Ralph Regula

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Yes, I am aware of this work.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to the motion to recommit.

Mr. REGULA. Absolutely. Yes, I agree this policy must be implemented and that the agencies have a direct responsibility to keep communities informed and involved.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I would certainly join my colleague in requesting a GAO report.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I am aware of this policy.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman and I have had a discussion on this, and I think the gentleman has a good point. And what I would like to suggest is that we meet with the Forest Service and try to achieve a solution that is workable that respects the rights of your constituents. The program is the demonstration program. As my colleagues know, the President has requested that it be made permanent. It would cost the Forest Service something like $25 million a year, that goes in to trails and signage and a lot of very positive things that are important. If the gentleman would be willing to withdraw, I will commit to working with him and the Forest Service to try to find a reasonable solution to the problem.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, we have no objection to this amendment. I think it has been agreed to by both sides.

Mr. REGULA. Absolutely, yes, I agree.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I just want to point out that last year we put $150 million for Indian health, more than the President requested. Now this year he got some religion. But in the 6 years that we have been funding the Interior bill, the amount of money committed to Indian health has been substantially more than the previous 6 years under the Democrat control. So let us not denigrate our efforts on behalf of the Indians.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I would ask the gentleman, how do we address the problem that if we go in the marketplace at this point, and, of course, this bill would not take effect until next year, for all practical purposes, or on October 1, and buy 2 million barrels, is that not going to in itself push the price up considerably?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I would invite the gentleman to go to the Tampa Power Company and visit their plant if the gentleman thinks it does not work. It is remarkable what they have accomplished in that program. It is a greenfield plant, so they had the advantage of starting from scratch, but they are taking what is normally about a 30 percent efficiency in the use of the BTUs in a lump of coal and getting about 60. That illustrates the value of the program, plus the fact that they can use any kind of coal because they do a pressure cooker process which extracts the sulfur and the other things that have value and it reduces emissions to almost a negligible point. So I think it illustrates it does work. I do think there is a lot of opportunity to sell this technology.

Mr. REGULA. The gentleman is correct that our fiscal year 2001 allocation, which is $300 million below the amount enacted for fiscal year 2000, prevented us from providing funding for new programs.

Mr. REGULA. I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

Mr. REGULA. The gentleman is correct. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, the Administration did request more. I do not agree with them. I think that the Department of Energy needs to have this space, although they might feel differently, in the event that they have some projects that will fit the clean coal technology objective. In any event, just so the Members understand this vote, and it will be the second vote this afternoon, the vote is to take $22 million of clean coal money and make it available to do the increase that will be proposed by amendment in the National Endowment for the Arts program. That is why the debate was revolving around the NEA. So that will come. I might say, I have been advised by the leadership, and I think a memo that went out to this effect to all the offices, that they plan to finish this bill tonight. So I think we need to keep working on it if we want to get it finished. That is the present plan from the Republican leadership. I just want to advise Members of that. I hope that once we get by these two amendments we can reach some time agreements in order to get this bill finished in a timely way. I would urge my colleagues and the colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote against this second vote tonight. The first vote will be on the Sterns amendment to reduce the funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. The second vote will be on this proposal to defer $22 million of clean coal money.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentleman, would this oil be available to the Midwest, also?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my point of order that a quorum is not present. So the amendment was rejected. Amendment No. 28 Offered by Mr. Sanders

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that all debate on this amendment and all amendments thereto close in 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I am sure the people in Ohio would like it because gasoline has now spiked at $2 a gallon.