T. Gorton

Mr. GORTON

Mr. GORTON. The Senator is correct.

Mr. GORTON. I thank the Senator from Illinois for her comments regarding the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie planned for Illinois. I can assure the distinguished Senator that we will do all that we can to assist her in including her recommendation when this bill goes to conference. national trails system

Mr. GORTON. I recognize and appreciate the concern of the Senator from Oklahoma. While budget constraints necessarily entail reduced funding of nearly all programs, I recognize the importance of pollution prevention and environmental compliance, and will endeavor to address the Senator from Oklahoma's concerns for funding of these programs in the conference committee.

Mr. GORTON. The Senator's understanding is correct. The majority has agreed to this adjustment. Let me clarify that this does not increase the bill's overall appropriation, nor does it increase the appropriation for fossil energy research and development. It is merely a shift of funds from one account to another.

Mr. GORTON. Yes, I agree that the Carbon Products Consortium should be given priority consideration for funding from this account. fossil energy research

Mr. GORTON. That is correct.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask that the three amendments, Specter, Baucus, Burns, and Domenici, be considered en bloc.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I believe we are now ready to deal with the three amendments that were withdrawn a few moments ago. In doing so, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Burns be considered a prime cosponsor of the Baucus amendment.

Mr. GORTON. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, this is the last agreed-upon amendment. It is on behalf of Senator Bingaman and deals with energy conservation in Federal facilities. It has been cleared on both sides.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote. Mr. President, a few more are in the process of being cleared. I suggest the absence of a quorum until they are ready.

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 President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

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

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I believe at this point that we have no more contested amendments. We do have a few left that have not been completely cleared at this point. But in order to facilitate progress, I will now offer a series of amendments, en bloc, that have been cleared and ask for their immediate consideration: An amendment, No. 2311, by Senator Byrd on the use of AML funds; An amendment, No. 2312, by Senator Craig on Clearwater National Forest; An amendment, No. 2313, by Senator Jeffords on indemnity provisions within the National Endowment for the Arts; An amendment, No. 2314, by Senator Kyl on the Indian arts and crafts board; An amendment, No. 2315, by Senator McCain on fossil energy research and development; An amendment, No. 2316, by Senator Snowe transferring National Park Service funds from land acquisition to the national recreation and preservation fund; An amendment, No. 2317, by Senator Hutchison on the NBS aerial surveys; An amendment, No. 2318, by Senator Specter on Kane Experimental Forest; An amendment, No. 2319, by Senator Baucus on Lolo National Forest; An amendment, No. 2320, by Senator Domenici on petroglyphs; An amendment, No. 2321, by Senator Murkowski on Denali North access; An amendment, No. 2322, by Senator Murkowski on stampede mine; An amendment, No. 2323, by Senators McConnell and Ford on the Department of Energy appliance standards; An amendment, No. 2324, by Senator Leahy on stewardship incentives program.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter from the Secretary of the Interior to Senator Hatfield on the subject of the Western Water Policy Review Commission be printed in the Record. This letter relates to language included in the Interior appropriations bill.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I move to table the Bingaman amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, this account represents no more than 10 percent of all of the money which goes into the education of Indian children. The great bulk of this account goes to school districts that educate Indian children. But those Indian children already get a credit through impact aid just as do other children on Federal reservations and the like. I wish to repeat, impact aid applies to Indian children. This is over and above impact aid. The impact aid budget for this year is some five or six times greater than the amount that is included in this fund. There is more than $470 million in the Department of Education for Indian education. The BIA line in this bill has more money for Indian education than it does for the current year, one of the tiny handful of programs that actually gets an increase. And yet the Senator from New Mexico will take money, significant amounts of money from our National Park System, from our cultural institutions, from our scientific institutions, and ironically this cut will apply to all of the other Indian programs which were spoken of earlier today. They will also lose. The amendment I believe should be rejected.

Mr. GORTON. No objection.

Mr. GORTON. Reserving the right to object, the Senator assures us this has been agreed to by the sponsor?

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

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that those three committee amendments be considered en bloc and adopted en bloc and they be considered as original text for purpose of amendment.

Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I believe that there are three remaining committee amendments that have not been adopted. May I inquire whether that is correct?

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

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