Tim Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the children of Candyland Daycare and Preschool in Rapid City, SD, in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely under water when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city under water, and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. The children of Candyland Daycare and Preschool in Rapid City have been collecting toys, books, and puzzles for North Dakota flood victims. Many families escaped rising flood waters in the dead of night, often with only the clothes on their back, and ultimately lost everything in their homes. The goods collected by these children will help families rebuild their lives. The preschoolers also sent colored cards and a note that read: ``Sorry to hear about the flood. Hope you'll be able to go home soon. Your South Dakota friends.'' While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of the children at Candyland Daycare and Preschool illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. The children at Candyland Daycare and Preschool in Rapid City illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of the McCook County ambulance crew, Brad Stiefvater, Todd Matthies, and Doug Mokros, in ongoing disaster recovery efforts in South Dakota. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD was completely under water when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. At the height of the snowstorms in South Dakota, the McCook County ambulance crew was called to the home of Steve and Sheila Hoiten to deliver the couple's baby. Wind gusts of 40 miles per hour dropped the temperature to nearly 70 degrees below zero and created near white-out conditions as Brad, Todd, and Doug drove the family 45 miles to Sioux Falls. The ambulance crew battled drifts 8 to 9 feet high to get the couple safely to the hospital where Morgan Ann Hoiten was born, safe and sound. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's snowstorms and floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from vicious winter weather and rising flood waters. The selfless actions of the McCook County ambulance crew illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair our impacted communities. Brad Stiefvater, Todd Matthies, and Doug Mokros of the McCook County search and rescue unit illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Dr. Ronald Tesch of Brookings, SD, in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely under water when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. Carl Madsen's daughter was one of many Grand Forks individuals who escaped rising flood waters in the dead of night, often with only the clothes on their back. Her son, who is 10 years old, wears eyeglasses and left them behind in their now demolished Grand Forks home. An optician, Dr. Ronald Tesch, was kind enough to give the boy an exam, new prescription, and eyeglasses all for free since Mr. Madsen's daughter had little money left. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first- hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of individuals like Dr. Ronald Tesch illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. Dr. Ronald Tesch of Brookings, SD, illustrates how the actions of an individual can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking him for his selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Sue Matthews and Jan Wegenke in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. Sue Matthews and Jan Wegenke are nurses at the Fort Meade Veterans Administration facility in South Dakota. Both Sue and Jan volunteered to travel to Grand Forks and helped victims with mental health issues. In addition to the counseling, Sue and Jan lent a hand wherever needed, including helping many individuals clean out their damaged homes. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first- hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of people like Sue Matthews and Jan Wegenke illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. Sue Matthews and Jan Wegenke illustrate how two individuals can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. If the Senator would yield an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from North Dakota. We have finally reached a point this afternoon that has been awaited for some time by the people of South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota, and 30 other States that have been seriously and negatively impacted by the blizzards and floods of this past winter and spring. It had been my hope the passage of this legislation could have been accelerated and without the contention we had to deal with over this past month. But I do at this point today want to extend thanks to Senator Stevens for his assistance on this legislation, certainly to Senator Daschle, the Democratic leader; Senator Byrd, the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee; Senators Dorgan and Conrad of North Dakota, my colleagues from the north; and Senator Wellstone from Minnesota, in particular who have played a critical role on this floor helping educate the Members and the American public about the urgency and the severity of the crisis that our region faced here and continues to face. And certainly a thank you as well to President Clinton and his administration, who has responded in a timely fashion to the disaster requests from our Governor, from our State, affirmatively responding both to the blizzard and to the flood disaster requests on the very day that he received the requests, having visited our States, both in the south personally and with the Vice President and his Cabinet officials, and has become very acquainted in a direct way with the immense damage that was done in my State of South Dakota and throughout the region. So there are a lot of thank yous to be extended for the work on this legislation. But I think that we cannot underestimate the scope of the harm done and the reality that even this legislation, as significant as it is, will not make people whole. We are looking now, with the most recent estimates in the State of South Dakota, of livestock losses in excess of 300,000. We have an incredible level of damage to fences, to roads, and local governments bankrupt from the snow removal now finding themselves without even matching money to come up with the repair of the roads. That is one of the reasons why the CDBG, the community development block grant, aspect of this will be so critically important. We have families looking to relocate. We have levees to be rebuilt. We have mayors asking about the repair of their waste water treatment facilities and water treatment facilities. We have rural water projects and systems throughout the State that have been damaged in significant ways. So in so many ways this legislation is going to be critical in helping people get their lives back together, to making decisions about the future of their homes, of their families, of their farms and ranches and of our public infrastructure. This legislation will come as badly needed assistance, a hand up, and consistent with a tradition that has marked the American approach to disasters in any part of the country. Whether it has been earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, we have a long tradition in this country of setting aside our partisan differences and working together with a hand up so that people can get back on their feet, at least have the resources to begin that long trek back. But I think that the winners of this final resolution of the conflicts that we have had are more than just the people of the Dakotas and the Great Plains and all the States that have been affected by these disasters. The American public in general has won this debate over the last several weeks. There was a sense on the part of the American public that we need to handle one issue at a time, that when it comes to disasters, that ought to be a clean bill sent to the President of the United States. That ultimately is what has transpired, I think in large part because of the great concern and attention given to this legislation by Americans from one coast to the other, many of them living in States that have not had significant disaster problems this past year, but recognize that that hand up is part of the American tradition and also recognize that in the past when we have had emergency legislation it has been devoid of controversial extraneous matters.

Mr. JOHNSON. So we have maintained that precedent and not moved away from the tradition in this country that we have had in this body of dealing directly with legislation so that it may in a timely fashion get to the people who need it. It would have been, I think, a tremendous loss and would have been a bad precedent for the future if we had not in fact voted down legislation with controversial issues and used disaster legislation as a political vehicle. So I think that we have won the short-term battle to get help to people who need it but also won the long-term battle for people who need legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Renee Parker and the Rapid City United Way in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, S.D. to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, S.D. was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, N.D. and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. Renee Parker organized a United Way Jeans Day promotion that continues to amass monetary funds for flood victims. Many families escaped rising flood waters in the dead of night, often with only the clothes on their back, and ultimately lost everything in their homes. I am pleased to say the Jeans Day promotion has collected over $6,350 to help buy goods for these families. Renne Parker has also been instrumental in organizing the Jeans Day promotion for flood victims on a national basis. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of people like Renne Parker and organizations like the Rapid City United Way illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. Renee Parker and the Rapid City United Way illustrate how individuals can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of the McCook County Search and Rescue Unit in ongoing disaster recovery efforts in South Dakota. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. At the height of the snowstorms in South Dakota, the individuals of the McCook County Search and Rescue Unit donated over 480 manhours in a 3-day period driving at 3 miles per hour to 4 miles per hour in zero visibility. Wind gusts of 40 miles per hour dropped the temperature to nearly 70 degrees below zero as the individuals followed snow plows for 263 miles to rescue families without heat and stranded motorists from all over the county. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's snowstorms and floods, I have been heartened to witness first-hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from vicious winter weather and rising flood waters. The selfless actions of the McCook County Search and Rescue Unit illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair our impacted communities. The individuals at the McCook County Search and Rescue Unit illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Chuck Tinant in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for three weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely under water when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city under water and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. As chairman of the Dakota Disaster Relief Fund, Chuck Tinant has been spearheading volunteer efforts on behalf of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce. Through Chuck's coordination, the relief fund has raised over $78,000 for flood victims. In addition, Chuck helped organize efforts by students from area high schools and elementary schools, local businesses, and concerned individuals to collect and ship cleaning supplies, toys, furniture, school books, and food items to Grand Forks. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of people like Chuck Tinant illustrates the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. Chuck Tinant illustrates how an individual can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking him for his selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of individuals at Butler Machinery in Rapid City, SD, in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for three weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely under water when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city under water and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. Butler Machinery offered free transportation of flood relief items, including food, clothing, bottled water, and toys to Grand Forks. Many families escaped rising flood waters in the dead of night, often with only the clothes on their back, and ultimately lost everything in their homes. I am pleased to say that Butler Machinery has transported over 30 truckloads of items so far to Grand Forks, helping families rebuild their lives. In addition, Butler Machinery has raised nearly $500,000 in donations for flood victims. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first- hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of the individuals at Butler Machinery illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. The individuals at Butler Machinery in Rapid City illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of individuals at KEVN-TV in Rapid City, SD, in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. KEVN-TV aired a live fundraiser that collected over $53,000 for flood victims in Grand Forks. Many families escaped rising flood waters in the dead of night, often with only the clothes on their back, and ultimately lost everything in their homes. The money donated by KEVN-TV viewers will help families rebuild their lives. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising floodwaters. The selfless actions of the individuals at KEVN-TV illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. The individuals at KEVN-TV in Rapid City illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the individuals of Gateway 2000 of North Sioux City, SD in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. The individuals of Gateway 2000 donated 17 computers to Grand Forks to assist city hall in resuming everyday operations. These computers enabled the mayor and Grand Forks officials to coordinate flood relief efforts throughout the disaster. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first- hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of the individuals from Gateway 2000 illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. These individuals illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of individuals at KOTA Radio in Rapid City, SD, in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND, and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN, were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. KOTA Radio aired a live, 2-day fundraiser that collected over $16,000 for flood victims in Grand Forks. Many families escaped rising flood waters in the dead of night, often with only the clothes on their back, and ultimately lost everything in their homes. The money donated by KOTA listeners will help families rebuild their lives. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first- hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of the individuals at KOTA Radio illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. The individuals at KOTA Radio in Rapid City illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Lori Russell and Barb Navrisky in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. Barb Navrisky lived through the 1972 flash flood that killed hundreds of people in Rapid City, SD. She knows what her North Dakota neighbors are currently experiencing. Lori Russell knows the devastation all too well. Her parents, Eman and Leona Hejlik, live in Grand Forks and lost their home in the flood. That's why both Barb and Lori mobilized the city of Box Elder, SD and collected clothing, cleaning supplies, food, and toys for flood victims in Grand Forks. Lori and Barb's relief effort included the mayor of Box Elder, Dave Kinser, raising $200 in donations for a Grand Forks resident who lost everything. Students from area high schools and elementary schools also helped by collecting cleaning supplies and food items. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of people like Lori Russell and Barb Navrisky illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. Lori Russell and Barb Navrisky illustrate how two individuals can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of two McCook County Highway Department employees, Bob Bellack and Ron Heumiller, in ongoing disaster recovery efforts in South Dakota. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. At the height of the snowstorms in South Dakota, Bob Bellack and Ron Heumiller drove snowplows at 3 to 4 miles per hour and in zero visibility to open roads for rescue and emergency medical crews. Wind gusts of 40 miles per hour dropped the temperature to nearly 70 degrees below zero as the medical crews followed Bob and Ron for 263 miles to rescue families without heat and stranded motorists from all over the county. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's snowstorms and floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from vicious winter weather and rising flood waters. The selfless actions of Bob Bellack and Ron Heumiller illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair our impacted communities. Bob Bellack, Ron Heumiller, and the individuals at the McCook County Highway Department illustrate how the actions of a community can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Emm Bauman and Rapid City's Beta Sigma Phi chapters in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the Upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD, to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD, was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. The 50,000 residents of Grand Forks, ND and 10,000 residents of East Grand Forks, MN were forced to leave their homes and businesses as the Red River overwhelmed their cities in April. The devastation was astounding; an entire city underwater and a fire that gutted a majority of Grand Forks' downtown. Residents of both cities recently were allowed to return to what is left of their homes, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding shattered lives is just beginning. Emm Bauman initiated a series of coffee parties in Aberdeen 25 years ago that raised $5,000 for victims of the flash flood that killed hundreds of people in Rapid City, SD. Each participant paid a minimum of $1 and then hosted a smaller party of her own until there was no one left to host. Once again, Emm mobilized fellow members of Betta Sigma Phi to host a series of Friendship Vanishing Coffee Parties in hopes of raising another $5,000 for Grand Forks flood victims. The money will help families who lost everything in the devastating floods rebuild their lives. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness first- hand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of people like Emm Bauman and members of Beta Sigma Phi illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair Grand Forks and other impacted communities. Emm Bauman and the members of Betta Sigma Phi illustrate how individuals can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking them for their selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity today to recognize the important work of Leo Flynn in ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Dakotas. Early this year, residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota experienced relentless snowstorms and bitterly cold temperatures. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads with only one lane cleared, homes without heat for days, hundreds of thousands of dead livestock, and schools closed for a week at a time were commonplace. As if surviving the severe winter cold was not challenge enough, residents of the upper Midwest could hardly imagine the extent of damage Mother Nature had yet to inflict with a 500-year flood. Record levels on the Big Sioux River and Lake Kampeska forced over 5,000 residents of Watertown, SD to evacuate their homes and left over one-third of the city without sewer and water for 3 weeks. The city of Bruce, SD was completely underwater when record low temperatures turned swollen streams into sheets of ice. Heavy winter snows forced Big Stone Lake, along the South Dakota and Minnesota border, to 9 feet above flood level. The rising waters drove 40 families from their homes and caused vast amounts of damage. Many South Dakota communities prepared for the floods by constructing makeshift dikes around homes and neighborhoods. While some of these barriers held up against the rising water, a number of communities saw their defenses washed away in the record levels of flooding. The costs of preparing for, and ultimately cleaning up after, these natural disasters strained municipal budgets and threatened other flood recovery programs. Milbank attorney Leo Flynn came to the assistance of a number of counties and towns by donating $280,000 to help local governments cover the costs of blizzards and flooding. While those of us from the Midwest will never forget the destruction wrought by this year's floods, I have been heartened to witness firsthand and hear accounts of South Dakotans coming together within their community to protect homes, farms, and entire towns from rising flood waters. The selfless actions of individuals like Leo Flynn illustrate the resolve within South Dakotans to help our neighbors in times of trouble. Mr. President, there is much more to be done to rebuild and repair impacted communities. Leo Flynn illustrates how the actions of an individual can bring some relief to the victims of this natural disaster, and I ask you to join me in thanking him for his selfless efforts.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 27, the fiscal year 1998 budget resolution. Mr. President, this bipartisan budget agreement represents a hard- fought achievement for our nation. It is neither the perfect plan, nor is it the plan that I would write if I were solely responsible for this enormous task. What this plan does represent, however, is a compromise between two parties, a compromise between Congress and the administration, and a delicate balance of important national investment and tax priorities. Under the circumstances, no plan could be perfect. This plan, nevertheless, is a good plan. Mr. President, this plan is the culmination of more than 2 years of debate. During the course of this debate we have witnessed several critical events: the shutdown of the Federal Government, the death of the so-called Contract With America, and the emergence of a group of centrists committed to a sensible approach to balancing the Federal budget. In order to understand this agreement in its proper context, we should take a moment to remember that this agreement today would not be possible without tough votes cast by Democrats on the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993. The success of that deficit reduction package is indisputable. When President Clinton took office in January 1993, the Federal budget deficit stood at $290 billion. Experts are now projecting a deficit for this year in the range of $67 billion. We have seen, for the first time in a century, declining deficits for 5 years in a row, and the deficit as a percentage of the size of the economy is at its lowest in decades. Not a single Republican supported the 1993 deficit reduction bill. Not one. Yet, without this enormous achievement, we could not be finishing the job today. It is also vitally important that we remember the great battle over the shape of Government that has taken place over the past 2 years. At the beginning of the 104th Congress, we heard talk of a revolution. We were told that we needed to cut Medicare by $270 billion over 7 years. We were told that Medicaid should be reduced by $170 billion, and that Federal Government would no longer guarantee health care coverage for the poorest Americans. And we were told that the earned income tax credit--a program that reduces the tax burden on low- to moderate- income working families--should be cut by $32 billion. Speaker Gingrich's revolution also called for massive reductions in discretionary spending, leading to cuts in critical education programs, veterans' programs, and environmental protection. These large-scale reductions would be necessary because Speaker Gingrich's plan contained a massive tax cut of $280 billion over 7 years. The majority of the tax cuts would be of little benefit to typical American families. In fact, with the cuts in the EITC, many families needing the most help would have paid higher taxes. Democrats knew that there was a better way. We said that we could balance the budget by 2002, but we had to do it with the right priorities. We said that we could balance the budget while enacting a modest package of tax cuts that would be targeted to typical American families. We said that we could preserve Medicare, invest in education, and balance the budget. This budget agreement proves that we were right. With a better-targeted tax cut package, this agreement allows us to balance the budget while making investments in critical priorities. The agreement provides $35 billion in tax cuts for education, funding for the child tax credit, and still leaves room for relief in estate and capital gains taxes. The agreement would increase funding for Pell grants by $8.6 billion over 5 years. This funding boost would increase the maximum Pell grant to $3,000--which is a $300 increase--and it would expand eligibility so that more students can be provided assistance. The agreement will provide $16 billion over 5 years for innovative new programs to provide health care coverage for 5 million children who have no health insurance. This achievement stands in stark contrast to proposals in the Contract With America that would have removed the Federal guarantee of health care coverage under Medicaid. The bipartisan agreement allows for the largest expansion of education programs since the time that Lyndon Johnson was President. Head Start will be expanded by $2.7 billion, allowing for 1 million children to be enrolled in this critical program by 2002. This is a vast improvement over the Contract With America, which called for the elimination of the Department of Education, cuts in student loans, and reductions in Head Start. The agreement provides for growth in Federal student loan programs, increasing student loan volume by $7 billion by the year 2002. In contrast, the Contract With America would have added to student debt burdens by charging interest while the students were still in school. The agreement will reform Medicare to extend the life of the Medicare trust fund for 10 years. Rather than receive benefit reductions, Medicare beneficiaries will be eligible for new preventive care benefits, such as mammography coverage, other cancer screening, and diabetes management. The agreement will implement President Clinton's proposed budget for the National Park Service, producing an increase of $57 million over current budget levels. The budget plan provides key funding for crop insurance programs, allocating $200 million necessary from discretionary funds to reimburse crop insurance agents for the cost of administering the program. The agreement will fund the President's budget request for tribal priority allocations, which pay for law enforcement, child protection, education, and road maintenance on our Nation's reservations. This provision will boost funding by $200 million for the next fiscal year, and by $800 million over 5 years. I do want to take a moment, however, to express my concern that the tax-writing committees in both the House and the Senate take considerable care as they fill in the details of the agreement to reduce taxes by a net $85 billion over 5 years and $250 billion over 10 years. There may be great temptation to structure these tax cuts so that their full cost to the Treasury is not felt until the years beyond the 10-year path laid out by this agreement. It would be a grave mistake, and highly irresponsible, to pass into law a tax cut package that could not be sustained over the long term. Our goal should be to keep this budget in balance for good. Accordingly, I urge my colleagues on these committees to keep long-term fiscal considerations in mind. Mr. President, I want to thank all those on both sides of the aisle that spent countless hours negotiating this agreement. We have not yet finished the job, but the passage of this resolution is a crucial step down the road to balanced budget.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today, I am proud to be introducing legislation, along with my colleagues, the Minority Leader Senator Daschle of South Dakota, Senator Harkin and Senator Grassley of Iowa, and Senator Wellstone and Senator Grams of Minnesota, to authorize the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System. I introduced similar legislation last year as a Member of the House of Representatives during the 104th Congress. I look forward to again working closely with my colleagues for timely consideration of this important measure. The Lewis and Clark Rural Water System is made up of 22 rural water systems and communities in southeastern South Dakota, northwestern Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota who have joined together in an effort to cooperatively address the dual problems facing the delivery of drinking water in this region--inadequate quantities of water and poor quality water. This region has seen substantial growth and development in recent years, and studies have shown that future water needs will be significantly greater than the current available supply. Most of the people who are served by 10 of the water utilities in the proposed Lewis and Clark project area currently enforce water restrictions on a seasonal basis. Almost half of the membership has water of such poor quality it does not meet present or proposed standards for drinking water. More than two-thirds rely on shallow aquifers as their primary source of drinking water, aquifers which are very vulnerable to contamination by surface activities. The Lewis and Clark system will be a supplemental supply of drinking water for its 22 members, acting as a treated, bulk delivery system. The distribution to deliver water to individual users will continue through the existing systems used by each member utility. This regionalization approach to solving these water supply and quality problems enables the Missouri River to provide a source of clean, safe drinking water to more than 180,000 individuals. A source of water which none of the members of Lewis and Clark could afford on their own. The proposed system would help to stabilize the regional rural economy by providing water to Sioux Falls, the hub city in the region, as well as numerous small communities and individual farms in South Dakota and portions of Iowa and Minnesota. The States of South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota have all authorized the project and local sponsors have demonstrated a financial commitment to this project through State grants, local water development district grants, and membership dues. The State of South Dakota has already contributed more than $400,000. Mr. President, I do not believe our needs get any more basic than good quality, reliable drinking water, and I appreciate the fact that Congress has shown support for efforts to improve drinking water supplies in South Dakota. I look forward to continue working with my colleagues to have that support extended to the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise in support of Senator Moseley- Braun's amendment to the Budget Resolution that would provide $5 billion for a national school construction initiative. I would like to commend Senator Moseley-Braun for her leadership on this issue, and I would also like to thank Senators Kennedy and Harkin for their fine efforts to address this critical problem. Mr. President, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this amendment. Crumbling schools are not just an urban problem. They are a nationwide problem, and rural areas are no exception. In fact, 30 percent of schools in rural areas report at least one inadequate building feature. A 1996 report by the General Accounting Office found that in my home state of South Dakota, 25 percent of schools have inadequate plumbing, 21 percent of schools have roof problems, 29 percent have ventilation problems, and 21 percent percent of schools are not meeting safety codes. We have adopted a nationwide goal of trying to connect every school building in the country to the internet. Teaching our children to use new this technology is critical for preparing them for the 21st century. Yet, in my home state, 22 percent of schools have inadequate electrical wiring. In their present condition, these schools cannot accommodate computers in the classroom. South Dakota's tribal schools also face very serious facilities problems and major construction backlogs. There are nine federally recognized tribes in South Dakota. At the same time, my State has 3 of the 10 poorest counties in the nation, all of which are within reservation boundaries. With 56 percent of its people under the age of 24, the native American population in this country is disproportionately young when compared the American population overall. This population strains existing school facilities. The BIA estimates that there is a construction backlog of $680 million in its 185 elementary, secondary and boarding schools serving Indian children on 63 reservations in 23 States. Of these schools, 63 percent are over 30 years old; 26 percent are over 50 years old. Annual appropriations for BIA education facilities improvement and repair have averaged $37 million annually, which unfortunately meets only 5 percent of total need. Nationwide, the statistics are similarly ominous. Crumbling schools are a problem of enormous magnitude. Fourteen million children attend classes in buildings that need major repair or renovation. Seven million children go to school in buildings that have safety code violations. Sixteen million children study in classrooms without proper heating, ventilation, or air conditioning. It is nearly impossible to measure the impact that these conditions have on students' ability to learn, but there is no doubt that the impact is severe. Clearly, there is much we can do to improve our existing school building infrastructure. But that is only part of the problem. Our Nation is experiencing significant growth in school enrollment. Estimates are that we will need to build 6,000 new schools by the year 2006 if we want to keep class sizes the same as they are presently. This amendment would allocate $5 billion to the House and Senate committees of jurisdiction to devise a school construction and renovation initiative. We are not mandating a specific approach in this amendment. Rather, we hope that this $5 billion Federal contribution can be used in partnership with State and local efforts to leverage over $20 billion of dollars of construction activity nationwide. An effort of this magnitude would benefit our students for generations, and I am proud to support this amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today, I am proud to be introducing legislation, along with my colleagues, the Minority Leader Senator Daschle of South Dakota, Senator Harkin and Senator Grassley of Iowa, and Senator Wellstone and Senator Grams of Minnesota, to authorize the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System. I introduced similar legislation last year as a Member of the House of Representatives during the 104th Congress. I look forward to again working closely with my colleagues for timely consideration of this important measure. The Lewis and Clark Rural Water System is made up of 22 rural water systems and communities in southeastern South Dakota, northwestern Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota who have joined together in an effort to cooperatively address the dual problems facing the delivery of drinking water in this region--inadequate quantities of water and poor quality water. This region has seen substantial growth and development in recent years, and studies have shown that future water needs will be significantly greater than the current available supply. Most of the people who are served by 10 of the water utilities in the proposed Lewis and Clark project area currently enforce water restrictions on a seasonal basis. Almost half of the membership has water of such poor quality it does not meet present or proposed standards for drinking water. More than two-thirds rely on shallow aquifers as their primary source of drinking water, aquifers which are very vulnerable to contamination by surface activities. The Lewis and Clark system will be a supplemental supply of drinking water for its 22 members, acting as a treated, bulk delivery system. The distribution to deliver water to individual users will continue through the existing systems used by each member utility. This regionalization approach to solving these water supply and quality problems enables the Missouri River to provide a source of clean, safe drinking water to more than 180,000 individuals. A source of water which none of the members of Lewis and Clark could afford on their own. The proposed system would help to stabilize the regional rural economy by providing water to Sioux Falls, the hub city in the region, as well as numerous small communities and individual farms in South Dakota and portions of Iowa and Minnesota. The States of South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota have all authorized the project and local sponsors have demonstrated a financial commitment to this project through State grants, local water development district grants, and membership dues. The State of South Dakota has already contributed more than $400,000. Mr. President, I do not believe our needs get any more basic than good quality, reliable drinking water, and I appreciate the fact that Congress has shown support for efforts to improve drinking water supplies in South Dakota. I look forward to continue working with my colleagues to have that support extended to the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce legislation to authorize a critically important rural water system in South Dakota, the Fall River Water Users District Rural Water System Act of 1997. This legislation is strongly supported by local project sponsors who have demonstrated that support by agreeing to substantial financial contributions from the local level. I am pleased to introduce this legislation today, along with my colleague from South Dakota, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Both Senator Daschle and I were sponsors of similar legislation in the 104th Congress, and we will work together to enact this necessary rural water legislation in the 105th Congress. Like many parts of South Dakota, Fall River County has insufficient water supplies of reasonable quality available, and the water supplies that are available do not meet the minimum health and safety standards. In addition to improving the health of residents in the region, I strongly believe that these rural drinking water delivery projects will help to stabilize the rural economy in both regions. Water is a basic commodity and is essential if we are to foster rural development in many parts of rural South Dakota, including the Fall River County area. Past cycles of severe drought in the southeastern area of Fall River County have left local residents without a satisfactory water supply and during 1990, many homeowners and ranchers were forced to haul water to sustain their water needs. Currently, many residents are either using bottled water for human consumption or they are using distillers due to the poor quality of the water supplies available. After conducting a feasibility study and preliminary engineering report, the best available, reliable, and safe rural and municipal water supply to serve the needs of the Fall River Water Users District consists of a Madison Aquifer well, three separate water storage reservoirs, three pumping stations, and approximately 200 miles of pipeline. The legislation I am introducing today authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to construct a rural water system in Fall River County as described above. The Fall River system will serve rural residents, as well as the community of Oelrichs and the Angostura State Recreation Area. Mr. President, South Dakota is plagued by water of exceedingly poor quality, and the Fall River County rural water project is an effort to help provide clean water--a commodity most of us take for granted--to the people of South Dakota. I am a strong believer in the role of the Federal Government to help in the delivery of rural water, and I hope to continue to advance that agenda both in South Dakota and around the country. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to move forward on enactment as quickly as possible. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I am proud to introduce legislation to authorize a critically important rural water system in South Dakota, the Fall River Water Users District Rural Water System Act of 1997. This legislation is strongly supported by local project sponsors who have demonstrated that support by agreeing to substantial financial contributions from the local level. I am pleased to introduce this legislation today, along with my colleague from South Dakota, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Both Senator Daschle and I were sponsors of similar legislation in the 104th Congress, and we will work together to enact this necessary rural water legislation in the 105th Congress. Like many parts of South Dakota, Fall River County has insufficient water supplies of reasonable quality available, and the water supplies that are available do not meet the minimum health and safety standards. In addition to improving the health of residents in the region, I strongly believe that these rural drinking water delivery projects will help to stabilize the rural economy in both regions. Water is a basic commodity and is essential if we are to foster rural development in many parts of rural South Dakota, including the Fall River County area. Past cycles of severe drought in the southeastern area of Fall River County have left local residents without a satisfactory water supply and during 1990, many homeowners and ranchers were forced to haul water to sustain their water needs. Currently, many residents are either using bottled water for human consumption or they are using distillers due to the poor quality of the water supplies available. After conducting a feasibility study and preliminary engineering report, the best available, reliable, and safe rural and municipal water supply to serve the needs of the Fall River Water Users District consists of a Madison Aquifer well, three separate water storage reservoirs, three pumping stations, and approximately 200 miles of pipeline. The legislation I am introducing today authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to construct a rural water system in Fall River County as described above. The Fall River system will serve rural residents, as well as the community of Oelrichs and the Angostura State Recreation Area. Mr. President, South Dakota is plagued by water of exceedingly poor quality, and the Fall River County rural water project is an effort to help provide clean water--a commodity most of us take for granted--to the people of South Dakota. I am a strong believer in the role of the Federal Government to help in the delivery of rural water, and I hope to continue to advance that agenda both in South Dakota and around the country. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to move forward on enactment as quickly as possible. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. JOHNSON

Mr. JOHNSON. That is correct.