware that this facility is utilized by the National Capital Area Boy Scouts organization. It is important that the non- federal sponsor finance their share of the costs of these safety repairs and I am aware that the Commonwealth of Virginia may become the non-federal sponsor. I know how important this project is to the Senator and I will give it full consideration during Conference. delta regional authority

Mr. DOMENICI. I appreciate the words of the Senator from Colorado and would note that New Mexico State University is an important partner in the consortium. Unfortunately, due to our subcommittee allocation, there was not enough room in the Senate mark to cover many good programs and projects.

Mr. DOMENICI. I would inform the Senator from Colorado that I am aware of CPBR's work and would be happy to address the Senator on this topic.

Mr. DOMENICI. I would be happy to oblige the Senator from Colorado.

Mr. DOMENICI. The Committee once again recognizes the outstanding contributions of the entire effort at the Fernald site-workers, community leaders, and regulators. We will try to support the Senators request and encourage the DOE to make an expeditious decision concerning the pending contract.

Mr. DOMENICI. Absolutely, I concur with the Senator.

Mr. DOMENICI. I would be pleased to respond to the distinguished Senator from Ohio, Senator DeWine.

Mr. DOMENICI. I appreciate that elaboration, Mr. President, and look forward to working with Senator Gorton on this issue of great interest to his constituents. fernald environmental management project

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I see the senior Senator from Washington, Senator Gorton, on the floor. Our committee report on this bill includes language he recommended relative to the particular challenges the Bonneville Power Administration status as a Federal agency presents to the BPA in its possible participation in a regional transmission organization. Our report acknowledges that certain steps may need to be taken to mitigate impacts on BPA employees, and that legislation may be necessary. I understand that the Senator from Washington would like to comment further on this issue.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I have already mentioned today and on another occasion the importance of this bill. I thank all Senators for cooperating. We did our very best on the numerous amendments, and we will do our very best in conference. Everyone knows we are very short of money on the nondefense side. If we can get some assistance from the appropriations committee, we will be able to help solve many of these problems in conference. In the meantime, I want to say to Senator Reid that it is always a pleasure to work with him. We will go to conference and do the best we can. I want to thank Drew Willison of Senator Reid's staff. He is a tremendous asset, and we very much like working with him. I thank the Senator for his thanks to the two members of my staff. They are truly professional, and I am very grateful to them. Mr. President, we have nothing further. I ask for the yeas and nays on final passage of this bill.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, does Senator Reid have anything further to add?

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

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I send amendments that are at the desk that have been modified: Amendment No. 4060, as modified; modification of amendment No. 4087; modification of amendment No. 4091, all of which are printed and at the desk; amendment No. 4108 as modified; amendment No. 4109, as modified; and amendment No. 4113, as modified. I send them to the desk and ask unanimous consent that they be considered and agreed to en bloc.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I might say to both Senators, I very much appreciate their efforts. I think while they were talking, I was expressing to anyone who wanted to listen my heartfelt concerns about this bill in terms of the future of our nuclear weapons. It would not be good if we wasted a year operating under last year's levels or operating under some kind of a veto. I join in not knowing what the veto threat really means. Nonetheless, it would be marvelous if we could work it out to their satisfaction so in some way the issue were resolved. There is going to be a year hiatus, one way or another, when nothing is going to happen. I don't think the President is going to be able to deny us that. But I think if we worked it out where everybody understood and maybe we could convince him that that is a good idea-- that means his council on environmental quality and others--it would be a very good thing for the United States. I hope it works out. I compliment Senator Bond this evening and earlier on this bill. I think he made a very strong case. It is pretty obvious this is a difficult issue. As he knows, I have been on his side. I have similar problems with endangered species and other things out in the West. We don't have enough water. All our rivers combined don't equal the Missouri River. I think that is a pretty fair statement--maybe even half the flow for all of ours that we have. We don't quite understand how the Missouri River is a problem. We see it as something fantastic. One time we tried to get a little bit of it, take it west, and Scoop Jackson stood in the way, I guess, from the State of Washington. Anyway, I thank the Senator for what he has done. There is not going to be a vote tonight on that issue.

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