John Doolittle

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me say I concur with the gentleman's sentiment. It is entirely appropriate that we have something named in honor of Senator Engel. This area was, generally speaking, the area from which he came. We would certainly support an appropriate designation in his honor. This, however, is I think necessary to assist the community in clearing up considerable confusion that does exist.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this basically is a simple name change to relieve a lot of confusion surrounding the name of this particular reservoir. Everything else in the area is referred to as Trinity Dam or Trinity Power Plant. Making this Trinity Lake would relieve the confusion and would, frankly, enhance the efforts of the communities to appeal more to tourism, which is what they are hoping to do. Mr. Speaker, I know of no opposition to this. Similar legislation passed the House in the last Congress, but the Senate took no action. This did not have any problem coming out of our committee, and I urge our colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. DOOLITTLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 811) to authorize research into the desalinization and reclamation of water and authorize a program for States, cities, or qualifying agencies desiring to own and operate a water desalinization or reclamation facility to develop such facilities, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, the Water Desalination Research and Development Act of 1996 passed at that point on May 3, 1996. It was referred to the Committee on Resources and, in addition, to the Committee on Science and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The bill was reported out of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, as well as the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, to bring the bill to the floor in its current form. We have also worked to coordinate with the minority in both Houses to ensure final passage. It is our expectation that the bill in its present form will be taken up by the Senate immediately. The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the heads of relevant Federal agencies, to conduct a basic research and development program for desalination, and to participate in demonstration projects. As amended, the bill contains the following provisions: First, research on key subjects that will advance our ability to provide supplemental high-quality water in various water-short areas throughout the country; Second, an evaluation of at least three alternative technologies to achieve desalination; Third, an authorization for $55 million between now and the year 2002. This compares to an authorization of $75 million in the Senate- passed version. Last, a funding formula which limits the Federal cost share to 50 percent, with a specific justification required for anything exceeding 25 percent. I want to express my appreciation to the other committees that have worked with us to craft this legislation, and urge support for the bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the Senate bill just passed.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, in 1992, before Bill Clinton took over as President, the overall chances that an adolescent used drugs was 1 in 20. In 1995, after 3 years of Bill Clinton, the chances an adolescent was using drugs had skyrocketed to 1 in 9. Mr. Speaker, our children are being lied to. They are being sold on messages from popular culture, the music industry, and Hollywood that drug use is acceptable; that it is glamorous; and that it is cool. Nothing could be further from the truth. Drugs destroy lives, they destroy families, indeed they destroy freedom. Under Bill Clinton, the war on drugs has become a small skirmish; a rear guard action. Enforcement is down, interdiction is down, and prison time for drug dealers is down. And this is all compounded by Bill Clinton's own flippant remarks on MTV about his own drug use. Mr. Speaker, we cannot surrender; we cannot give up; we must fight for our children and fight for their future.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, the ultra liberal Clinton administration is at it again. Yesterday Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt endorsed a plan to tax anything and everything having to do with enjoyment of the great outdoors. This plan would impose a 5-percent tax on, and, mind you, this is just a partial list, backpacks, camping stoves, canoes, canteens, climbing equipment, flotation vests, also hiking boots, mountain bikes, outdoor sleeping mats, ski equipment, sleeping bags, tests, paddles, binoculars, cameras, film, books on bird identification, and audio tapes of wildlife calls. Mr. Speaker, this is just a glimpse, a reminder, of what the tax and spend liberal Democrats would do if returned to power next year. They just refuse to acknowledge that what the American people want is fewer taxes, not higher taxes.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, marijuana use for teenagers is up, but interdiction is down. Teenage cocaine use is up, but enforcement is down. LSD and heroin use for teenagers are way up, but prison time for drug dealers is down. Mr. Speaker, obviously what should be down is up, and what should be up is down. The Clinton administration has its priorities backward. Instead of cutting back on interdiction efforts, we should be stopping the flow of drugs at our borders. Instead of slapping the hands of drug dealers, we should be putting them in prison. The Clinton administration's cuts in America's antidrug efforts have had their effect: Teenage drug use has exploded, and most schools unfortunately are not drug-free. Mr. Speaker, we are losing the war on drugs because we have an administration unwilling to provide the leadership needed to stop our children from turning to a life of drugs and lost opportunity.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2711) to provide for the substitution of timber for the canceled Elkhorn Ridge Timber Sale.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4018, a bill making technical corrections to the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982, as amended. This corrections bill is necessary because H.R. 1975, the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Simplification and Fairness Act of 1996, which we passed on July 16, 1996, in the House of Representatives and the Senate passed on August 2, contained typographical errors of commission and omission. H.R. 1975 amended the 1982 royalty management law. Senate Concurrent Resolution 70 was prepared and unanimously adopted in that body to instruct the House enrolling clerk to make the corrections to H.R. 1975, but the House had already recessed for the August district work period by the time that the other body had acted. Working with administration officials, congressional leaders decided to send the uncorrected bill to the President for signature with the promise of a forthcoming corrections bill. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4018 fulfills that obligation. I understand that the minority is in agreement with the technical corrections to law set forth in this bill, as is the administration. I urge my colleagues to pass the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4018) to make technical corrections in the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1179, a bill authored by Mr. Clement to authorize appropriations for preservation of significant historic buildings on the campuses of black colleges and universities. This authorization provides statutory authorization of an initiative begun during the Bush administration by former Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan under which funding is provided from the historic preservation fund to preserve important historic buildings on the campuses of historically black colleges and universities. This program has been supported by Congress over the last few years through the appropriation process, where several million dollars has been provided annually. Mr. Speaker, there are now over 800,000 buildings, sites, and objects on the National Register of Historic Places. Each year Congress appropriates $30-$40 million for historic preservation purposes; yet, unbelievably, virtually none of this money goes to fix up the many historically significant buildings around the country. Instead, these Federal funds go almost exclusively to studies, planning, and permitting. With this legislation, we are saying that some Federal funds will be directed to the bricks and mortar work of actually fixing up important historic buildings. I commend the bill's authors, Mr. Clement and Mr. Duncan for bringing this important bill forward, and urge all my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3547, introduced by Mr. Hayworth, which would convey 30 acres of land on the Apache National Forest in Apache County, AZ to the Alpine Elementary School District. The school district needs the land to construct school facilities and related playing fields. The school district is willing to purchase the lands; however, the cost is prohibitive. Eighty-five percent of Apache County is federally controlled land. As a result, school district budgets must rely heavily on their 25-percent share of receipts from national forest timber harvests, designation by law for local schools and roads. Unfortunately, appeals and litigation have halted all logging in Arizona, and as a result the Alpine Elementary School District's revenues have fallen sharply. Without this conveyance, the school district would not be able to afford to construct any facilities after acquiring the land. H.R. 3547 stipulates that the land can only be used for school facilities. In addition, the school district will bear the costs of performing a survey to determine the exact acreage and legal description of the property. The Subcommittee of National Parks, Forests and Lands amended H.R. 3547 to revise the acreage description and clarify the Federal Government's interest in the property. It was amended again by the Committee on Resources at the request of the administration to change the Federal interest to a right of reentry if the property is no longer used for public school facilities or related recreational purposes. I urge the Members of the House to support the school children of Apache County by supporting Mr. Hayworth's reasonable bill, H.R. 3547. Once Congress enacts this legislation, the Alpine School District will have the ability to construct the school facilities that these children need and deserve. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3547) to provide for the conveyance of a parcel of real property in the Apache National Forest in the State of Arizona to the Alpine Elementary School District 7 to be used for the construction of school facilities and related playing fields, as amended.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Bliley], chairman of the Committee on Commerce. U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Commerce, Washington, DC, August 1, 1996. Hon. Don Young, Chairman, Committee on Resources, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: On June 19, 1996, the Committee on Resources ordered reported H.R. 3378, a bill to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to extend the demonstration program for direct billing of Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payors. It is my understanding that you would like the Committee on Commerce to be discharged from consideration of this measure. I have a number of concerns about proceeding in this manner. As you know, this Committee has invested countless hours in Medicaid reform legislation. The status of our reform efforts makes separate consideration of H.R. 3378 somewhat awkward. Despite my position on this matter, I do understand your interest in having H.R. 3378 move forward expeditiously, since authorization for these demonstration projects ends September 30, 1996. Therefore, the Committee on Commerce will agree to be discharged from consideration of this legislation. By agreeing to be discharged from consideration, this Committee does not waive its jurisdictional interest in the matter. I reserve the right to seek equal conferees during any House-Senate conference that may be convened on this legislation. I want to thank you and your staff for your assistance in providing the Commerce Committee with a timely opportunity to review its interests in H.R. 3378. I would appreciate your including this letter as a part of the Resource Committee's report on H.R. 3378, and as part of the record during consideration of this bill by the House. Sincerely, Thomas J. Bliley Jr., Chairman.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3378 would extend a demonstration project for direct billing of Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payors. This bill will extend this demonstration project through September 30, 1998, rather than allowing it to sunset at the end of this month. In 1988, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act established demonstration programs to authorize up to four tribally operated Indian Health Service hospitals or clinics to test methods for direct billing and receipt of payment for health services provided to Medicare and Medicaid eligible patients. The program was established to decide whether these collections could be increased through direct involvement of the tribal health care provider versus the current practice which required such billings and collections to be routed through the Indian Health Service. Currently, there are four tribal health care providers participating in this demonstration project: the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation of Dillingham, AK; the South East Alaska Regional Health Consortium of Sitka, AK; the Mississippi Choctaw Health Center of Philadelphia, MS; and the Choctaw Tribe of Oklahoma of Durant, OK. All participants have expressed success and satisfaction with the demonstration project and report dramatically increased collections for Medicare and Medicaid services, thereby providing additional revenues for Indian health programs at these facilities. They also report a significant reduction in the turnaround time between billing and receipt of payment, and increased efficiency by being able to track their own billings and collections. Therefore, they can act quickly to resolve questions and problems. The Indian Health Service is required to monitor participation and receive quarterly reports from the four participants. The law also requires the Indian Health Service to report to Congress on the demonstration program at the end of fiscal year 1996. This report is to evaluate whether the objectives have been fulfilled, and whether direct billing should be allowed for other tribal providers who operate an entire Indian Health Service facility. H.R. 3378 extends this demonstration authority for 2 more years to give Congress time to review the report the Indian Health Service must submit on September 30, 1996, and determine the future of the program. Secretary Donna E. Shalala sent a letter to Chairman Don Young on August 1 in support of H.R. 3378 for the administration. I urge my colleagues to support the extension of this productive demonstration program and to vote for final passage of H.R. 3378. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3378) to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to extend the demonstration program for direct billing of Medicare, Medicaid, and other third party payors.

Mr. DOOLITTLE

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.