John Doolittle

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, for more than 14 years the Sly Park Unit conveyance has been a legislative proposal before the Congress. It has passed both the House and Senate several times in various forms. Today we have before us what I consider a fair proposal to all interested parties in the legislation. The Sly Park Unit in California was originally authorized under the American River Act of October 14, 1949. Since the project was completed in 1955, the district has operated and maintained the facilities. Additionally, the district has played a major role in providing a safe, clean, and community-oriented recreation area that offers camping, boating, swimming, picnicking, and fishing. Since I became the chairman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power, it has been my intent to pursue legislation to shrink the size and scope of the Federal government through the defederalization of these assets. This defederalization should be done for two reasons. First, in the case of Sly Park, the unit will be completely paid for prior to conveyance. Second, the district has demonstrated for more than four decades their expertise and financial capability in managing this project more efficiently than the Federal government. During the 105th Congress two congressionally-initiated Bureau of Reclamation transfer bills were signed into law that directed the Secretary of the Interior to convey all right, title, and interest to the United States in and to specified project facilities. It is contemplated that the Sly Park Unit will be maintained and managed after the transfer so that there would be no significant changes in operation and maintenance or in land and water use in the reasonably foreseeable future. Once transfer takes place, the future management of the facility will be the responsibility of the new owners, with any changes made pursuant to all then applicable laws. It is the committee's expectation that the completion of the conveyance should take no longer than 18 months from the date of enactment. To accomplish this end, we have received assurances from the Bureau of Reclamation that they will complete as expeditiously as possible the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. Furthermore, it is the committee's expectation that the district will cooperate with the Bureau of Reclamation in the environmental process and in the administrative tasks necessary to complete the transfer. If the conveyance is not completed within 18 months from the date of enactment, the Secretary can be expected to pay 100 percent of the costs of complying with the requirements of NEPA incurred as a direct result of executing this title transfer. If the conveyance occurs within 18 months, the Bureau of Reclamation should be expected to pay up to 50 percent of the costs of complying with the requirements of NEPA incurred as a direct result of executing this title transfer. Again, I would like to thank my colleagues, especially the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), and the Bureau of Reclamation for their work in assuring the passage of this important legislation. I would urge an aye vote on the the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I, too, am pleased to confirm that the administration is now officially on record in support of this legislation. I urge an aye vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1235) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into contracts with the Solano County Water Agency, California, to use Solano Project facilities for impounding, storage, and carriage of nonproject water for domestic, municipal, industrial, and other beneficial purposes.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the city of Vallejo, California has tried to use its water supply facilities more efficiently, but has been limited by a provision in Federal law that prohibits the city from sharing space in an existing Federal water delivery canal. The city of Vallejo wants to wheel some of its drinking water through part of the canal serving California's Solano Project, a water project built by the Bureau of Reclamation in the 1950s. The city of Vallejo is prepared to pay any appropriate charges for the use of these facilities. H.R. 1235 authorizes the Secretary of Interior to enter into contracts for the impounding, storage, and carriage of nonproject water using facilities associated with the Solano Project, California. In addition, any Warren Act contract affecting the Solano Project will be conducted with full compliance of all applicable environmental requirements. I urge an aye vote on the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge an aye vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bills just passed, H.R. 862, H.R. 992, and H.R. 1235.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 970) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance to the Perkins County Rural Water System, Inc., for the construction of water supply facilities in Perkins County, South Dakota, as amended.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Perkins County is located in northwest South Dakota on the border with North Dakota. Like many areas in the high plains, there are insufficient water supplies, and much of what is available does not meet minimum health and safety standards. In the early 1930s, South Dakota and Perkins County funded a water supply feasibility study which was completed in 1994. The study concluded that obtaining water from the Southwest Water Authority, a nearby water system located in North Dakota, was the most feasible option, and that the necessary water supply system would cost approximately $20 million. This bill provides for a 75/25 Federal-local cost share, with a total authorization of $15 million for the water supply project costs. A similar bill passed the House and Senate last year, but due to time constraints was never sent to the President for signature. This bill simplifies the Pick-Sloan power provision of the previous bill, and makes power available to the project at the firm power rate schedule of the Pick-Sloan Eastern Division, within the Western Power Administration, rather than at pumping power rates. This is more equitable to other power users, and consistent with other municipal and industrial water projects. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Thune), the author of this legislation.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I urge an aye vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, the bill currently before the House, H.R. 1180, the Work Incentives Improvements Act of 1999, allows the disabled to retain healthcare coverage that they would lose if they went back to work. Under current law, after a nine-month trial work period, a disabled worker who receives Social Security disability benefits but earns more than $700 per month will lose his or her Medicare health coverage. In addition, workers who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits will lose their Medicaid coverage once their earnings reach the basis SSI benefit level. As a result, current law tends to trap individuals with disabilities to the system. In essence, individuals who try to work lose cash benefits, along with access to medical coverage they so desperately need. H.R. 1180 would revamp present law so that individuals receiving Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income could return to work without losing Medicare or Medicaid insurance. It would also create a system of vouchers that could be used to purchase job training and rehabilitation services from government or private sources. I support providing legislative relief and feel that it would help remove some of the most significant barriers to the employment of people with disabilities. However, I am voting against this bill because of a provision that would require the Social Security Administration to impose fees upon attorneys who represent disability claimants during the appeals process. At present, when an attorney successfully represents a disability claimant and that claimant is entitled to past-due benefits, SSA withholds a portion of those past-due benefits in order to pay the attorney for the services he or she provided. The Work Incentives Improvement Act seeks to impose an ``assessment'' of 6.3 percent on all such payments to attorneys. I believe that this ``assessment'' is unnecessary in the context of this bill, and would likely deter some attorneys from representing disability claimants. The reliance on a user fee assessed on attorneys' fees in Social Security case to fund the important work incentives bill is poor policy. It would hurt many of the very people that work incentives legislation is designed to help. I strongly hope that these differences can be resolved when the House and Senate come together to work on a final version of this bill. We need to enact legislation that fulfills the promise of the Work Incentives Improvement Act and does not harm those people with disabilities whom the bill is designed to assist.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 795) to provide for the settlement of the water rights claims of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the Rocky Boy's water rights settlement process has been important for a number of reasons. The gentleman from Montana (Mr. Hill), the State of Montana, and the tribe have spent a good deal of time working through the issues in a constructive fashion, taking steps to minimize the impact on other affected water users. Furthermore, there has been minimal emphasis on some of the outmoded bases for calculating Federal Reserve Indian water right claims. This process has allowed the parties to look to newer, more flexible negotiations that find solutions which provide tribes with real opportunities without making demands that may destroy the economic livelihood of existing water users. Additionally, this process has brought new solutions and introduced private sector expertise into the tribe's efforts to utilize these water supplies once the settlement is authorized. By approaching these Indian water right settlements in more creative ways, Congress and the Federal Government can narrow the divergent expectations of the parties as they enter negotiations and attempt to correct problems that have existed for decades. It is important for Congress to modernize the process and bases for settling these claims. It is taking far too long to arrive at a settlement. Often tribes receive water and money under circumstances that do not ultimately help them realize the benefits of the broader economy. It is the intention that this settlement will help the tribe reach their goal of self-determination. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Hill), the distinguished author of the legislation. (Mr. HILL of Montana asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote; I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2140) to improve protection and management of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in the State of Georgia, as amended.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2140, introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal). The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) is to be commended for crafting a bill which amends the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Act by modifying the boundaries of the area and to provide for the lands, waters, and scenic resources, and to provide protection for these within the recreation area. Visitor enjoyment and protection of the river would be enhanced by adding land-based links between current units of the national recreation area. This bill also assures the recreation area is managed by forming cooperative agreements with State, local, and other entities. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area attracts thousands of visitors year-round. The recreation area has seen a substantial increase in use, becoming one of the most visited national recreation areas in the country. H.R. 2140 will also enhance the protection for the scenic and recreational values of the Chattahoochee River corridor from developmental pressures. I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2821) to amend the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to provide for appointment of 2 additional members of the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, as amended.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House H.R. 2821, introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon). The fundamental goal of this legislation is to diversify and expand the effectiveness of the North American Wetlands Council by increasing from three to five the number of nongovernmental representatives that may serve on that body. Under current law, there are nine members, including the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who serve on the Wetlands Council. Their job is to review and recommend worthwhile conservation projects to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. To date, the commission has approved 714 projects to protect, restore, and enhance critical wetland habitat in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This represents a financial commitment of $310.8 million that has been matched by more than 900 nongovernmental partners, for a total investment of $798.5 million. These funds have been used to conserve over 33 million acres of wetlands which directly benefit millions of migratory birds. By expanding the membership of the Wetlands Council, two additional conservation groups would be given a seat at the table, and they would bring with them their commitment to accelerate the growth of this extremely successful program. H.R. 2821 is a noncontroversial and bipartisan bill that has been authored by the two House Members who serve with distinction on the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. I urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), one of the principal sponsors of the legislation. (Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.