Charles Taylor

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I submit this letter for the Record. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, Washington, DC, Jun. 16, 2004. Hon. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House Of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman. This letter is in response to your request for the views of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the effects of a rider being considered in the FY 05 Interior Appropriations bill which would prohibit expenditure of funds for road construction and maintenance on the Tongass National Forest of Alaska. Such a prohibition would be interpreted as eliminating all projects on the Tongass National Forest that are funded through the CMRD fund code (construction and maintenance of roads). Currently the Tongass spends about $20 million on construction and maintenance of roads through that fund. Because of the dominance of Federal land in Southeast Alaska, communities in the region are more dependent upon national forest lands for access, recreation, economic development, and for subsistence activities than communities in the lower 48 states. Of the 32 communities in the region, 29 are unconnected to the nation's highway system. Most are surrounded by marine waters and undeveloped national forest system lands. The Forest Service is responsible for managing the roads that connect and serve many of Southeast Alaska's smaller communities. Some of the expected impacts include the following: The rider would prevent the administration of existing timber sale contracts that include road construction, reconstruction, or maintenance, because the expenditure of federal funds is necessary to oversee the construction and maintenance of those roads. The federal government could be subject to substantial contract claims for breach of contract on any existing contracts that could not proceed because of the prohibition. Contracts for future timber sales could not include any road construction or road maintenance. This would effectively eliminate much of the opportunity for timber sales identified in the current forest plan. This would significantly reduce the timber sale program below what is projected in the forest plan. Wildlife habitat improvement projects on the Tongass often involve thinning timber stands. Any wildlife habitat improvement projects that require road maintenance to access the stands to be thinned would be eliminated. Data collection and monitoring may also be affected if road access to remote areas is reduced. Fish passage restoration contracts on the Tongass, which currently involve about $2 million a year, would be eliminated. These contracts seek to repair or reconstruct road passages across streams to remove barriers to the passage of anadromous and freshwater fish. Those fish populations are important to sport, subsistence, and commercial fishermen throughout the region. Roads damaged by storms could not be repaired. It is common in Southeast Alaska for roads to be washed out, covered by small landslides, or obstructed by blown down trees. Work to repair or clear those roads would be eliminated. Some of those communities could be effectively isolated (from other communities or key facilities) if the ability to maintain roads was eliminated. Access to national forest system lands and other state and private land ownerships could be blocked. The ability to construct and maintain roads in campgrounds and other road-based recreation facilities, such as visitor centers, may be eliminated. Under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), the Forest Service is required to maintain reasonable access to national forest system lands for rural residents dependent upon subsistence. Elimination of road maintenance on roads known to be used by subsistence users could be in conflict with ANILCA. If the elimination of funding for road construction and maintenance continues for the long term, it would significantly limit the ability of communities to develop road and utility connection that almost all other communities in the United States take for granted. Many communities have long term plans for new roads and rights-of-way for utilities to develop and diversify their economies. In addition, the timber industry in Southeast Alaska is more dependent on resource development opportunities on National Forest lands than their counterparts in other parts of the country because there are few neighboring alternative supplies of resources for Southeast Alaska. If a forest health problem arose, such as a significant insect epidemic, the prohibition against road construction and maintenance could restrict the ability of the Forest to respond to the outbreak. Road condition surveys and bridge inspections would be eliminated, thereby endangering health and safety of road users throughout the region. The Forest road system is the primary access for investigation and enforcement of timber theft, fish and game related activities, occupancy and abandonment of facilities, and vandalism. Road based law enforcement efforts of all agencies would be hampered by the elimination of road maintenance. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this issue. Sincerely, Mark Rey, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson).

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young). (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order against the amendment.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriations bill and therefore violates clause 2 of rule number XXI. The rule states in pertinent part, ``No amendment to a general appropriation bill shall be in order if changing existing law.'' The amendment imposes additional duties, and I ask for a ruling from the Chair.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Reclaiming my time, I commend the gentleman's action to bringing this to our attention.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. I assume the gentleman's amendment is prompted by the Inspector General's report that they are spending $100 million to $200 million annually on websites, and I share the concern he has. I was alarmed when I saw the report. The subcommittee has been working with the department to understand the costs of web technology and to ensure that technology is used only for appropriate purposes and used in the most economic and efficient way. There are good websites and bad websites and this has been complicated by court action that is underway right now. My concern with the gentleman's amendment, and I commend him for always trying to save taxpayers' money because I certainly try to do that and I encourage him throughout his career to do that, but my concern is that the department uses the web to conduct business both internally and with industry. The use of the web is consistent with the best practices both in government and industry. Limiting web spending to $50 million will prevent the department from fully using web technology to save both itself and public industry. For instance, the Minerals Management Service is implementing a web based system to communicate with oil and gas industry that will allow industry to obtain information and provide necessary filings electronically. Now, there are many other positive things with the websites. We are also, as I say, we have court action that is confusing. A lot of the work we are trying to do to get the department to eliminate those websites that are unnecessary, save the taxpayers' money and keep those websites that are necessary for communication.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. While this may be a worthy area to consider for an increase, I cannot accept the offsets. I hope that we will be able to increase this as we go through conference. The gentleman raised an important point. As we have more and more government land, it takes money away from the ad valorem tax, as we continue to cut less and less in forest service. Twenty-five percent in our area used to go to schools. They lose even more money, and so the gentleman raises a good point, but I will have to object to this and oppose the amendment.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join my colleagues and remember the vision and achievements of our 40th President, Ronald Wilson Reagan. Ronald Reagan came to Washington with a core set of values that guided him through his two terms as our Nation's leader. President Reagan fought to reduce taxes, diminish the role of an intrusive Federal bureaucracy, and to end forever the oppressive Communist regime in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The times during which Reagan sought to achieve these goals could not have been more daunting. America in 1981 was a land of broken spirit. Many citizens could not live the American dream due to interest rates in the double digits. The Soviet Union had surpassed the United States in military capability. But Ronald Reagan achieved what he set out to do through a combination of ideology, pragmatism, charm, self-effacing humor, and, yes, hard work. When the President left office in 1989, the Nation was in the midst of an economic renaissance. The Reagan tax cuts led to 96 straight months of economic growth. Record numbers of Americans were experiencing the pride that goes along with home ownership and economic self sufficiency. The Communist bloc would soon be a memory due to Reagan's determination. Ending communism was a stand upon which Reagan absolutely would not compromise. To him, the Soviet Union was truly an ``evil empire'' which was morally at odds with the United States and the principles of human dignity. Reagan battled head-to-head with Gorbachev at five peace summits and at home secured more money for our Nation's defense. Thanks to this combination, millions upon millions now live in freedom and Russia is a valued ally in America's quest for global freedom. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Ronald Reagan was his ability to make us proud to be Americans. Reagan gently lifted our spirits with his cheery optimism and geniality. He soothed our fears with a good joke or a funny story. He could have been our friendly neighbor or our favorite uncle. A reporter once asked Reagan what Americans saw in him, to which he replied ``Would you laugh if I told you that I think, maybe, they see themselves, and that I'm one of them? I've never been able to detach myself or think that I, somehow, am apart from them.'' On a personal note, I cannot forget the warmth and kindness that I was shown by this great man. I first met Reagan in 1976 and later visited him at the Oval Office. He provided me with invaluable advice during my first run for Congress. During this meeting, he spoke of the beauty of our mountains and the kindness of the people of North Carolina. He remembered fondly his visits to Western North Carolina before he was a candidate and afterwards. During every meeting with Ronald Reagan I was treated with kindness, grace, and great humility. Few political leaders have had the vision and integrity of Ronald Reagan. He had the guts and the courage to tackle the toughest problems of 1980s America. He left his office with a stronger and prouder nation than he inherited. He made us want to believe in ourselves and he made us a better people. Mr. Speaker, I and my constituents in Western North Carolina will always be grateful for Ronald Reagan's service to our Nation.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise and commend one of Western North Carolina's and Buncombe County's finest citizens, the late Dr. Ralph Sexton, Sr. With the death of the Rev. Sexton Sr., Asheville lost one of the most energetic and effective members of its religious community. Sexton, who founded Trinity Baptist Church, died from a brain tumor. He was 84. Sexton began preaching when he was just a teenager after being drawn into a tent revival where he gave his heart to God. He was on his way to see a movie when he physically felt something pull on his coat. ``He said it really frightened him,'' said Jerry Payne, who served as Sexton's assistant pastor for 42 years. Sexton left the movie and ended up at the tent revival. Not long afterwards, he began preaching. And what a preacher he was. In the early years, he preached in tents and front yards, in empty lots and driving down the street in a car outfitted with a loudspeaker. He even found himself in jail a few times when police arrested him for disturbing the peace. ``He was from that old mountain cut,'' Payne said. ``He preached in simple layman's terms.'' ``He was just a powerful preacher,'' according to his longtime friend, J. Wendell Runion, president and director of International Baptist Outreach Missions based in Asheville. Audiences were ``spellbound'' by him, Runion said. In time, Sexton found a more potent way to deliver his message about Christ. His Sunday morning television program ``Send the Light'' first went on the air in 1960. He also preached on radio and at tent revivals. Then in 1966, Sexton founded Trinity Baptist Church. He built an auditorium for 500 people even though he had a congregation of about only 125. Trinity has since grown into one of Asheville's largest churches, with programs that support missionaries around the world and provide assistance to the victims of poverty, natural disasters and famine. Trinity's programs today include a Spanish Church, Trinity Baptist Bible College and Hearts with Hands, a nondenominational nonprofit humanitarian relief organization. Sexton served as the church's pastor until 1988, when his son, Dr. Ralph Sexton Jr., who had served for 13 years as youth pastor and evangelist, became pastor. The senior Sexton remained pastor emeritus and stayed involved despite health problems. Sexton, who was always true to his calling, will be remembered as ``a very straightforward, unashamed preacher of the Gospel,'' according to Asheville Citizen-Times columnist Bob Terrell, who wrote a book about him. ``He was a giant among the nation's old-time religionists,'' Terrell said. ``He helped change literally thousands of lives.'' Sexton was a man of God and of the mountains who will be missed by many. His family and others who loved him can take comfort in knowing that he left a legacy through which lives will continue to be changed and enriched.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise and commend one of Western North Carolina's and Buncombe County's finest citizens, the late Tom J. Donohoe, ``The big man with the big heart.'' Tom passed away on November 6, 2001. He was a personal friend of mine for many years, and he will be sorely missed. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, Tom's family moved to North Carolina where he graduated from Biltmore High School in 1952. As an alumnus of Biltmore High School, saving the school from destruction became a pet project of Tom's in recent years. Last June the WNC Historical Association acquired the deed, and Tom sought my help for $300,000 for the ``Biltmore School Museum,'' which was provided in the 2002 Interior Appropriation. After high school, Tom served in the United States Army and twelve years in the National Guard and Reserves. He was a man who loved his country, his community, and his people. Tom supported the East Asheville Youth Program for the past 47 years, giving freely of his time, materials, labor and money to this program, not for recognition but because he loved young people. Together, Tom and his wife Betty founded Asheville Electric forty years ago, building it into a thriving business, of which Tom was President, employing about 35 people. When the new Reynolds High School was built, it was Tom Donohoe who offered to wire the school, and he drove to Kansas to get the famous ``Rocket''--an Army surplus ``Honest John'' rocket--which he helped mount at the entrance to the school and is the school's mascot. Tom provided the lighting for the school's football and baseball stadiums. Tom took an active part in politics in Asheville and Buncombe County. For many years he contributed to the campaigns of good men and women who ran for public office and stood as a candidate for Asheville City Council in 1989. He was well known for donning an apron and cooking at fundraisers for local candidates. In addition to being a well-known businessman, Tom served two four- year terms on the Asheville Regional Airport Authority. During that time he served as vice-chairman, chairman of the building and grounds committee, and employee relations committee. He was also a Shriner with the Oasis Temple and a member of the Biltmore Masonic Lodge, Asheville York Rite and the Asheville Scottish Rite. Tom married Betty Brittain 43 years ago, they reared two children: Susan Donohoe Martin of Asheville and Daniel Woron of Florida. Tom Donohoe was a big man with an even bigger heart. WNC and Buncombe County have lost a very good friend and we will miss him. I know that my colleagues will join me in saluting this fine man and community leader.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to rise and commend one of Western North Carolina's and Buncombe Counties finest citizens, the late Dorothy A. Potter. Dot, as she was fondly called by her many, many friends and acquaintances, passed away on November 8, 2003. She was a wonderful woman, who worked tirelessly for not only the Republican Party, but also to educate others about this great country's political system in general. I doubt there was ever an election that Dot did not participate in, in some shape, form or fashion. Dorothy Belle Alexander Potter was born Feb. 24, 1920, in Charlotte, the youngest daughter of the late Robert Lester and Cynthia Welch Alexander. She was a direct descendant of Hezekiah Alexander, a signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and a founding father of Charlotte. She was a classmate of the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham at Sharon High School and graduated in 1936. She earned a B.S. in library science from Queens College in 1940. Mr. and Mrs. Potter moved to Asheville in 1948. Mrs. Potter was an energetic, founding member of the Buncombe County Republican Party and remained active in area politics for the majority of her life. She was vice chairman of the Buncombe County Republican Party for 16 years. Mrs. Potter served in many campaigns including the historic 1969 City Council Race, electing a Republican majority and Wayne Montgomery, M.D., as mayor, the 1972 gubernatorial race electing Jim Holshouser as the first Republican governor in North Carolina since Reconstruction and the 1980 election of Bill Hendon to the U.S. House of Representatives. Mrs. Potter was chairman of the Governor's Western Residence Committee during Gov. Holshouser's tenure. She served as deputy Clerk of Court in Buncombe County and was a valued member of former Rep. Hendon's district office until 1983. She was also the Buncombe County Chairman for the 1992 election of President George H.W. Bush. Mrs. Potter was a charter member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, where she was an Elder and served as a member of the Session. She was also a member of the board of directors for the preschool. She was the last living charter member of the Buncombe County Republican Women's Club and a lifetime member of the North Carolina Republican Women's Club. She was also a member of Phi Mu women's fraternity and was a member and officer of the Sky-Hy Chapter of the American Business Women's Association. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Lt. Col. Wesley J. Potter (ret.); daughters, Dr. Cynthia Potter Smith and husband, Durham, of Lake Wylie, S.C., and Lynda Potter Fagan and husband, Michael, of Asheville; granddaughter, Shanon Fagan of Asheville; grandson, Matthew Smith and wife, Sonya, of Clover, S.C.; and granddaughter, Erin Fagan of Washington, D.C., and Asheville. Mrs. Potter is also survived by three great-grandchildren; a niece, Sally Pollock and a nephew, Robert Suther, both of Washington state and a great-nephew.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2691, and that I may include tabular and extraneous material.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we bring to the House the conference agreement on H.R. 2691, the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2004. Let me take a moment to thank the members of the Interior subcommittees for their support and guidance this year. I want to especially and personally thank the ranking minority member, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), for the extraordinary assistance that he has given in helping us to shape this bill. This conference report balances many competing needs and stays within the 302(b) allocation for budget authority and outlays. It is fiscally responsible, providing $19.6 billion for our public lands, Indian programs, and critical science and energy research programs, and for cultural institutions like the Smithsonian Institution. It also provides $400 million as requested by the administration to repay partial funds borrowed from the program accounts to pay fire suppression. Also, another $289 million for wild fires and I will talk about that again. You may hear that we are not doing enough for conservation programs in this bill. I disagree. Given the constraints allocated, we have provided over $1 billion for programs in the conservation spending category. But more to the point, there are a number of critically important conservation programs in this bill that have never been included in the conservation spending category, but are equally important. We provide increases of $65 million for national parks, $47 million for national wildlife refuges, $27 million for forest health, $10 million for hazardous fuel reduction. And I would like to argue that most of the funding of this bill is for conservation activities. Some Members will argue that we need to buy a lot more Federal land. What we really need to do is a better job of taking care of the lands we have, and this bill does that by providing additional operation increases and funds for critically backlogged maintenance activities. Firefighting needs are addressed in this bill as I mentioned before, $400 million in the President's requested amount and another $289 million above the enacted level for suppressing the wild fires. That is almost $700 million for the fire programs. We continue to provide support for the national fire plan with the investment of $2.5 billion. We support preparedness activities so that we have the people and the equipment in place to handle wild fires. We provide funding increases for hazardous fuel reduction, State fire assistance and forest health programs. And with the passage of that bill, I think we can stop many of the fires that we will have to contend with this past year. We have provided substantial new resources to handle the Southern pine beetle and mountain pine beetle outbreaks in the West. I am proud of the balance we have achieved in these critical programs that are important to all Americans. The bill ensures that energy research programs are appropriately funded and that we maintain a proper mix between research on improvements to existing technologies and longer-term higher risk on new technologies. We need to keep all of our options open and not fall into the trap of picking winners and losers. When it comes to energy resources, ultimately the consumer, not the government, will determine what energy technologies will be successful in the marketplace. The bill provides for the continued crux of critically needed schools and hospitals for American Indians and Alaskan natives. It also includes a 1-year limitation of funds for historical accounting. The September 25, 2003, court order would require the Department of the Interior to spend an estimated $9 billion for an accounting that benefits attorneys and accountants. This subcommittee has maintained that this lawsuit continues to divert scarce resources away from critical programs that benefit Indian people and other programs in the bill. If we were to fund this court-required historical accounting, we would have to shut down one-third of the U.S. Department of the Interior. We would critically underfund education for Indians and health care for Indians. This is not worth the recommendation of the accountants and lawyers. Finally, the bill takes care of our cultural agencies and provides the funding needed to ensure that the Smithsonian Institute maintains its responsibility for providing quality visitor services and world- renowned research. It provides increases above the enacted level for the National Gallery of Art and for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Humanities. The conference agreement for the interior and related agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 2004 strikes an appropriate balance among competing funds needs, and I ask for support for this bill. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH30OC03.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH30OC03.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH30OC03.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH30OC03.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH30OC03.005

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 418, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2691) making appropriations for the Department of the Interior and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula). (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson).

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I share the frustration of many of those who have spoken on the Indian trust issue. I represent the eastern band of the Cherokee Indians. I have been taught and seen it over and over again, the old adage that government will mess up a one-car funeral. The committee spent $20 million of the taxpayers' money to do a transaction-by-transaction accounting of five named plaintiffs in the Cobell v. Norton litigation and found that one check for $60 went to the wrong person; $20 million to find a $60 error. Can anyone argue that this is a good use of the American taxpayers' money? A Federal court ruling on September 25, 2003, in the class action lawsuit ordered an expanded transaction-by-transaction historical accounting from 1887 to the present. Initial estimates indicate that the accounting ordered by the court would cost between $9 billion and $12 billion. Nobody ever envisioned that we would be spending $12 billion on an accounting that does not provide one dollar to Indian country. We have included language that limits funds available to the Department of the Interior for historical accounting to those activities that need to be accomplished and can be accomplished in the short term. Beyond the funding limitation, language has been included protecting the Department from further court action during this 1-year time-out period. This gives the authorizing committees time to address the issue. The appropriations committee is not addressing this. We are putting this with the authorizing committee. Without this language in our bill, the court would likely hold the Secretary in contempt and find for the plaintiffs' accounting that the government owes $176 billion in this matter without any further negotiation or findings. For the past 3 fiscal years, the Committee on Appropriations has stated that it will not appropriate hundreds of millions of dollars, now billions of dollars, for a historical accounting. There was no other option but to include the time-out provision in this bill. There is only one source of money available to the committee; and an accounting of this magnitude, $12 billion, would require that vast sums be diverted away from other programs in the bill. Without the time-out language, we would have to divert vast amounts of money from Indian education, health care, the National Park Service, as well as critical fire fighting funding; and that is just to name a few. There will be further court proceedings in this case based upon the government's appeal of this court ruling. We should not expend hundreds of millions of dollars while this case is under appeal. We fully agree with the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo) that the authorizing committees should address this issue, and we are not trying to do that. All the interior bill does is provide for a 1-year time-out, basically the remaining term of this Congress, to allow the Congress to provide, hopefully, a comprehensive solution to the Indian trust issue, or at least address the scope of the historical accounting so the Congress will not be put in the position of cutting programs in this bill to fund a $12 billion accounting. If the language is struck from the bill without providing full funding for the court-mandated accounting, some $3 billion in 2004, the court will likely hold the Secretary of the Interior in contempt and find summary judgment for the plaintiffs' accounting which purports to show that the government owes $176 billion. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) pointed out that we were $400 million short in this bill. If we have to pay $3 billion just for an accounting next year or we are asked to pay $176 billion in the next year, or $12 billion maybe in a short period of time, imagine what will happen to this bill and the Department of the Interior, Forest Service, Energy and the critical funds that we provide for Indian health, education and other needs. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this conference report.