S9450 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 the debate, which is on a seriously con- are proceeding. We should have those Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I ask tested amendment. bills from conference today. unanimous consent that the pending I suggest the absence of a quorum. We have just passed a military con- amendment be laid aside. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The struction bill. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without clerk will call the roll. We have in conference the Depart- objection, it is so ordered. The legislative clerk proceeded to ment of Defense conference which had Mr. BRYAN. I thank the Chair. call the roll. its first meeting yesterday. AMENDMENT NO. 1205 Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask The VA–HUD bill, the Energy bill, (Purpose: To reduce funding for Forest unanimous consent that the order for the foreign ops bill, and Transpor- Service road construction and eliminate the the quorum call be rescinded. tation—we expect, Mr. President, all of purchaser credit program) The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without those will be out of conference early Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I offer an objection, it is so ordered. next week. amendment and submit it for imme- The Senator from Alaska is recog- That will leave us five bills to still diate consideration. nized. finish. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. STEVENS. Thank you, Mr. The District of Columbia bill has not clerk will report the amendment. President. passed the Senate yet, nor the House. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Nevada [Mr. BRYAN], for f We have before us now, under the guidance of the Senator from Washing- himself, Mrs. BOXER, and Mr. TORRICELLI, proposes an amendment numbered 1205. LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN ton [Mr. GORTON], the Interior bill. We SERVICES AND EDUCATION AP- expect it to be finished here this week Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I ask PROPRIATIONS ACT AND OTHER and go to conference and, hopefully, unanimous consent that further read- APPROPRIATIONS BILLS come back to the Senate next week. ing of the amendment be dispensed with. Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I want As I have said, the Labor, Health and The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without to take just a few minutes of the Sen- Human Services bill, the House needs to pass that. We hope it will get to it objection, it is so ordered. ate’s time to comment upon the pas- The amendment is as follows: sage of Senate bill 1061, the Labor, soon. That will leave us the Commerce, On page 65, line 18, strike ‘‘$160,269,000’’ and Health and Human Services, and Edu- State, Justice bill, and the Treasury insert ‘‘$150,269,000’’. cation Appropriations Act. bill—all of which, Mr. President, it is On page 65, line 23, after ‘‘205’’ insert ‘‘, During the 104th Congress, the bill still our goal to try and get them to none of which amount shall be available for from this subcommittee was the center the President by the 30th of September. purchaser credits in connection with timber Mr. President, it will mean perhaps, sales advertised after September 30, 1997, un- of political controversy between the less the credits were earned in connection Congress and the White House, and though, we will have to have still a with sales advertised on or before that date within the Senate itself. We did not continuing resolution to give the Presi- (and no purchaser credits shall be earned for succeed in passing a bill as a separate dent the time that he needs to review the construction or reconstruction of roads measure for these functions in the all of these bills. I am hopeful that the on the National Forest transportation sys- 104th Congress. House will send us a continuing resolu- tem in connection with timber sales adver- Thursday’s vote of 91 to 8 sent a clear tion—a clean continuing resolution— tised after that date (but the foregoing dis- sometime early next week. allowance of purchaser credits shall not af- signal of the Senate’s support for the fect the availability of the purchaser elec- leadership shown by Senators SPECTER I commend the Senator from Wash- tion under section 14(i) of the National For- and HARKIN. They crafted a bill that ington on this bill. I am hopeful the est Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. emerged from our Appropriations Com- Senate will work with us to make sure 472a(i)))’’. mittee unanimously. that this bill is finished here today, if On page 127, between lines 15 and 16, insert The statement of administration pol- it is at all possible. the following: icy raised a few differences, but it indi- I thank the Chair. SEC. . TREATMENT OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who COSTS ESTIMATED FOR TIMBER cated strong bipartisan support for this SALES AS MONEY RECEIVED FOR bill. The most contentious votes we seeks time? THE PURPOSE OF PAYMENTS TO have faced this year on appropriations Mr. STEVENS. I suggest the absence THE STATES FOR SCHOOLS AND ROADS. bills were on the Labor, Health and of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The During fiscal year 1998, the term ‘‘money Human Services bill. clerk will call the roll. received’’, for the purposes of the Act enti- Despite the strong feelings generated The legislative clerk proceeded to tled ‘‘An Act making appropriations for the by those issues, the debate was fair. Department of Agriculture for the fiscal year call the roll. ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and The entire Senate came together to Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I ask pass the bill, and sent the unambiguous nine’’, approved May 23, 1908 (35 Stat. 260, unanimous consent that the order for chapter 192; 16 U.S.C. 500), and section 13 of message that I referred to—we want to the quorum call be rescinded. the act of March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 963, chapter see this bill enacted this year. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without 186; 16 U.S.C. 500), shall include— Supporting the work of the sub- objection, it is so ordered. (1) the amount of purchaser credits earned committee has been an extremely expe- in connection with timber sales advertised f rienced and effective staff. Craig Hig- on or before September 30, 1997; and gins serves as clerk of the subcommit- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (2) the amount of specified road construc- tion costs estimated in the agency appraisal tee. He is joined by Marsha Simon, who AND RELATED AGENCIES APPRO- process in connection with timber sales ad- assists Senator HARKIN as the minority PRIATIONS ACT, 1998 vertised after that date. clerk. Bettilou Taylor, Dale Cabaniss, The Senate continued with the con- Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I am al- Lula Edwards, and Carole Geagley sideration of the bill. ways pleased, when I have the oppor- round out the subcommittee staff. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under tunity, as I do this afternoon, to sup- I commend not only the chairman the unanimous-consent agreement, port, and in this instance actually pro- and ranking member but all of the staff there will be 90 minutes, equally di- pose, legislation that benefits both the for the hard work and the effort they vided, on the pending business before American taxpayer and the environ- put into preparing the bill in a fashion the Senate. In addition, there are no ment. that received such strong, strong sup- second-degree amendments to be in The amendment I am offering today port in the committee, and from the order. eliminates a subsidy used primarily by Senate. The Senator is recognized. large timber companies that not only We eagerly now await the passage of Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, may I in- has negative consequences for the tax- that bill by the House, so we can have quire, does it require a unanimous con- payers but also a detrimental effect on the conference commence and get the sent to set aside the pending amend- the environment. bill to the President prior to Septem- ment for purposes of consideration of Each year, American taxpayers spend ber 30, I hope. this proposed amendment? millions of dollars to subsidize the con- I also report to the Senate that the The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- struction of roads needed for logging Agriculture and legislative conferences ator is correct. on national forest lands. September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9451 The appropriations bill before us it attached to that sale and credits the their road cost estimates because pur- today contains a $47.4 million appro- account in that amount to the timber chasers are not required to report ac- priation for the Forest Service to as- contract holder as the road is con- tual costs of construction and recon- sist in the construction and recon- structed. The contractor, therefore, struction. So if actual road costs are struction of timber roads in our na- has immediate access to the credits to overestimated, the extra purchaser tional forests. In addition, the bill, and be used in place of cash deposits and credits awarded and subsequently trad- accompanying report, provide affirma- the agency, the purchaser, is also given ed for timber represent a windfall prof- tive direction to the Forest Service in- discretion to use the credit on any tim- it for the purchaser, a profit that structing them to continue the pur- ber sale contract that it holds in the comes at the public’s expense. This in- chaser credit program without limita- forest. The Forest Service allows the efficient situation would be eliminated tion. transfer of purchaser credits between if purchaser credits were abolished. The purchaser credit program allows timber sales located within the same Contrary to what you will hear from the Forest Service to subsidize the national forest. my opponents of this proposal, my road construction costs of timber com- Now the ability to transfer credits amendment will not end logging in the panies by granting credits to them aids a purchaser’s ability to manage its national forests. Requiring timber pur- equal to the estimated cost of the timber sale portfolio cash flow. Since chasers to pay for road construction roads that they need in order to access road construction often delays timber costs will likely reduce timber sales in their timber. The timber purchasers harvest, purchasers who can rapidly roadless areas where the environ- can then use the credits to pay for the transfer road credits to another sale mental and economic costs of logging timber being harvested. Last year from their portfolio can attain lower are the greatest. I believe this is sound these purchaser credits were valued at portfolio management costs. The result public policy. Roadless areas are not nearly $50 million. is analogous to an interest-free loan for good places to produce commercial In the House-passed version of the In- timber purchasers. timber because they tend to be a high terior appropriations bill a limit of $25 The opponents of this amendment elevation, steep, and inaccessible. The billion was placed on the value of pur- contend eliminating the purchaser road timber sales in these areas are the ones chaser credits that may be offered by credit will devastate the timber indus- that cause by far the most environ- the Forest Service in fiscal year 1998. try. Their claim could not be further mental problems and the ones which The bill before the Senate today elimi- from the truth. The Bureau of Land are the biggest money losers because of nates this cap completely, and the re- Management in several States is suc- the high cost of road building. port accompanying the bill makes it cessful at selling timber and getting Let me invite my colleagues’ atten- clear that ‘‘The committee has not the necessary roads constructed with- tion to an excellent article entitled specified a ceiling for the amount of out the use of the purchaser road credit ‘‘Quiet Roads Bring in Thundering Pro- purchaser credits which can be offered’’ that is exclusive to the Forest Service. tests,’’ an article that ran earlier this to timber companies. The result of this The effects on the Forest Service tim- year in the New York Times that illus- language is an open-ended subsidy for ber sale program of eliminating the trated the environmental damage the timber industry. purchaser credit program and requiring caused by road construction. A biolo- My amendment stands for a very that roads be constructed pursuant to gist with the Idaho Fish and Game De- simple proposition. If a timber pur- specified standards as the BLM and the partment, Chip Corsi, notes in the arti- chaser needs to build a road to harvest States require would be environ- cle that researchers have found that as timber, the timber purchaser should mentally and economically beneficial. little as 1.7 miles of road per square have to pay for it. The amendment Eliminating road credits will force mile forest have the effect of reducing which I am offering eliminates the pur- purchasers to internalize the cost of the complement of fish species in an chaser credit program and cuts $10 mil- road construction into their bid price area. Mr. Corsi added that in Idaho, in lion from the Forest Service timber for the timber. The result is a more Coeur d’Alene National Forest we have road construction and reconstruction balanced system that provides equal from 4 to 10 to 15, up to 20 miles of road account. treatment for all purchasers of publicly per square mile, so it is extreme. That In addition, my amendment provides owned timber, BLM and Forest Service is his direct quote. that road construction costs incurred lands. Without the purchaser credit Many scientists have found that road by timber purchasers are to be treated program it is likely that fewer roads building threatens wildlife because it as timber revenues for the purpose of would be built and less habitat would causes erosions of soils, fragments in- payment to States for use on roads and be fragmented. Purchasers are less tact forest ecosystems, encourages the schools in the counties where national likely to want to build extensive road spread of noxious weeds and invasive forests are located. The result of this networks if they have to pay cash for species and reduces habitat for many latter provision is that counties will be them. animals needing a refuge from man. held harmless as a result of the elimi- Consequently, timber sales with high It has been found that when the roads nation of the purchaser credit program. road building costs will be less attrac- wash out they dump rocks and soil on For those of my colleagues who are tive to purchasers than timber sales lower slopes into stream beds and even not familiar with this program, let me with low or no road building costs. when they remain intact, roads act as give a brief description of how the pur- Another important aspect of elimi- channels for water and contribute fur- chaser credit program operates. When nating the purchaser credit program is ther to the erosion of lands and the Forest Service wants to use pur- that it will shift responsibility for esti- streams. chaser credits to build the road to a mating road costs from the Forest Let me invite my colleagues’ atten- planned timber sale, and parentheti- Service to purchasers. If markets are tion to one example of that. This is the cally that is about 90 percent of the competitive, such a shift should pro- Clearwater National Forest in Idaho. time, it must estimate the cost to vide a more accurate and an efficient At the top of the picture one can see a build the road, the value of the timber road cost accounting system. road cut through the forest. This is the in the sale area, and the road right-of- An independent study of timber sales erosion that has occurred as a result of way. Prospective purchasers go in the Pacific Northwest found that the a road having been logged and the run- through a similar process of estimating Forest Service estimates for road con- off sedimentation that has occurred as their roadbuilding costs and their esti- struction costs can be as much as 30 a consequence of that. That is a major mated value of the timber they must percent higher than actual costs for contributing problem to the environ- pay for to the Forest Service. the industry to build those roads. A re- mental degradation that is occurring Considering all of these factors, the cent report from the General Account- in our national forests. prospective purchasers submit their ing Office discovered that Forest Serv- Scientists say the overall effect is bids accordingly. When a purchaser is ice estimates of road costs include a that the streams and rivers fill with awarded the contract for the timber profit margin for purchasers. It also silt, and the shallower waters mean de- sale the Forest Service establishes the found that the Forest Service lacked graded fish habitat and more flooding. dollar value of the purchaser road cred- accountability for the accuracy of Many of my colleagues are aware that S9452 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 the declining water quality of lakes, as we pay as American taxpayers to try The Forest Service plans to construct rivers, and streams in our national for- to abate or minimize or mitigate the over 130 miles of recreation and general ests is a serious problem. damage that will occur. purpose roads in fiscal year 1998. My The USDA Undersecretary Jim Now, opponents of this amendment amendment would not reduce funding Lyons has stated that our No. 1 water will claim that forest roads need for either of these two accounts. quality problem in the national forest money to be maintained and that the Mr. President, let me be perfectly system is roads. According to the For- cuts contained in my amendment will clear on what my amendment does not est Service, 922 communities get their allow roads to deteriorate, causing fur- do. It does not—I repeat, it does not— drinking waters from national forest ther environmental damage. I want to prohibit logging or road construction streams that are frequently adversely speak to this point. The amendment in roadless areas. There is no provision affected by building logging roads. In which I offer does not affect the Forest in this amendment that even ref- Idaho, over 960 streams are rated as Service road maintenance budget. I erences roadless areas. Many interest water-quality limited by the EPA be- want to repeat that: The amendment groups opposed to this amendment cause of contamination. Over half of which is offered this afternoon does not have circulated erroneous information these streams are degraded by logging affect the Forest Service road mainte- claiming that road construction would and roadbuilding. In addition, after the nance budget. This amendment only be prohibited in roadless areas. I can winter storms of 1995 and 1996 in the eliminates the subsidy of new timber assure my colleagues that is not the Pacific Northwest, the Forest Service roads. These are entirely separately case. In any event, roadless areas are found that in Idaho 70 percent of the funded accounts within the Forest Sys- only a small portion of the timber base 422 landslides were associated with log- tem. in our national forests, and the na- ging. As a matter of public policy, I would tional forests provide only 4 percent of In my home State of Nevada, the argue it makes more sense to maintain the Nation’s overall wood for paper road network through Lake Tahoe has roads that we already have than spend- products. been identified as a major contributor ing a great deal of money building new Let me illustrate that point, if I to the degradation of water quality and roads. Forest Service Chief Michael may, Mr. President. One can see what decline in the clarity of the lake. Mr. Dombeck has stated that there is a $440 has occurred in terms of the timber President, I know this firsthand, hav- million backlog of maintenance needed harvest in the country and on the na- ing spent a decade of my life as a resi- on 232,000 miles of national forest tional forests. This chart begins in 1950 dent of northern Nevada and having roads. Addressing this need would have and continues through 1995. We can see over the last 50 years visited the Lake considerable environmental benefits that the overall U.S. timber harvest, Tahoe basin frequently. such as reducing erosion from roads both national forests and otherwise, During the President and Vice Presi- and stormproofing existing culverts. It has by and large increased over the last dent’s recent visit to Lake Tahoe the is important to remember that the 45 years. It would appear to be in the President announced that the Forest timber industry’s responsibility for area of about 18 billion cubic feet a Service would decommission or oblit- maintaining logging roads ends with year. You can also see what happened erate roughly 290 miles of old logging the sale of timber and its subsequent with respect to the national forests. roads in the basin over the next 10 harvest, leaving all future maintenance The amount that is harvested there has years. costs to the American taxpayer. been declining in recent years, and I At Lake Tahoe, Mr. President, we I want to emphasize once again, as I believe that is because there is a rec- have seen a rapid and radical decline in did a moment ago, the distinction be- ognition that there are other impor- water clarity. One of the most pristine tween road reconstruction and road tant values that the National Forest lakes in North America and the entire maintenance. Opponents of this amend- Service provides to the American peo- world, marveled at by Mark Twain and ment will seek to measure the distinc- ple: recreational opportunities, es- all of the early pioneers at one time, a tion but road construction means thetic values, habitat protection, all of little more than a decade ago, you starting with an abandoned road which which seem to be reflected in this trend could see 100 feet into the bottom of may have trees growing in it and may line. parts of that lake. In less than 30 years be partly contoured and rebuilding it So my point is that the National For- there has been an environmental deg- for the purpose of entering an area to est Service timber harvest represents radation of more than a third. So today conduct logging activities. about 4 percent of the Nation’s overall you can actually see, in terms of clar- Reconstruction is only undertaken harvest and, in my view, will not have ity of the water, less than 70 feet. A for access to timber sales. Maintenance an economic consequence that will, in primary cause is the logging of that is keeping any forest road, timber, any way, make it impossible for the basin, initially during the Comstock recreation, or general purpose, in good United States to meet its harvest re- Lode and the mining discoveries of the repair. The average cost of maintaining quirements. mid-to-late 19th century. a mile of road is about $543. The aver- Now, my amendment does not elimi- I observed firsthand, not as a sci- age cost of reconstructing a mile of nate all funding for timber road con- entist but as a layman, looking at the road is more than $12,000 a mile. Con- struction either. A similar amendment roads and seeing the runoff that oc- sequently, cutting funds for recon- was offered in the House by Congress- curs. The siltation that occurs, that struction will not hurt road mainte- man PORTER and Congressman KEN- goes into the lake, has been a serious nance. NEDY, which would have eliminated vir- environmental problem. It has been es- Now, another erroneous claim I want tually all funding for timber road con- timated that it will require several to address involves whether logging struction. That amendment, inciden- hundred millions of dollars in order for roads are needed for recreational ac- tally, was very, very narrowly defeated this clarity and the environmental deg- tivities in the national forest. The an- on a vote of 211 to 209. Let me make radation that is occurring on an ongo- swer, Mr. President, is no. According to the point again. The Porter-Kennedy ing basis to be reversed. There are no the Forest Service, logging roads are amendment would have eliminated vir- guarantees, even at that. built at a lower standard and cost less tually all funding for new timber road My point, Mr. President, is we may than recreation and general purpose construction. have been ignorant in the past as to roads. Logging roads are usually un- My amendment would reduce the what caused the problems. Those of our paved dirt and are often usable only by amount of the current appropriation, forebears a century ago were less high-clearance vehicles, while recre- as proposed, by $10 million, reducing it knowledgeable than we are of the envi- ation and general purpose roads gen- from a $47.4 million budget. Opponents ronmental consequences. But it cer- erally are either paved or gravel and of this amendment are somewhat dis- tainly cannot be an excuse for our gen- are usable by all passenger cars. ingenuous when they claim that it will eration because we know what the On average, purchaser credit logging decimate the timber road construction costs are, and the costs are not just in roads cost $15,000 per mile in 1996, while program. the new road construction itself. The recreation roads cost $63,000, and gen- Finally, Mr. President, I want to costs lasts for generations thereafter eral purpose roads cost $65,000 per mile. make my colleagues aware that this September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9453 amendment has the strong support of offering this afternoon. I also add, Mr. from Nevada has there, only about 5 the Clinton administration. I want to President, that the amendment is also percent of the Nation’s softwood comes introduce into the RECORD a copy of strongly supported by a broad coalition from Forest Service lands, but 50 per- the letter from the Secretary of the of environmental and taxpayer organi- cent of the volume is located on those Department of Agriculture, Mr. Dan zations, including the Wilderness Soci- lands. Since the policies that have re- Glickman. ety, Sierra Club, Friends of Earth, U.S. sulted in that dramatic decrease have I ask unanimous consent to have this PERG, Taxpayers for Common Sense, taken place, the average price of an letter printed in the RECORD. and Citizens Against Government 1,800-square-foot new home has gone up There being no objection, the letter Waste. In addition, more than 60 news- about $2,000. Almost $3 billion from the was ordered to be printed in the papers across the country have edito- pockets of American home purchasers RECORD, as follows: rialized in support of the amendment. is the result of those efforts to save the Hon. RICHARD H. BRYAN, I simply close by making this obser- spotted owl and to meet other of the U.S. Senate, Russell Senate Office Building, vation, and I ask my colleagues to con- priorities so eloquently set out by the Washington, DC. sider this one important point. If the Senator from Nevada. DEAR DICK: As we discussed on the phone purchaser credit program is not a sub- Interestingly enough, when an out- last night, the Administration strongly sup- sidy for the timber purchasers, as the side organization—Price Waterhouse— ports the amendment you plan to offer to the opponents of this amendment claim, filed a report entitled ‘‘Financing fiscal year (FY) 1998 Interior appropriations then why are they fighting so hard to Roads on the National Forests,’’ it bill to eliminate the Forest Service’s pur- preserve it? reached this conclusion: chaser road credit program and reduce fund- Mr. President, I hope my colleagues ing for road construction in the national for- The forest roads program does not contain ests. can join with those advocates of the a subsidy for timber purchasers. It provides an efficient and effective mechanism for fi- There are nearly 380,000 miles of roads on environment, those advocates of re- nancing road construction and reconstruc- the national forests. Roads represent one of sponsible governmental fiscal practices tion. the greatest environmental problems on the and support this amendment, because forests because of the extensive damage they it is a win for the environment and a Interestingly enough, the adminis- cause to soils, water quality, and fish and win for the American taxpayers. tration, at least as recently as January wildlife habitat. A recent Forest Service Mr. President, I reserve the remain- and February, agreed totally with that study indicated that forest roads increase der of the time. I yield the floor. position, and it indicates no savings as- the likelihood of landslides, thus creating a Mr. GORTON addressed the Chair. sociated with the elimination of the public safety problem in urbanizing areas in The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- forest roads program. the West. For these reasons, rather than ator from Washington is recognized. Moreover, the appropriation for for- building new roads, the Administration is re- Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, the est roads that we are defending here focusing its efforts on repairing damage from the existing road network, eliminating thou- Senator from Nevada states that it is today is the administration’s own pro- sands of miles of unneeded roads, and propos- not the purpose of this amendment to posal. This is not a budget that in- ing the policies reflected in your amend- terminate harvesting in our national creases that appropriation; it is a budg- ment. forests. He also states that it is the in- et that reflects that appropriation. Is The President’s FY 1998 budget proposed tent of the amendment to reduce har- the Senator from Nevada seriously pre- elimination of the purchaser credit program vesting in our national forests. He rec- senting to us the proposition that this because it reflects an outdated policy that ognizes that the impact of the amend- Clinton administration is engaged in permits timber purchasers to exchange na- ment will be to lower the gross income irresponsible forest harvest contract- tional forest timber for road construction of the Forest Service from timber sales ing, that it is ignoring environmental costs, providing them an unwarranted sub- sidy, thus facilitating entry into roadless because, obviously, bids will reflect the and fiscal concerns and causing our for- areas and causing the environmental prob- cost of constructing roads. He says ests to be harvested at an lems noted above. that the amendment will not terminate unsustainable or environmentally Consistent with the Administration’s pol- the construction of roads in roadless harmful rate? He must be making that icy, we support the provisions in your areas, but that the construction of proposition. He wants the two-thirds amendment to protect payments to counties roads in roadless areas is wrong. reduction that has taken place over the and small businesses. Purchaser road credits Now, I guess the question that one course of the last decade to be a more- are now included in the calculation of pay- must ask of the Senator from Nevada, than-two-thirds reduction. He wants ments to counties associated with timber and the outside organizations that this administration to stop what he sales. Your amendment ensures that there is back his amendment, is, what is their no net loss of payments to counties despite considers irresponsible contracting for elimination of purchaser credits. In addition, view toward the harvesting of forest forest harvesting in our national for- through protection of the purchaser elect products in our national forests? The ests. program, your amendment ensures that Senator from Nevada has graced us Mr. President, no one who is con- small businesses which may not have the with a set of graphs and a chart that cerned with any kind of balance in the capital to pay for road construction can con- indicates increasing harvests on pri- management of our national forests tinue to compete with larger companies for vate lands and rapidly decreasing har- can possibly reach the conclusion that Forest Service timber sales. vests on public lands. In the 1980’s, the Clinton administration’s Forest Although the $10 million reduction in road nearly 12 billion board feet a year were Service management and supervision is construction funding proposed in your harvested from Forest Service lands—a amendment is below the Administration’s recklessly and irresponsibly harvesting budget request, through efficiencies and the harvest smaller in board feet than the our national forests. Almost all of the expanded use of existing road infrastructure regeneration of those lands. Today, criticism is on the other side, except the Forest Service can still achieve the fun- that level is below 4 million board feet. for the organizations that are backing damental objectives of its management In other words, harvests on those lands this amendment, whose position is that plans. Recent Administration budgets have have been reduced by more than two- the only good harvest is no harvest at reflected this trend in reducing road con- thirds. How much more reduction does all. struction funding, and your amendment is the Senator from Nevada propose? Now, if the Senator from Nevada be- consistent with this trend. The organizations that he proudly lieves that, I think it would be more Thank you for your leadership in seeking announced are supporting his amend- forthright simply to propose that and to reduce unnecessary road building on the national forests and your support for elimi- ment, by and large, have as their ar- see whether or not the Members of the nating the purchaser credit program. I look ticulated policy that there should be Senate agree. But this forest roads pro- forward to working with you to achieve pas- no harvest on public lands anywhere, gram, the way in which it was set up, sage of the amendment. at any time, under any circumstances. is designed to see to it that the roads Sincerely, And while this amendment, standing are built efficiently and well, according DAN GLICKMAN, alone, will not have that effect, it is to Forest Service standards, and appro- Secretary. clearly designed as a part of a cam- priately paid for. Simply to take Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, Sec- paign to end all such harvests. money out of one pocket and put it retary Glickman’s letter is in strong At the present time, again, as indi- into another will not, in any way, en- support of the amendment that I am cated by the chart that the Senator hance the Federal Treasury. Bids will S9454 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 be lower—probably considerably try for a little more, and the next year I thought it was important to men- lower—as the risk of costs have shifted even more, and the incremental game tion this because the Senator from Ne- from one side to another and the qual- that has been played over the last sev- vada spoke passionately about the ity of roads will be lower. But let’s eral decades that has significantly Tahoe Basin, an area which I am very look at the entire program that we are changed the character of public land familiar with the way it has been har- talking about here. use is accomplished—in this instance, vested or rather not harvested. This In fact, of this entire appropriation the elimination of timber harvest on lack of harvest has attributed to the for 1996, only a very modest amount is public lands. fuel buildup that goes on in that re- for the construction of roads; the great The Senator from Nevada spoke of gion, affected the wellness of the trees, bulk is for reconstruction. From the subsidies. Let me say as loudly and as and most importantly created a poten- credit system, from the appropriation, clearly as I can that there are no sub- tial catastrophic environment that practically none is for construction, sidies. He is wrong. He talks about sav- could exist in a drought situation caus- and a modest amount is for reconstruc- ing the taxpayers’ money. He is wrong. ing massive fire. He speaks of roads, tion. But three-quarters of the amount The Price Waterhouse study that I road conditions, and road maintenance. is for the obliteration of roads, about have in my hand says so. Many others Purchaser credits have gone toward which the Senator from Nevada spoke who have analyzed the program of pur- maintaining and improving, through so eloquently. Eighty percent of all of chaser credit also agree. The rhetoric reconstruction, more roads than hard the reconstruction that is so important of purchaser credits being subsidies dollars do. Every one of those roads is is paid for by purchaser credit, not by may sound good when you suggest larg- built to environmental standards appropriations on the part of this body. er timber companies get money—tax- which actually improves the environ- In fact, Mr. President, the net result of payer money. If this were the case, mental situation. passing this amendment will not only then that is subsidy, and that is wrong. In my State of Idaho last year—an be a further reduction in harvest, it It has no intent, and it doesn’t improve exceptionally wet year—we had road will be a dramatic reduction in the in this instance the environment, or blowouts; land and hillside blowouts in availability of our forests from a wide the ability of our forested lands to be our national forests where man had range of recreational activity. It will ongoing and productive in their pro- never been. But the biggest problem oc- be the de facto creation of more tens of duction of fiber for the citizens of our curred in areas where roads had not billions of acres that cannot effectively country. been reconstructed or effectively main- be enjoyed by the vast majority of the So let me say very clearly that Sen- tained. people of the United States. ator BRYAN’s amendment does not So, if the Senator from Nevada wants I want to emphasize that in this case speak to subsidy because it does not to talk about maintaining roads and we are defending the recommendations exist. And it does not speak to saving improving road environments that cre- in the budget of the President and of money because it would not happen. ate less sedimentation and a better the Forest Service—a Forest Service In addition, the amendment would water quality in Lake Tahoe, then he that has designed the reduction and eliminate beyond an actual cut of 20 ought to be coming with more money. harvest as far as it has gone. And I be- percent of the $47 million that is in Because money does not exist in the lieve that the most appropriate points this budget for proposed new timber budget, money does not exist to im- for the proponents of this amendment roads. It would cut, of course, the pur- prove road conditions. Therefore, envi- to make are having reduced our Forest chaser credit. And that is where the ar- ronmental conditions is the very thing Service harvest by two-thirds, having gument on subsidies rests. This pro- that he is trying to eliminate. shifted almost 95 percent of all of the gram was crafted by a Democrat Con- But back to the issue of subsidy. I harvesting of forest products onto pri- gress in 1964. It doesn’t mean they were brought this chart along to dem- vate lands that contain 50 percent of right. It doesn’t mean they were wrong. onstrate the point. The point is really the resource. How much further do At the time using the best analysis quite simple. If you are going to log they wish to go? Their supporters say they could and an appropriate decision the trees off the land, you have to get no harvest at all. This amendment is as it relates to how stumpage fees to the trees. There are Federal trees on one dramatic step toward that goal. could best be utilized for the benefit of Federal land. Who ought to build the Mr. President, I yield such time as the taxpayer, they came up with this road? The Senator and I come from the Senator from Idaho may wish to method. It was thoughtful legislating large ranching States. You have cattle take. at that time, and I think it remains so out in the corral in the back of the The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. today. It is a good policy. Let me try ranch, and you want to sell them to a COATS). The Senator from Idaho. to explain why it is good policy and not cattle buyer. He has to get the trucks Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, let me a subsidy. Let me also explain why I to the corral. You say, ‘‘Build the roads thank my chairman for yielding. Let challenge the Senator from Nevada on to the corral, cattle buyer, and you can me also congratulate him for the clar- his arguments, because if I make a have the cattle.’’ ity with which he spoke to this issue. challenge I ought to be able to prove it. He will say, ‘‘OK. And I will bid you Mr. President, I rise in opposition It is only fair and right that I do so. $5 less a head because I have to spend today to the amendment of the Senator The purchaser road credit system has money to build the road.’’ from Nevada. I hope that in the course been utilized for more than 20 years. It Or, you can say, ‘‘No. I will get the of what I have to say, Mr. President, allows purchasers to earn credits equal road built. I will pay for the road. that my opposition is clear. This comes to the estimated cost of constructing Therefore, bid me the market price on to the issue the chairman and the Sen- roads specified in a timber sale con- my cattle.’’ ator from Washington put so clearly. tract. The purchaser can then use the That is the same scenario that goes The Sierra Club some months ago, credit to pay for the timber harvest. As on with public timberlands because, as the Inland Empire Public Lands Coun- with the regular forest road program the Senator from Nevada said, the tim- cil from the inner Pacific Northwest which utilizes appropriated funds, the ber company leaves and the road is some weeks ago, and other organiza- purchaser road credit program pri- still there. Yes, it is. It is a Federal tions have come out with a policy for marily supports the reconstruction of road paid for by Federal money, owned zero cut of timber on public lands. This existing roads. The Senator from Wash- by the Forest Service, utilized by the is a national position that is well ar- ington has already very clearly spoken citizens once it is used for logging. ticulated by some of the more extreme to that diagram effectively in the chart Here is a good example. If the market environmental groups. that he has before us. Of the total num- value of the timber on a timber sale is I think the Senator from Washington ber of miles of timber sales roads built $100, and you use the purchaser credit, is absolutely correct. I believe this is nationwide in fiscal 1995, about 90 per- it costs you $40 to build the road. You step 1 in a 5- or 6-year plan. This cent were done with purchaser road have a purchaser credit of $40. So you amendment cuts about one-fifth of the credits. Approximately 80 percent of bid the market price for the timber. resource for road building. If this is ac- the purchaser road credits were used You bid $100. The net receipts are $60 complished, then next year they will for the purpose of reconstructing. because the purchaser road credit was September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9455 constructed. If you do not have pur- his State gets from Federal mineral re- and financial liabilities associated with chaser road credits it is still going to sources. Last year, the State of Nevada canceled timber sale contracts. The cost $40 to build the road. The logging got $613 million in severance tax from Forest Service provided a response, and contractor bid to the Forest Service Federal mineral resources. the Department rescinded that re- less money because he is going to sell I say to the Senator from Nevada. sponse within just a few days. Earlier the trees to pay for the road he will Why does he work so intently to de- this year the Department properly re- build. So the purchaser credit is zero. stroy the money that my schools, the jected a position for a new policy on He bids $60. He doesn’t bid $100. He bids schools in Montana, Washington, and qualifications for timber purchasers, $60, and the net receipt is $60. Oregon get, and speaks nothing about and 2 days later the Under Secretary Is that a subsidy, or is that a method that intent in his State, masked in the claimed that an unauthorized individ- of building roads that in 1964 this Con- name of the environment? Let me sug- ual had used an autosigning machine gress and this Senate decided was ap- gest to you that it is not so masked. It and the letter should never have been propriate? Call it a subsidy? I don’t is open. It is direct, and the impact sent. think you can. Try it, if you might. would be dramatic. In many of my Well, it seems as if the Secretary had Price Waterhouse says no. Economists counties, school funding is 60 to 70 per- tried to place himself squarely on both say no. The reason they say no is be- cent funded by this base, and he would sides of this issue. I suggest that he put cause of this exact chart. take, in many instances, 25 or 30 per- greater control on his autosigning pen. The Senator from Nevada says, cent of it away immediately. If the Maybe we would more clearly under- ‘‘Well, BLM does it differently. They plan of national environmental radical stand what the Department of Agri- just sell the timber, and the logger groups, the kind that advocate zero culture is all about here—whiplashed builds the road.’’ Yes. They do. Price logging on timber forested lands, had by an environmental interest that does Waterhouse would analyze that, and their way the remaining funds would not serve this program well, does not every economist would analyze that soon be wiped out altogether. serve the rural forested communities of and say on the ONC—Oregon and Cali- I guess another thing that clearly is our States well and, most importantly, fornia—lands in Oregon, where the worth discussing, and it is terribly does not address this issue in a fair and BLM has the bulk of the timber from frustrating to me, the Senator men- balanced way. all of their landholding across the tioned that he had letters from Sec- During the summer of 1966, there country, they do as the Senator from retary Glickman as it relates to the po- were several incidents where impass- able roads resulting from washouts and Nevada suggests. But the economists sition of this administration when it wind-thrown trees hampered fire- would say the quality of that timber comes to their support of his amend- fighters’ ability to respond to fire value is depressed in stumpage because ment. The Secretary before the House emergencies, requiring fire crews to the logger takes the price of the road of Representatives said, interestingly turn around and find other access to out of the sale. enough, not very long ago that the Why is that important for Idaho, fires. elimination of purchaser road credits Why do I just instantly bring fires then? Why am I standing here con- would hurt mostly small timber pur- into this argument? Because the af- cerned? Well, the Senator knows why. chasers who have less access to credit. fected responsive maintenance of roads Now, the Senator from Nevada talked The Senator knows that in current law that is done through this program is about sticking it to the big boys. I a share of the stumpage value is re- what allows the Forest Service to man- think in reverse, if he studied it with turned to local counties for schools and age our forests and fight fires. There for roads. In his State of Nevada, down some intent, he would find that this is are also roads that are used by off- on the Toiyabe, it looks like they get a not quite the case. road-vehicle people of the Senator from I have another chart here that speaks few dollars. They do not get anywhere Nevada and the Senator from Idaho. to what Secretary Glickman was talk- the amount of money that Idaho, Or- There are our hunters, our fishermen, ing about—purchaser credit use: ‘‘Who egon, Washington, or northern Califor- our berry pickers, our recreationists, buys the Federal timber?’’ The dark nia gets. Why? If you are from Nevada, our tourists. Those are the roads that blue represents small business, the red you know why. It isn’t a timbered were initially built to harvest timber. I State, in large part. It is a high desert represents large business by definition. would suggest to the chief of the For- State—not a lot of trees, except in very As we can see by the chart itself, in al- est Service that if he has $440 million few areas; primarily in the north, most every instance, they are buying worth of road maintenance and back- where the Senator is from, and down better than 50 to 60 percent of the tim- log, he is achieving most of it today on the tip in the south. ber. through the program that the Senator Small business timber purchasers The bottom line is when you bid a from Nevada is trying to eliminate. timber sale you and bid $60 rather than would be adversely affected because So I hope that my colleagues this $100 because you are taking $40 out for the potential financing problem they afternoon, recognizing the importance the road. The Federal Treasury re- would encounter if they had to operate of this program, the way it is used ef- ceives the same amount of money but by doing exactly what the Senator fectively—it is not a subsidy. It bene- payments to counties decrease. said, going out up front and getting the fits the taxpayer. It certainly benefits What the Senator knows is that by money to construct the roads before the small community that is the recip- this action, he is dramatically cutting they could harvest the trees, take ient of stumpage fees that fund schools the money that flows to counties for them to market and get their return. and roads. It is a program well bal- schools and for road construction— The alternative is the purchaser-elect anced and considered by the Congress their own road construction, not this program which does not protect the over these years, and I hope they will road construction, not Federal road small business that are have the most reject the amendment of the Senator construction. Why have we payed the threat. According to Price Waterhouse, from Nevada. I do believe it is not well counties over the years? I tell you why a small business still has to pay cash thought out. It certainly does not meet we have done it—because my State is for the full amount of the timber. This the arguments that he himself made as 63 percent federally owned, and those would explain why the purchaser-elect it results to the need for effective road are landlocked communities. They program has been rarely used by small maintenance to provide environmental have no tax base from which to fund business timber purchasers. Of course, quality, water quality and the kinds of their schools and their local roads. that is what the Senator is advocating. things that we appreciate from our The Senator from Nevada knows Mr. President, I recently noticed that public land. from which I speak. His State is much the administration is having a bit of I yield the floor. more owned by the Federal Govern- difficulty with what they tell us here Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I am ment than is my State. Nevada is 84 in the Congress, and that is why I won- pleased once again to join my distin- percent. der about the letter the Senator has guished colleague from Nevada, Sen- It is interesting that the Senator that he put in the RECORD. I have a ator BRYAN, in identifying another from Nevada hasn’t mentioned a thing copy of that letter. I say that because egregious expenditure which is a peren- about the annual net proceeds tax that last year I asked about potential legal nial waste of the taxpayer’s money: the S9456 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 timber road subsidy. Several years ago, under existing laws and regulations, national forest system, which is eight my able friend and I joined forces to nor does it deter timber sales and har- times the mileage of the U.S. inter- eliminate the wool and mohair sub- vesting. It merely eliminates taxpayer- state highway system. That’s enough sidies. And in the last Congress, to- funded logging road construction which to circle the earth nearly 15 times. In gether we jettisoned the subsidies for should be the responsibility of the tim- some parts of our Pacific Northwest, the mink industry in the market ac- ber companies. It is a specific, concise one square mile is laced with up to 20 cess program. In fact, Mr. President, I amendment which will not only allow miles of road. Supporters say these think our opposition to the entire mar- us to reduce our deficit but also pre- roads open the forest to recreation. ket access program has become quite vent pollution of municipal water sup- But, Mr. President, I can assure you well known in this body. plies and save fish and wildlife habi- many of these roads are not passable— Mr. President, the amendment we in- tats. I have seen studies on this issue which troduce today calls for the most mod- Originally, Mr. President, road build- show that these roads are built for est reduction of a flagrantly wasteful ing was subsidized by the U.S. Forest truck use with little concern for pas- subsidy which is helping denude our Service to encourage economic and senger vehicles or travel comfort. national forests and providing an out- community development. There was a These are not recreation roads. In any rageous taxpayer-funded give-away to time, especially after World War II, case, Mr. President, the General Ac- the private sector. The Senator from when the nation was rapidly expand- counting Office has found that 70 per- Nevada and I are asking for the Senate ing, that the government help for the cent of the Nation’s subsidized logging to reduce this timber subsidy by $10 Northwest timber industry made sense. roads are used almost exclusively by million. This money would come from But those days are over. We have private timber companies and their the $47 million budget of the U.S. For- learned that once areas are logged and contractors. est Service’s logging and construction logging companies move to new areas, Mr. President, while the environment program. Our amendment also prevents communities cannot survive. Indeed suffers and the timber industry en- the Forest Service from using ‘‘pur- they become ghost towns. There are no riches itself, the taxpayer picks up the chaser road credits’’ to trade valuable long term economic and community tab. In fact, the taxpayer pays toward Federal forest resources for environ- benefits to the public—only to private the costs of each road three times: first mentally destructive and costly timber industry. If economic development is to build the road, second to maintain roads. In essence, Mr. President, this still the justification for this program, it, and third to fix the environmental amendment will put an end to the prac- it flies in the face of some basic eco- damage caused by road-induced fires tice of awarding free trees in exchange nomic data. Mr. President, between and flood. for the industry paying its own road 1950 and 1994, timber harvests increased This proposal to reduce the account construction costs. This amendment by 64 percent, while employment in the by $10 million and eliminate the pur- also holds harmless counties that re- wood and paper industry fell 4 percent. chaser road credit is modest, rational ceive Federal payments from the sale Other factors are at play in this sub- common sense by any measure. I urge value of federally owned timber, so it sidy. The fact is, Mr. President, the our colleagues to support it. contains a mechanism to maintain a road-building subsidy—like the mink Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I neutral fiscal impact on those coun- subsidy and the wool and mohair sub- rise today in opposition to the Bryan ties. There is clearly much to complain sidy—is an anachronism. amendment. I rise because this pro- about when it comes to timber sales— The degradation of forests over the gram has proven very successful over which routinely cost the Treasury and last few decades has led to a wide vari- the years that it has been in existence. the taxpayers hundreds of millions of ety of environmental and health prob- This is a positive program that pro- dollar each year—but the issue before lems, including dramatic increases in motes cooperation between public and us is much narrower. species extinctions, global warming— private enterprises, which are the Under current U.S. Forest Service due in part to deforestation in both types of agreements we should be sup- management, logging access roads are tropical and temperate zones—and the porting on the Senate floor and not op- built in national forests using either deterioration of water quality. Jim posing. taxpayer funds or assets to subsidize Lyons, Undersecretary of Agriculture, In addition, this program has been logging companies harvesting timber. admits as much. He has told us, Mr. found that it costs the government no The taxpayer subsidizes the construc- President, ‘‘Our number one water- money. Price-Waterhouse did an eco- tion and reconstruction of logging ac- quality problem in the National Forest nomic analysis and determined that cess roads by the Government either System is roads.’’ In northern Califor- ‘‘the Forest Roads program does not paying directly for the building of the nia, road building creates silt which contain a subsidy for timber pur- roads or by trading trees when the tim- clogs our State reservoirs and lessens chasers.’’ This program is an efficient ber company builds the road. The sys- water quality. Logging roads in na- and effective mechanism for financing tem known as the Purchaser Credit tional forests increase environmental forest road construction. And, since Program essentially gives timber pur- degradation by contributing to the de- net payments to the Treasury will re- chasers ‘‘free trees’’ and, according to struction and fragmentation of species, main the same, Price-Waterhouse con- the GAO, includes a profit margin for habitat, water pollution and landslides. cluded there is no subsidy to the tim- purchasers. In both instances, timber In addition, Mr. President, since the ber purchaser. companies receive subsidies at the ex- 1940’s, studies by the Forest Service Finally, I want to stress a point that pense of taxpayers for activities that and other fire scientists have found I feel is of utmost importance. Many do should be incorporated as a cost of that more than 90 percent of all not realize that 25 percent of the pro- doing business. wildfires in the United States are ceeds from timber sales go directly to Mr. President, this amendment does human-caused, and 75 percent of these the counties to be used for roads and not reduce funding for road mainte- start within 265 feet of a road. schools. In Arkansas, where the per nance and it does not affect the con- We have a tremendous backlog of capita expenditures on students rank struction or maintenance of recreation unmaintained forest logging roads that 46 out of 51 states and the District of and general purpose roads. This amend- are now unsafe. Maintenance of these Columbia, our children cannot afford ment does not alter the infrastructure roads is expensive—if there is no to lose this vital source of funding. management budget or the reconstruc- money to maintain existing roads, how Mr. President, I want to reiterate my tion and construction budget of the will we take care of new roads? The strong opposition to this amendment Forest Service. This amendment con- Forest Service reported in March 1997 to strike funding for the Forest Roads tains no rider or any other language that there is a $440 million backlog of Program. dealing with roadless areas of our na- road maintenance needs for its existing Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I will op- tional forests. This amendment does roads. Where is the fiscal sense in con- pose the Bryan amendment to reduce not prohibit timber companies from structing new roads? funding for Forest Service road con- building their own roads in the na- Mr. President, there are currently struction, reconstruction and oblitera- tional forests where that is permissible 378,000 miles of roads throughout the tion, and to eliminate the purchaser September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9457 credit program, because the amend- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who Service purchaser road credits pro- ment will make two activities more yields time? gram. Eliminating purchaser road cred- difficult to accomplish in the pursuit Mr. BURNS addressed the Chair. its would have serious implications. of the goal of ending new road con- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Under the purchaser credit program, struction in inappropriate areas. These ator from Montana. timber sale contracts require the pur- two activities are obliteration of im- Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I would chaser to reconstruct or construct properly placed, environmentally dam- ask unanimous consent that the Sen- roads and bridges. Purchaser credit is aging or unused roads and reconstruc- ate resume the debate on the Ashcroft an off-budget means for the Forest tion of those roads that serve regen- amendment following the expiration of Service to rebuild and repair existing erated stands. The administration has the debate on the pending amendment roads and occasionally to build new indicated that this amendment would offered by Senator BRYAN. roads at a significant savings to the cause the Forest Service to construct The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there taxpayer when compared with appro- fewer new roads, yet the administra- objection? The Chair hears none, and it priated funds. tion already has the power to construct is so ordered. There are many costs associated with fewer new roads without this amend- Mr. BURNS. I make that request be- the purchase and harvest of a timber cause we are going to go over the time ment. sale, including bonding, road construc- when we are supposed to be back on Eliminating the purchaser credit pro- tion, road maintenance, logging, and gram may make sense. Certainly, the that amendment. Mr. President, I rise today to speak trucking. When a company analyzes public lands management agencies of what it can bid for a particular timber the Federal Government should have against the amendment from the junior senator from Nevada. I urge my col- sale, it considers all the costs and val- consistent policies on appropriately al- ues associated with manufacturing for- locating the costs of building roads for leagues to oppose a drastically reduced forest road budget, an end of purchaser est products from the trees to be pur- timber access and other uses. But, the chased. If the company is given credits program’s elimination will not nec- road credits, and a change in the coun- ty payments formula. This amendment for the road work, the bids will be essarily save taxpayers’ money. There higher because it is not a cost. are many policy and budget issues that is unworkable and unnecessary in the face of a road construction budget that As with the regular forest road pro- should be sorted out at a Committee gram which uses appropriated funds, hearing on the matter before Congress is already declining. The amendment offered by Senator the purchaser road credit program pri- acts on this. marily supports the reconstruction of Mr. President, I could support an BRYAN would reduce the proposed budg- et for new timber road construction by existing roads. Of the total number of amendment written to limit the num- miles of the timber sales roads built or ber of miles of new roads in environ- $10 million. This amendment does nothing more than carry out the ex- rebuilt nationwide in fiscal year 1995, mentally sensitive areas, however, the about 90 percent were done with pur- flaws in the Bryan amendment make treme agenda of certain radical envi- ronmental groups. As they have ac- chaser road credits. its impact on this objection uncertain. As funds for road construction have Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have knowledged, their objective is to shut down the Forest Service Timber Pro- been reduced in recent years, purchaser sought recognition to address my views credit has become a vital tool to ac- on the Bryan amendment regarding gram. Mr. President, Forest Service timber complish road work in all regions of timber road construction in our Na- the country, especially reconstruction. tional Forests. I am very concerned sales are sold using an open, competi- About 80 percent of the program used about environmental protection and tive auction system process. All sales each year for reconstruction on roads, safeguarding our Nation’s forests, pro- are sold at fair market value, with especially for safety and environ- viding there is an appropriate balance costs associated with the timber sales, mental improvements. Congress and for economic development and job op- including road work, apportioned and the administration must reject all ef- portunities. built into a minimum bid price, which On Senate floor votes in 1986 and 1989, sets the floor. There is no subsidy asso- forts to eliminate or reduce purchaser I supported reductions in the direct ciated with timber sales or road con- road credits. Federal spending no road construction struction. Mr. President, Federal timber sales by the Forest Service. If this amend- According to a recent economic anal- have declined precipitously, primarily ment had been limited to road con- ysis released by the Price Waterhouse from limitations placed on the Forest struction, I would have voted for it. accounting firm, ‘‘the forest roads pro- Service by environmental consider- However, I am concerned about the gram does not contain a subsidy for ations and species protection efforts impact of the elimination of all fund- timber purchasers—it provides an effi- for spotted owls, marbled murrelets, ing for the purchaser road credit pro- cient and effective mechanism for fi- and various species of salmon. In 1987, gram. From what I have seen and nancing road construction and recon- the timber sales program provided heard, during my August visits to the struction.’’ nearly 12 billion board feet of timber. Allegheny National Forest in Elk, For- Owners of private lands often provide Ten years later, less than 4 billion est, McKean and Warren counties, access to their lands to purchasers of board feet were sold. elimination of the purchaser road cred- their timber. They can either construct It does not take rocket science to un- its would constitute a significant hard- the roads themselves and then charge derstand the dangerous consequences ship. more for the timber, or they can re- the Bryan amendment has for local Accordingly, that provision of the quire the timber purchaser to con- communities. Small businesses ac- amendment causes me to vote against struct roads and thereby receive less count for two-thirds of all timber har- it. money for their timber. Landowners vested in national forests. Those small I do so on the assurances which I who require the timber purchaser to operations are located in the rural have received that the administration construct roads have developed many areas, providing jobs and stability to is currently reviewing the timber road systems to compensate the purchaser their communities. construction program and may make for road construction activities. The Bryan amendment would dra- substantial revisions which would pro- Purchaser road credits are a fairly matically limit the forest road pro- vide for appropriate environmental common method for building roads. gram, putting additional pressures on safeguards. Many private landowners, as well as the timber sale program. Most support- This vote, for me, is a close call. If the State forestry agencies of Idaho ers of the Bryan amendment are un- there is not adequate environmental and Oregon, have similar systems to aware that the Forest Service will protection from changes in the pur- build roads on their lands. No matter spend many times more on reconstruc- chaser road credit program in the ad- which system is chosen, the value of tion and repair of existing roads as ministrations continuing review, I the timber sold will be reduced by the they will on the construction of new would be prepared to reconsider my cost incurred by the purchasing party. forest roads. vote on this issue on next year’s Inte- The Bryan amendment, however, Most of the roads in the national for- rior appropriations bill. calls for the elimination of the Forest ests are single-lane, dirt roads which S9458 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 are open to all forest users. Each year of a renewable resource. We see that Without a viable forest road mainte- these roads allow millions of Ameri- great miracle of renewal every spring nance, repair, and construction pro- cans to visit the national forests. Ac- and every year. gram, the timber sale program would cess is provided to wild and scenic riv- However, we also see the economic be significantly limited. The big losers ers, national scenic byways, wilderness backbone of the economy of rural will be local communities. areas, and recreational facilities, in- America being eroded by people who Shared receipts are an integral part cluding campgrounds, boat ramps, and have forgotten what it takes to of local government revenues in the picnic areas. These roads provide ac- produce food, fiber and shelter. I tell West. There is no practical way to sep- cess for cutting firewood and Christ- you, you can go out there and look at arate these payments from the other mas trees, berry picking, hunting, fish- that mountain all you want and, if it is payment programs without having dra- ing, and camping. a religious experience and you do not matic negative consequences on local The primary use of the national for- want it touched, that is fine and dandy. communities. The necessary dollars to est road system is recreation. All told, But at the end of the day you are going offset the loss of revenue caused from about 97 percent of the road system in to go get a hamburger because you are the reduction in timber sales would not any given national forest is open to hungry. It is the basic of life in this be forthcoming. recreational use. Ten years ago, recre- country. That is the first thing, or the Mr. President, Federal timber sales ation use on the national forests was second thing, we do every day when we have declined precipitously, primarily less than 250 million visits. Today, get up. from limitations placed on the Forest recreation use is approaching 350 mil- So I ask my colleagues just one ques- Service by environmental consider- lion visits, an increase of 40 percent. tion. In promoting what some think of ations and species protection efforts The Bryan amendment would also re- as a ‘‘green world,’’ is that going to for spotted owls, marbled murrelets, duce the construction of roads in feed us and sustain us? Probably for a and various species of salmon. In 1987, roadless areas. Road construction in lot of us around here it fed us a little the timber sale program provided more roadless areas of the national forests is too good. Maybe we are caring a little than 12 billion board feet of timber; 10 for the most part limited to emergency too much. But I ask those who are not years later, less than 4 billion board situations. Indeed, few if any miles of hands-on natural resource providers to feet were sold. roads have been built in roadless areas just pay heed to what you are doing It does not take an accountant to de- of the national forests in recent years. here, because everything we enjoy termine the serious implications this However, building some roads in —our standard of living, our quality of has had for the budgets of rural com- roadless areas is necessary on occasion life—starts with a little seed in the munities. Two-thirds of all timber har- to allow access to treat insect and dis- ground. That is where it starts. Every vested in national forests come from ease outbreaks, to monitor forest one of us goes about our way every day small businesses. Those small oper- health, or for wildfire management. in feeding and in clothing—every one of ations are generally headquartered in Mr. President, the Bryan amendment us without exception. Yet we want to the rural areas, providing jobs and sta- would have a debilitating effect on the make that tougher because we do not bility to their communities, not to management of the national forest. I think it is important. So after housing mention needed revenues to sustain urge my colleagues to defeat this effort and shelter, I think we are talking local programs and services. to further limit logging in roadless about a bona fide serious problem here, The Bryan amendment would dra- areas, to terminate the purchaser cred- and it is not fair to change the rules. It matically limit forest road construc- it program, and to cut an already re- is not even right to those who grow and tion, putting additional pressures on duced forest road budget. This amend- those who are in charge of the harvest. the timber sale program. Since 1991, ment is simply bad forest policy. It is not fair to those who have to take total new road construction built by The environmental groups who have a raw product and add value to it so the Forest Service or by timber pur- drafted this amendment have only one that it serves all of us in this great chasers has declined by two-thirds. purpose. It is to shut down the Forest country. Spending on both new road construc- Service Timber Program. I urge my I yield the floor. tion and reconstruction has been cut in colleagues to defeat the amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- half over this same period. Before I yield to my friend from Or- ator from Oregon is recognized. Most supporters of the Bryan amend- egon—we are running down on time The Chair advises the Senator from ment are unaware that the Forest here—I just want to put my little plug Montana that there remains 10 minutes Service will spend many times more on in here. on his time. reconstruction and repair of existing Mr. President, we have set records on Mr. SMITH of Oregon. I thank the roads than they will on the construc- recycling in this Senate. This old de- Chair. tion of new forest roads. Indeed, most bate has been recycled every year since I thank my colleague from Montana of the funding appropriated by Con- I have been here. We tend to forget in and my colleagues from Washington gress each year goes toward the recon- this country that we are dealing with a and Idaho who have joined me in resist- struction of existing roads. In 1996, renewable resource. It is just like corn ing the Bryan amendment. The Sen- more than 2,800 miles of roads were re- flakes on your table or the shirt on ator from Nevada is my friend, but I constructed, while only about 450 miles your back. All of these come from re- believe on this issue he is very wrong. of new roads were constructed. newable resources. If he were to prevail, this would force Reconstruction activities protect wa- There has been one group of persons great injury on my State. tersheds through improved road design, who have been left out of this debate, Mr. President, I would like to take road placement, and sediment control. and it is the consumers of America. just a couple of minutes to speak Road construction funds are being used Has anybody priced any lumber lately, against the amendment from the junior for watershed protection as part of the what it costs to build a house? Does Senator from Nevada. This amendment President’s forest plan for the Pacific anybody deal with the homeless in calls for a $10 million reduction in Northwest. According to the Forest their States on how do we find housing funds for new road building, the elimi- Service, forest roads allow critical ac- and what it costs for affordable hous- nation of the purchaser credit program, cess needed for the suppression of up to ing? and a further reduction on logging in 10,000 wildfires per year and reforest- There are people in this country who roadless areas. I strongly oppose these ation of the burned-over lands. are in charge of producing not only provisions. The Bryan amendment will quite food and fiber but also the shelter for Timber sales are vital to the long- simply prevent the President from America. That is what we are talking term viability of local communities keeping the environmental and eco- about here. You can mask it any way throughout the West. Under existing nomic commitments made in the you want, but the way that we make a law, 25 percent of the gross receipts Northwest forest plan. sale is pretty much time tested. It has from Federal timber sales go to local The Forest Service has invested sig- worked, and it works every day, not communities. These funds are used for nificantly in technology transfer appli- only for the harvesting or the growing local schools and roads programs. cations for road building. Examples September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9459 cited in this year’s Forest Service struction and reconstruction associ- environmentally vital drainage im- budget proposal are: wetland develop- ated with timber sales, costs are fairly provements, these environmentally re- ment and riparian restoration through apportioned. These costs are fully off- sponsible activities are badly under- modification of culverts and other set by timber revenues, resulting in net funded. It would be perverse to cut drainage structures, retaining soil profits averaging more than $400 mil- these budgets in the name of stopping through innovative design of gravity lion per year over the last 6 years. new roads.’’ walls, and lower water crossings for According to a recent economic anal- I agree. If you just focus on the eco- roads to minimize disturbance, provide ysis released by the Price Waterhouse nomics, this washes out to the tax- fish passage, and avoid damming and accounting firm, ‘‘the forest roads pro- payer. If you focus on the environment, channeling during peak flows. gram does not contain a subsidy for we are not talking about much new Mr. President, the Forest Service is timber purchasers—it provides an effi- road building. We are talking about continuing its efforts to reduce the cient and effective mechanism for fi- maintenance of roads for people to use, number of roads. In recent years, the nancing road construction and recon- for forest health to be provided, for the Forest Service has annually reduced struction.’’ environment to be protected against more than three times as much road Forest Service timber sales are sold washouts of these roads. We are talk- mileage as compared to new construc- using an open, competitive auction sys- ing about people who want to hunt in tion. In 1996, the Forest Service re- tem process. All sales are sold at fair our national forests. All of these things duced 1,400 miles of roads. For the past market value, with costs associated are critical to this debate. 6 years combined, the Forest Service with the timber sales, including road But, in the end I want to emphasize has reduced over 18,000 miles of roads. work, apportioned and built into a what the Senator from Montana said. The Bryan amendment also calls for minimum bid price, which sets the There is a human element here, for the elimination of purchaser road cred- floor on the value of the timber sale. crying out loud. There are people who its program. Eliminating purchaser Mr. President, I would like to close breathe air and have blood in their road credits would have serious impli- by quoting from a September 9 edi- veins and have children and have cations for local communities. torial in Oregonian which addresses the dreams and who want a future, who love to live in the country, who under- Under the purchaser credit program, merit of Senator BYRAN’s amendment. timber sale contracts require the pur- stand what it means to be stewards of We think timber sales should be based on the land and who also understand that chaser to reconstruct or construct good plans and sound scientific analysis of roads and bridges. Purchaser credit is their effects. This amendment, however, this is a chain saw at their way of life. an off-budget means for the Forest more closely fits the agenda of those envi- This is a chain saw aimed at the heart Service to rebuild and repair existing ronmentalists opposing all commercial tim- of Northwestern rural communities. It roads and occasionally to build new ber sales in the national forests than it does has to be stopped. roads at a significant savings to the the interest of good planning. I care about protecting the environ- taxpayer when compared appropriated Mr. President, I urge my colleagues ment. I just happen to believe that peo- funds. to vote against the Byran amendment. ple like wood products, too. I happen to Timber companies receive credits In the interest of time, I will summa- believe there can be a balance between equal to the value of the road work re- rize so we will leave to Senator the environment and our economy; be- quired under a timber contract. The KEMPTHORNE some time. I am reminded tween providing for animal and human credit can be applied against the price of the statement I heard from one Sen- needs. This goes at the heart of stop- paid to the Government for the timber ator—everything that can be said has ping that kind of balance. I plead with my colleagues. You have harvested. These companies reflect the been said but not everyone has said it. interests in your States where I need cost of building roads in their submit- So I guess it is my turn. I would like to to learn. I want to know what it is that let Senator KEMPTHORNE have a chance ted bids. helps your people, your human ele- As funds for road construction have to be on record also. ment. But if you want to know what af- been reduced in recent years, purchaser I could focus on the many points Sen- fects mine, this does. ator CRAIG laid out very well as to why credit has become a vital tool to ac- Even the leading liberal papers of my this is not a subsidy, why this all nets complish road work in all regions of State agree with me. The New York out in the end for the advantage of the the country, especially reconstruction. Times doesn’t understand the issue. forest, for the advantage of the tax- About 80 percent of the program is used They are on the other side. Today I payer and for the advantage of local each year for reconstruction on roads, stand with the people of Oregon, who communities in the rural Northwest. I especially for safety and environ- understand the balance of the environ- suggest to you that President Clinton mental improvements. ment and our economy. Proponents of this amendment came to my State, held a big timber I yield the remainder of my time. project positive Federal budget effects conference, made some promises as to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who from the elimination of purchaser road the level of historic timber harvest yields time? The Senator from Nevada. credits. Elementary economics tells us that would occur, along with a whole Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I yield that purchasers will simply bid less for lot of environmental protection. the Senator from New Jersey 10 min- the timber than they would of the cred- Part of that promise was that inclu- utes. it were in place in order to offset their sion of these purchaser road credits The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- increased costs, while the Federal Gov- would continue, that roads would be ator from New Jersey is recognized to ernment will net virtually the same maintained so that there are not big speak for 10 minutes. amount. blowouts, that there would be the abil- Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I The Bryan amendment would further ity to suppress fires, that there would thank Senator BRYAN for yielding this restrict the construction of roads in be the ability to continue to harvest time. I rise in support of the amend- roadless areas. Road construction in where it is economically and environ- ment of the Senator from Nevada. roadless areas of the national forests mentally responsible to do so. There is not a Member of the Senate are, for the most part, limited to emer- I was very heartened the other day to who has not shared with our col- gency situations. Indeed, few if any find two of my State’s leading news- leagues, or their constituents, the ex- miles of roads have been built in papers—these are not conservative traordinary need to end both waste in roadless areas of the national forests in newspapers; these are liberal voices in this Government and corporate welfare recent years. However, building some my State, the Oregonian and the Reg- in particular. This is the moment for roads in roadless areas is necessary on ister-Guard out of Eugene—said the those Members to give meaning to all occasion to allow access to treat insect Senate should maintain the funds on those speeches, all those comments, and disease outbreaks, to monitor for- these roads. and all those interviews, because the est health, or for wildfire management. Well, let me quote from the Orego- Bryan amendment is to corporate wel- Finally, Mr. President, there is no nian. They said Forest Service road fare what welfare reform in the last subsidy associated with timber sales or funding, ‘‘which consists of road resur- Congress was to social welfare. This is road construction. For new road con- facing, culvert replacement and other the moment. S9460 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 The scale of corporate welfare in the of new highways through new forests public’s ability to access their Federal Federal budget is extraordinary. The while the old highways are not main- lands, and the economic diversity that Cato Institute estimates some $86 bil- tained. They fall into disrepair with recreation provides to rural western lion in expenditures. The Progressive further erosion, damaging more communities. Policy Institute estimates the number streams, more drinking water—erosion Besides recreation, those roads pro- at $265 billion. This new age of fiscal of more forest. vide access for environmental manage- discipline in which we live, when the For those who are serious about the ment—to, among other things, monitor Federal budget is being balanced, re- deficit, corporate welfare, and environ- wildlife, and bring wildlife under con- quires some sacrifice from everybody. mental protection, in a single vote for trol. Without the budget to construct In the last Congress it was people and the Bryan amendment you are given a or reconstruct these roads, managers families on welfare. In this Congress, chance to make a statement about will lose vital access. There is also the at long last, it is time to have cor- each. This is not a question of ending danger that these roads will become porate welfare make its own contribu- the foresting of trees. It is not a ques- unstable, and pose an environmental tion. tion of not making our resources avail- threat to watersheds. The Bryan amendment deals with able. It is a question about industry, Do we have too many roads on Fed- one specific part of this network of cor- like every other American, paying eral land? That is a good question— porate welfare, the construction of their own way. If these roads make how many is too many? Compared to timber roads. The Green Scissors Coali- sense, then they make sense for cor- other road systems, the Forest Service tion estimates that, over a 5-year pe- porations to pay for them themselves. does not even come close, with a mile riod, the Federal Government will If they are to be built, then they and a half of road per square mile, com- spend $36 billion, not only on these ex- should be built properly and main- pared to 8 miles per square mile on pri- pensive and potentially wasteful con- tained by the companies who want ac- vate timber land. struction projects, but projects which cess to the resources. If companies This is the crux of the point: there at the same time have an extraor- want access to the resources, and it are many demands placed on Federal forest land, only one of which is to pro- dinary cost in environmental terms. makes economic sense, then it should vide the solitude that true wilderness The simple truth is, even if we could be reflected in the product, not by the offers. No one will dispute the impor- afford this construction, which we can- taxpayers. It is that simple. The logic tance of wilderness, and that is why so not, the environmental costs are enor- and the economics is no different than many States have passed wilderness mous. when we face individual spending pro- These roads through our Nation’s for- bills. grams for citizens, students, or senior We have designated wilderness for a ests remove ground cover, create a citizens. At some point these programs channel for water to flow through—a reason—so that some areas meet the need to be evaluated on their own mer- public’s expectation of a solitude expe- cause of major soil erosion. Hillsides its, on their own economics. That is are weakened, streams are fouled, de- rience, and allow the rest of Federal what Senator BRYAN challenges us to timber land to serve the public’s other stroying the foundation of our rec- do today. reational fishing industry—extraor- needs: to provide timber to build our I enthusiastically support his amend- homes, and to allow for other types of dinary—and some of the most impor- ment on budgetary grounds, because of recreation that include access on some tant vistas and recreational properties the economic logic of his argument type of vehicle. in our Nation. It is believed that many and, finally, and in my own judgment My State of Idaho is already home to of the channels created by these roads most compellingly, on environmental the largest continuous wilderness area and the runoff are a major nonpoint grounds. We preserve these lands for a in the continental U.S.—the Frank source of pollution. According to the reason. We should open them up, pro- Church-River of No Return Wilderness. National Forest Service, 922 different vide access to them for their destruc- The administration’s own study of communities in our country rely for tion, judiciously and carefully. We the Interior Columbia Basin found that their drinking water directly on failed to do so in the past. Senator the majority of Americans using Fed- streams that are impacted by the run- BRYAN gives us a last chance to make eral land in the Pacific Northwest like off of these roads in our national for- a proper judgment once again. to be able to access it using a car or ests. Mr. President, I yield the remainder some other type of vehicle. My col- The Bryan amendment is a chance to of my time to Senator BRYAN. leagues, we need a safe, accessible road end this corporate welfare, preserve the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who system. quality of the water, and end the dam- yields time? This amendment would undermine age to these forests. It is a subsidy that Mr. BURNS. I yield 5 minutes to my that goal. And because it would also in- may be $100 million to individual cor- friend from Idaho, Senator crease the cost of timber activities, porations, but that underestimates the KEMPTHORNE. and decrease revenue to rural counties, true scale of the problem. Over the last The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the amendment would pull the rug out 15 years, direct Government expendi- ator from Idaho is recognize for 5 min- from struggling, resource dependent tures for construction and reconstruc- utes. communities. These rural communities tion of forest roads may total $3.2 bil- Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, are the base for the values that we hold lion. It is estimated that for the na- has it become politically incorrect to dear—where the work ethic is taught tional forest road system alone, over cut a tree, or even to walk in the as a part of daily life to kids who learn the years, this has resulted in the con- woods? I don’t think we want to go to respect the world around them. We struction of 380,000 miles in forest down that path. But then, if this can’t afford to force these communities roads. For any citizens of America who amendment passes, we may not have a into oblivion, because we will lose what have marveled at our Interstate High- path to go down at all. My State of is best about ourselves. way System, they can only understand Idaho is 63 percent Federal land, and These cuts will hurt the very people the scale of this construction by rec- the majority of that is Forest Service. we are working for back here. I am ognizing there is enough mileage Not surprisingly, timber is a major in- talking about the small business through our national forests to circle dustry in the State, and outdoor recre- owner, the laborer and even the fire- the globe 15 times. Indeed, we have ation is growing. Both depend on ac- fighter. Groups such as the Inter- built 8 miles of road through pristine cess to these Federal lands. national Association of Fire Fighters, national forests for every 1 mile that Mr. President, 97 percent of the roads the Pulp & Paper Workers Resource has been constructed in the National on Federal forest land are open for rec- Council, the United Paper Workers Interstate Highway System. reational use. That includes camping, International Union, the United Broth- The result of all these years of con- hiking, hunting, fishing—activities erhood of Carpenters & Joiners of struction is that now we face $440 mil- which a recent study by the adminis- America, and many others have all lion worth of backlog of road mainte- tration found make up three-fourths of come out against this amendment. nance. So we are continuing in the con- all the use of Federal land. Take away The Forest Service designed the pur- struction of millions of dollars’ worth the roads and you take away the chaser credit program to be an off- September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9461 budget means to provide the access eliminate the purchaser road credit eliminate sales on the national forests. Americans expect. It does so at a sig- program, but it transfers $10 million At least we have seen some of the nificant savings to the taxpayer when out of road construction. I must groups like the Sierra Club come out in compared to how much it would cost to strongly oppose the provisions. I think opposition to any harvesting of the na- use appropriated funds. In return for the amendment is bad policy. It would tional forest. That is basically what providing a public service, the bidder have a catastrophic impact on the this administration is attempting to on timber contracts receives a credit management of the national forests. I do, and this is how they are attempting applied to that or another sale. urge my colleagues to defeat it. to do it. Seventy-five percent of these bidders The Forest Service in my State has The amendment isn’t about sub- are small businesses. I fail to see a sub- finally completed a land management sidies, the amendment isn’t about sav- sidy for big business—what I see is the plan for the Tongass. It took 10 years ing money, the amendment does noth- Forest Service finding a way to do its and $13 million to do it. I am, frankly, ing more than carry out the agenda of job and save taxpayer dollars, an ad- less than enthusiastic about the plan, the extremists. vantage for small companies, and jobs and most of my colleagues are aware of I will conclude by pointing to this in small communities. Is this what we my distress. chart, Mr. President, which simply want to eliminate? It reduces timber sales by half. The shows where the money has gone and I urge colleagues to vote against this two largest manufacturing employers the decline in road miles. In 1985, we amendment. It is not about wise man- in the pulp business in my State have had 8,000; in 1998, 2,652. It shows recon- agement of our Federal lands—it is closed their doors in the last 2 years. struction taking up the major portions. about making those lands available for They have gone out of business. We We maintain the roads that we have only one use, and that is unacceptable. have closed their doors. We have lost previously built. There is very little for The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who thousands of jobs in the last 2 years, new construction, roughly 18 percent. yields time? and these have had a dramatic effect So there is the picture, Mr. Presi- Mr. BURNS. How much time do we on our small communities in the south- dent. It says it better than I could rel- have? east. Nevertheless, I have decided to ative to what is happening with this The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- set my lack of enthusiasm aside and program with the necessity of main- ator has 2 minutes 10 seconds. focus my oversight responsibilities on taining it and maintaining the forest Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I ask implementation. products industry as we know it today unanimous consent, if I could be grant- At the September 10 hearing, I asked and the appropriate role of the na- ed 5 more minutes in order to accom- the Forest Service if it could achieve tional forest in providing a renewable modate the chairman of the Energy even the severely reduced allowable resource in the timber that grows so and Natural Resource Committee. timber sale quantity in the Tongass if profusely, particularly in the Pacific Mr. BRYAN. I do not object to that, the Bryan plan were adopted. The an- Northwest. I suggest to the distinguished acting swer was: I thank the Chair, and I thank the floor manager, if I can get an addi- If we don’t have the money to support the floor managers. I yield the floor. tional 5 minutes as well? roads program, we will not be able to deliver The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who Mr. BURNS. That’s perfectly all the economic sale program. yields time? right. They further stated that the Tongass Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I yield 1 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without depends heavily on the construction of minute to the Senator from Pennsylva- objection, it is so ordered. new roads to deliver timber to the com- nia. Mr. BURNS. I yield Senator MURKOW- munities in southeastern Alaska. One The PRESIDING OFFICER. The SKI from Alaska 5 minutes. might say, ‘‘Why don’t you go to the Chair informs the Senator from Wash- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- private sector?’’ We don’t have private ington that there is 1 minute 46 sec- ator is recognized to speak for 5 min- timber. The Federal Government and onds time remaining on this watch. utes. the Forest Service own southeastern Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I Alaska. There are cities and people rise in opposition to the Bryan amend- think there has been a little misunder- there: Ketchikan, Wrangell, Peters- ment for a lot of reasons. But the one standing on the concept of road pur- burg, Juneau, Skagway, on and on and I want to focus on is what I believe is chaser credits and the allegation that on. the fiscally irresponsible nature of this somehow this is corporate welfare. The theory was, through multiple amendment. Logic will dictate that if we don’t have use, those interests would be protected This is being put out as a budget-cut- purchaser credits for the construction with a balanced timber industry. ting measure. But the fact of the mat- of roads, those who are going to log in Therefore, according to the Forest ter is, by having a fund that says we the forests, the Federal forests of this Service, the Bryan amendment would are going to hold the counties harm- country, are simply going to bid less render null and void the goals of the less—and I appreciate being held harm- for the timber because they have to off- Tongass plan. less. We have a national forest in Penn- set the costs of getting the timber out. It is kind of interesting, in a letter sylvania and our counties rely upon They basically have to build the roads sent to the Senate only one day before that money. That is going to cost themselves. the testimony, Secretary of Agri- money in the sense that by reducing When the Government in this case culture Dan Glickman supported the the amount of roads built, you are builds the roads, as it has through the Bryan amendment because roads pose going to reduce the revenues in the purchaser credit program, the Govern- the ‘‘greatest environmental problems fund. That money is no longer going to ment has been benefiting by getting on the forests.’’ You can’t have it two be there to fund those counties in the higher bids for its timber. Take this ways. The roads provide recreation in money that they traditionally have re- away and the Government will simply the forest, they provide environmental ceived, and the Federal Government is get less. That is the reality. That is the benefits by providing access to stop going to have to come up with that economics. It is not a matter of cor- fires, and I could go on and on and on. money in exchange to fund the coun- porate welfare. It’s a matter that the It is fairly inconsistent with the ad- ties. Federal Government owns the forest ministration support for implementa- That is, in a sense, almost a welfare and has traditionally dictated the tion of the Forest Service’s final payment from the Federal Government terms and conditions that the roads Tongass land management plan, but I because we have eliminated the fund- will be built on, so they are built to have grown accustomed to the flip- ing source of timber harvesting from their standards. And the benefit of flops of the administration on these is- those counties and those communities. those roads to the States, for rec- sues. But Secretary Glickman isn’t So not only have we hurt them eco- reational purposes, is obvious. holding a position long enough to make nomically, hurt their counties eco- I rise to speak against the amend- it warm. nomically, but we are now creating ment of the junior Senator from Ne- Finally, the Bryan amendment is welfare for those counties by giving vada. Not only does the amendment nothing more than an attempt to Federal dollars to them in place of the S9462 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 jobs they have. This is not only bad, I Service used the National Forest Fund ludicrously impractical. First, we do think, from a policy perspective, but in fiscal years 1994 and 1995 to make ad- not have enough money in the National also bad from a fiscal perspective. ditional spotted owl guarantee pay- Forest Fund to meet our current obli- Despite the assertions of the amend- ments in certain counties in California, gations to the counties. Second, the ment’s sponsors, the timber sales pro- Oregon, and Washington. This caused task of calculating private sector costs gram and the purchaser credit program two problems. First, there were insuffi- is a complex accounting task for an are not subsidies. Since 1964, roads cient moneys in the fund to pay coun- agency. Further, the amendment di- needed for timber harvest have been ties because of the dramatic drop in rects the Forest Service to collect pri- built by timber purchasers and the U.S. timber sales receipts. Then, the Forest vate sector costs, that in many cases, Forest Service has permitted the use of Service was forced to borrow from are proprietary. purchaser credit for road building. In other funds and the Treasury to pay In view of the GAO’s very critical re- fact, this program is entirely off-budg- the obligations to the counties in a port, this is not the time to add to our et and this appropriations bill contains fashion that GAO found ‘‘was an unau- obligations to the counties. Nor is it no funding for it. In President Clin- thorized use of the funds.’’ appropriate to burden the Forest Serv- ton’s budget request to Congress, It is my understanding that Con- ice with additional financial respon- elimination of the program results is gressman BOB SMITH, chairman of the sibilities. I urge my colleagues to de- no savings to the Federal government. House Agriculture Committee, has feat this fiscally irresponsible amend- Rather, the costs of the credits are ex- written Secretary of Agriculture Dan ment. It is imperative that we main- plicitly absorbed by timber purchasers Glickman requesting a full accounting tain funding for Forest Service road in the contracting and bidding process. of the specific steps he will take to en- construction and maintenance and the According to a report by Price sure that the Forest Service advises Forest Service’s Purchaser Credit Pro- Waterhouse, ‘‘Economic analysis shows Congress when such shortfalls occur gram. It remains the most efficient and that the forest roads program does not and properly manages these funds in cost-effective method we have to help contain a subsidy for timber pur- the future. maintain our national forests and serve chasers; it provides an efficient and ef- Mr. President, the amendment before the needs of the surrounding popu- fective mechanism for financing road us will only make this dire financial lations. construction and reconstruction.’’ situation worse for the Forest Service. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The time Second, eliminating the Purchaser Senator BRYAN’s amendment will again of the Senator has expired. Credit Program would harm local com- modify the formula for sharing Forest Mr. BRYAN addressed the Chair. munities near national forests—includ- Service receipts with the counties. I The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- ing Warren, Forest, McKean, and Elk understand that it is the sponsors’ in- ator from Nevada. Counties in Pennsylvania. Counties tent to protect counties from fiscal Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I yield containing forest lands receive 25 per- harm as the result of this amendment. myself such time that I might have. I cent of gross Forest Service receipts. Included in the amendment is a provi- was somewhat astounded by the debate In 1996, these counties received a total sion to make up for the inevitable because those who oppose the amend- of $6.2 million, three quarters of which shortfall in payments to counties that ment try to frame an issue that is not went directly to local school districts. will occur as the direct result of a $10 part of our discussion or our amend- Finally, the amendment would effec- million reduction in spending for new ment today. I think in so doing they tively cripple efforts to meet the stew- forest road construction and the elimi- are trying to obfuscate the issues we ardship needs of our national forest nation of the purchaser road credits. are dealing with. This amendment is land by cutting the funding by which Since Pennsylvania has four counties not about eliminating all timber har- we maintain its infrastructure. Elimi- that benefit from timber sale receipts, vests on the national forests. That may nating this program would not only cut I commend Senator BRYAN for his con- be an appropriate subject for a debate funding for road construction, it would cern about the effects of his amend- on another day. But there is not one cut funding for road reconstruction and ment. But I must point out, Mr. Presi- word in this amendment that would maintenance to fix environmental and dent, that the concern of the Senator have that effect or seeks to accomplish safety problems remaining from an era from Nevada betrays the folly of this that purpose. when construction standards were far amendment. You see, should this The other argument that has been less rigorous. A well-developed road amendment be enacted into law, tim- made to obfuscate the issues is some- system is indispensable to forest plan ber sale receipts will go down sharply how a suggestion that there is an at- implementation, fire suppression and at the same time that our payments to tempt here to eliminate all new road forest health. counties will be held constant or even construction in the national forests. As many of my colleagues know, the increase. This is the very same tor- That is not true as well. General Accounting Office has just re- tured accounting formula that helped Let me just respond to the comments leased a report which identifies ques- to lead the Forest Service to brink of that the distinguished Senator from tionable policies and practices that default recently over the spotted owl Pennsylvania just made. We have craft- nearly caused the Forest Service to de- payments. ed this amendment to protect and to fault on revenue sharing payments to In fact, let me point out for the bene- hold the counties who receive revenue rural counties in fiscal year 1996. The fit of my colleagues that the GAO from this program to hold them harm- report raises fundamental accountabil- found the Forest Service had shifted less. We do so by saying, look, in the ity issues for both Congress and the money originally intended for trust bid that is offered by the prospective Forest Service, and I believe that these funds for reforestation and forest timber harvest bidder, that we factor a issues will be exacerbated by the Bryan health in order to cover the deficit in separate amount that would be attrib- amendment. the National Forest Fund. While I hope utable to the construction component Specifically, the GAO found that re- the Forest Service will be successful in and use that, as well as the bid price, ductions in Federal timber sale re- addressing the serious accounting in the calculation to determine what ceipts, coupled with increased obliga- shortcoming that led to the crisis, I moneys will go to the individual coun- tions to spotted owl counties, and an must caution my colleagues that pas- ties that will be affected. So we were apparent lack of sound financial con- sage of the Bryan amendment makes it sensitive to the needs of the individual trols over the National Forest Fund re- more likely that the National Forest counties that would be affected and sulted in a shortfall in revenue-sharing Fund check will bounce again during this amendment holds them harmless. funds available to rural counties. fiscal year 1998. Let me talk about what the thrust of Receipts from the resource sales are The amendment directs the Forest this amendment is. The thrust of this deposited in the National Forest Fund, Service to compute the costs associ- amendment is to eliminate a subsidy. which is a receipts-holding account ated with road construction by timber It is to eliminate corporate welfare. It from which the Forest Service obliga- purchasers and give the counties an is to eliminate food stamps for the tim- tions are distributed. After normal equivalent of 25 percent of these costs ber industry. That is not just an asser- county payments were paid, the Forest from the National Forest Fund. This is tion the Senator from Nevada makes. September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9463 That is why groups such as Citizens will be built for new timber harvests very, very careful and sensitive when Against Government Waste, which are somehow a great benefit to the out- we construct new roads. have identified this as a costly subsidy door recreationalists. There are dif- Mr. President, for the American tax- to the American taxpayer, support the ferent categories of roads. payer, for the American people, this is Bryan amendment. That is why Tax- Typically, a road that is involved in sound policy. Your vote will be appre- payers for Common Sense, also a tax- a construction to access harvest timber ciated. payer watchdog group, has supported is a dirt road. It is accessible only by May I inquire of the Chair whether or the Bryan amendment, because they all-terrain vehicles. It is not accessible not the amendment reflects the co- recognize that this is a subsidy. That is by passenger vehicles. It is unpaved. It sponsorship of JOHN KERRY, BARBARA why 60 leading newspapers across is ungraded. It doesn’t have gravel on BOXER, and Senator BOB TORRICELLI? If America from coast to coast—the only it. Whereas, recreational roads are it does not, I ask unanimous consent two notable exceptions that I am fa- roads of a higher quality that are ac- that they be added as cosponsors. miliar with are the two that were ref- cessible by passenger and general rec- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without erenced by the Senator from Oregon in reational vehicles. objection, it is so ordered. Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I com- his comments—all recognize this to be Let me say that one of the groups mend Senator BRYAN for introducing a subsidy and have urged its elimi- that is a watchguard for outdoor rec- this important amendment. This nation. reational users is the Sporting Goods Why is it a subsidy? It is a subsidy amendment does three critical things: Manufacturers Association, which is because individuals who have analyzed helps to protect our environment, part of the Outdoor Products Council. it and see how the Purchaser Credit eliminates an unnecessary Government Mr. President, here is what they have Program worked finds that a windfall subsidy, and reduces our Federal defi- to say about this subsidy and the pur- tax break occurs in terms of the profits cit. chaser road credit and the Bryan that are permitted under this. Let me The Bryan amendment will reduce describe that in more detail, if I may. amendment: road construction funding by $10 mil- The Forest Service makes a deter- Our national forests are a recreational at- lion, eliminate the Purchaser Credit mination as to what they estimate the traction because of their wild unspoiled Program which gives timber companies road costs are to be when a bidder bids areas. We feel that taxpayer subsidies for trees in payment for road construction logging road construction has led to an ex- on a tract of timber that requires road tensive logging road network that can actu- costs. construction, and that is made avail- ally place at risk the very resources upon The amendment will not affect recre- able immediately to the successful bid- which recreational users of our national for- ation and general purpose roads, and it der—immediately. That is a credit that ests depend. will not reduce the money for mainte- is made available. The recreational users and their in- nance and road obliteration. Under this Those who have looked at the way terest groups support the Bryan amendment, if timber companies want the Forest Service calculates that have amendment because they recognize to build logging roads with their own indicated, No. 1, the Forest Service is that the Purchaser Credit Program is, money, they can continue to do so. calculating a profit into that estimate in fact, a corporate subsidy, corporate They simply won’t be paid by the and, No. 2, those who have focused on it welfare and they recognize the environ- American taxpayers. Year after year, American taxpayers independently found that in some in- mental consequences of senseless and have spent millions of dollars to sub- stances, the purchaser road credit ex- unnecessary new road construction. ceeds by 30 percent the actual cost that sidize the construction of roads needed Finally, if I may, to clarify the point the timber harvester incurs in building for logging in our national forests. This that in the Forest Service accounts the roads. Because, Mr. President, is millions of dollars that could have there is a separate category for main- there is no accounting or accountabil- been spent on cleaning our air and tenance of existing roads. The Bryan ity, the amount of money that is saved water. amendment, which could reduce by $10 by the timber harvester that would be Road building wreaks havoc on our million the amount of money appro- substantially less cost to him than the national forests. Currently, there are priated for new road construction, does purchaser credit makes available is re- nearly 380,000 miles of roads dissecting not—does not—in any way affect or re- tained by the timber bidder, and that our national forests—that’s eight times duce those moneys that are set aside becomes a windfall profit. That is what the length of the Interstate Highway the various groups, the taxpayer for the maintenance accounts. So no System. My State of California has groups, as well as the 60 or more edi- one ought to be misled that in some 44,000 miles of logging roads in its na- torial writers across the country, have way the reduction that we are talking tional forests. Each mile of road can focused on—that it is a subsidy and a about would in any way impact those have a devastating impact on water subsidy that ought to be eliminated. ongoing activities of erosion control quality, stream ecosystems, fish habi- Third, let me talk for a moment and maintenance of existing roads. tat, and wildlife. Roads lead to sedi- about the environmental consequences. To conclude, Mr. President, this is a ment loading in streams and destroy We have 380,000 miles of roads in the win-win. It is a win for the American habitat for fish and other aquatic spe- National Forest System. That is about taxpayers because we eliminate a cost- cies. Furthermore, the Forest Service eight times the length of the interstate ly subsidy that simply cannot be justi- has determined that 922 communities system. We have an enormous backlog fied and to provide windfall profits for get drinking water from National For- of maintenance on existing roads. It is some of the largest timber harvesters ests streams that are adversely af- clear that new road construction, par- in America. Common sense suggests fected by logging roads. ticularly in those environmentally sen- that, indeed, it must be a very powerful I would like to raise an additional sitive areas that are steep, that have and a very substantial subsidy, or why point. Earlier this year, the Forest serious drainage and grading problems, else would we have the opposition to Service began the Recreation Fee Dem- cost the American taxpayer not just the Purchaser Road Credit Program if onstration Project. Under this Congres- the initial cost for the road construc- it did not provide such a subsidy? If it sionally mandated pilot project, the tion, but in some instances for genera- has been suggested by those who op- Forest Service is now charging rec- tions thereafter. We deal with the prob- pose the amendment it is a wash and reational visitors a fee to enter na- lems of erosion, sedimentation and sil- an offset, I do not see why they would tional forests. Now I ask my col- tation into the rivers, streams, and be raising the concerns and objections leagues, how can we continue to any lakes in the national forests. That is they have. timber companies to enter and harm why the Assistant Secretary has com- Second, it is a great win for the envi- our national forests, while at the same mented that the greatest threat to the ronment, because we know one of the time we require recreational visitors— water resource in the national forest leading causes of environmental deg- who come to hike, picnic and enjoy our system is roads and new construction radation is the kind of erosion and run- national forests—how can we require which is a major factor in that. off that we have as a result of these them to pay for their visit? Does that Finally, let me set at rest the notion roads that have been cut through our seem like a wise-use of taxpayer that somehow these forest roads that national forests, and we ought to be money—I think not. S9464 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 Under the Recreation Fee Dem- here in terms of doing it on an appro- land counties provide such vital services as onstration Program there is no charge priations bill. law enforcement, solid waste disposal, search for those individuals and companies Let me just say, the Senator has sug- and rescue and fire fighting on public lands. who come to harvest timber. Quite the gested there are winners and winners. This is considered a major ‘‘underfunded mandate’’ and it is extremely important to opposit—we pay them to do so. In Cali- There are losers. Those losers happen the 1,789 public land counties in 49 states fornia, there is now a $5-per-day fee for to be schools, school districts, coun- that rely upon the PILT program to provide recreational use of the Angeles, Cleve- ties, small family businesses, and some equity for the services they provide. land, or Los Padres National Forests. recreationists. Please oppose efforts to eliminate the pur- These forests used to be open and free This, I think, has been called a sub- chaser road credit program and reduce the to recreational visitors. The Forest sidy. It is actually not a subsidy. Pur- forest roads program by attempting to hold Service estimates that this new Fee chaser credits are an accounting meth- counties harmless. It does not achieve its goal. Instead, support efforts that really help Program will raise between $8 to $10 od used by the Forest Service. If the public land counties—support the PILT pro- million this year, and somewhere be- cost of the road was not in there, the gram. tween $15 to $20 million in future years. bid, of course, for the timber would be Thank you for your attention. This is $10 to $20 million from the less. If the cost that they have appro- Sincerely, American public to visit their own na- priated and allocated to it is more than RANDY JOHNSON, tional forests while the Federal Gov- it should be, that ought to be fixed by President. ernment pays over $47 million for tim- the Forest Service. Mr. BRYAN. May I inquire of the ber companies to construct roads But, Mr. President, let me just say fi- Chair how much time the Senator from which are destroying those very loca- nally, because I know there is not Nevada has? tions the public comes to enjoy. much time, that this amendment real- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- As U.S. Senators we have the respon- ly does not have anything to do with ator has 61⁄2 minutes remaining. sibility of priortizing—making deci- the critical issues facing the Forest Mr. BRYAN. I assure my colleagues I sions about how best to spend our tax- Service. It is just the opposite, by de- will not take the full 6 minutes. But let payer dollars in a way that will maxi- pleting desperately needed road fund- me respond to the concern that the mize benefits to the American people. ing while reducing essential money to Senator from Wyoming has voiced with We all know that there are times when county road programs and school dis- respect to the county schooling. that can be a very difficult task— tricts, as well as thousands of jobs and We have crafted into the amendment choosing between many projects and recreational opportunities for all a hold-harmless provision that recog- activities that all seem equally wor- Americans. nizes that indeed this is an important thy. This is not one of those times. I urge my colleagues not to support revenue source for local governments. I I urge my colleagues to support Sen- this amendment. can assure my colleagues that the pur- ator BRYAN’s amendment. I thank you very much for your time. pose of this amendment, or its effect, Mr. BRYAN. If there is time remain- Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I do will in no way affect that program. We ing, I yield back the remainder of my have a letter by the National Associa- specifically incorporated that in there. time. tion of Counties that I ask unanimous Let me just again return to the issue Mr. GORTON. Would the Senator consent to be printed in the RECORD. of the subsidy because I think that is withhold that? There being no objection, the letter central to the issue. I mean, if this is Mr. BRYAN. I withhold. was ordered to be printed in the not a subsidy, why do we go through all Mr. GORTON. The Senator from Wy- RECORD, as follows: of the incantation of calculating a sep- arate purchaser credit, making that oming has been waiting patiently and NACO, September 12, 1997. wanted 2 minutes. I do not have quite The Bryan Amendment Hurts Timber available? Why don’t we simply just 2 minutes. Would the Senator from Ne- Counties and their economies!! eliminate that and say, as do BLM har- vada mind yielding his opponent that 2 The National Association of Counties op- vesters, and in some State forest pro- minutes? poses the Bryan Amendment on forest roads grams, the individual who is bidding on Mr. BRYAN. The Senator from Ne- to the Interior Appropriations bill (H.R. a tract of timber would factor into his vada will do so. I think the RECORD will 2107). Eliminating the purchaser road credit or her, or its or their, costs what their reflect that I have been generous be- system, and reducing funding for the forest road construction cost would be. That roads program can have only one purpose— yond measure to accord to my oppo- weaken the viability of the Forest Service’s creates a competitive market, a level nents more time than the time agree- timber sale program. A viable timber sale playing field. Why go through all of ment we entered into. But I will accord program is vital to America’s timber coun- this incantation of developing the pur- the Senator from Wyoming 2 minutes. ties and the forest road program is an impor- chaser road credits? Mr. GORTON. The Senator from Ne- tant part of such a program. Reducing the Mr. President, I think the answer is vada has been indeed generous. ability to access timber not only hurts coun- clear. This has conferred an enormous The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ties, but the thousands of families that rely benefit to the timber harvester. For KYL). The Senator from Wyoming is upon the income from their timber jobs. In one, the GAO has indicated that the recognized. FY 1995 a total of $257 million was returned Forest Service itself, in calculating the to local communities adjacent to national Mr. THOMAS. Thank you very much. forests throughout the United States. Two- purchaser road credit, factors in a prof- I appreciate that. thirds of all timber harvested in national it—factors in a profit. That is not a The business of timber and timber forests come from small businesses—those wash. That is not a recovery of costs. harvest is very important to my State. small operations are generally That is cost plus a profit. I rise in opposition to the amendment headquartered in the rural counties, provid- If we are advocates of truth in budg- offered by the Senator from Nevada. I ing jobs and stability to their communities, eting, let us just eliminate that gim- think the amendment is not about sub- not to mention needed revenues to sustain mick and simply say to all who harvest sidies; it is about the elimination of county programs and services for the citi- in the national forests, submit your zens. It does not take an accountant to de- the timber program in our national for- termine the serious implications this has for bids, and included in your bid will be ests. the economies of rural timber counties. the cost that you will incur in The timber program is part of a Proposed provisions to lessen the impact of accessing the tract of timber, or for healthy forest. Somehow there has to these cuts on these rural communities and those that involve new road construc- be some changes made in a forest that counties do not meet their stated objective. tions, you will factor that in. either burns or is harvested or is eaten Attempting to hold county governments Second, with the exception of the by insects. This would terminate that harmless from these cuts, discounts the Forest Service industry itself, vir- kind of thing. other significant economic impacts on the tually every outside analyst, the tax- Furthermore, this is a policy issue people in the counties’ communities. A sig- payer groups, editorial writers across nificantly better way to address the needs of that I believe ought to be talked about natural resource dependent counties is to the country, those who have been com- in our committee of jurisdiction, ought support increases to the Payments In Lieu of missioned to do independent surveys, to be talked about in the forest plan, Taxes (PILT) program. This program in com- have all concluded that, indeed, when not one that ought to be talked about bination with timber revenues, help public one examines the cost of the credit September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9465 that is provided to the timber har- bers have been able to speak to them the Federal Government should sub- vester and examines the cost incurred previously, and, of course, Members sidize art and should identify in the art by the timber harvester, in some in- during this period of time can speak to community some things for subsidy stances the timber harvester’s costs them. That is not in concrete yet, but and some things for special treatment are 30 percent less than the credit that from the perspective of planning for and some things to be singled out for is provided to the timber harvester. the afternoon and early evening, this approval while other things have to Those are taxpayer resources. Those would be the intention of the man- survive or fall based on their quality in are taxpayer assets. That is clearly the agers. the marketplace. definition of a subsidy. It goes far be- Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask So it is with that in mind that I rise yond what the cost incurred by the unanimous consent that after Senator to say, in regard to the appropriations timber harvester is and provides him or ASHCROFT completes at least the first bill that is now before the Senate, that her, it or them, with a costly subsidy part of his presentation, that I be im- we should not spend the resources at taxpayer expense. mediately recognized to use the time earned by taxpayers to encourage one That is why from the west coast to on our side up to 20 minutes. artist over another artist, to say that the east coast, from north to south, The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there some art is good and other art is bad, editorial writers, commenters, and an- is no objection. Without objection, it is and particularly given the record of the alysts have looked at this and said, so ordered. National Endowment for the Arts. For ‘‘This is a program that we cannot sup- Mrs. BOXER. Thank you very much. the National Endowment for the Arts The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- port.’’ If we are talking about being has a questionable record of fostering fair and honest with the taxpayers’ ator from Missouri is recognized. Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, artistic expression which has countered money, how can we support a program thank you very much. the expression of values that most that is under a very convoluted, dif- Mr. President, I am pleased to have Americans cherish and the values ficult-to-explain and, I am sure, dif- this opportunity to address an impor- which have provided the basis for the ficult-to-understand purchaser credit tant issue before the American people. greatness and character of these Unit- program where in effect what we are It is an issue about the nature of ed States of America. doing, however we disguise it, is pro- Government, the purpose for Govern- The first point that I make is that viding additional profits to a timber ment, what we have Government for the arts have plenty of money without harvester? and alternative uses of resources of the the National Endowment for the Arts. That simply is not right. I believe taxpayers in this country. Let me just point to a set of statis- any responsible budgetary analysis re- Data this year announced, not by tics reflected in this particular chart. veals that that is in fact what has oc- Government itself but by independent This compares NEA spending to pri- curred. The Forest Service itself recog- studies including the best of the busi- vate, State, and local arts funding. nizes that practice. That is why they ness journals, that the American peo- Here you have private funding, the support the amendment. ple this year are paying more in taxes orange portion of the chart; local con- Mr. President, I urge my colleagues than any other year in the history of tributions, the green portion; the State to support the Bryan amendment. I this Republic. The gross tax load is contributions is the purple portion; and yield the remainder of my time. gross. the NEA as proposed is the yellow por- Mr. GORTON addressed the Chair. As a matter of fact, the Second World tion. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- War, First World War, the Korean war, It is pretty clear that that with- ator from Washington. and the war in Vietnam did not cause drawal of this very small portion of Mr. GORTON. That concludes debate us to have to pay the kind of elevated funding, 1 percent of the funding, is not on the Bryan amendment. tax rates that we pay today, nor did going to cause a collapse in the arts. AMENDMENT NO. 1188 previous wars of previous centuries. As a matter of fact, there are many in- Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, we now The average U.S. citizen now pays dividuals who are part of the arts com- have 145 minutes on the Ashcroft the highest tax load, the biggest por- munity who feel this is an incentive to amendment. I think I can announce, on tion of his or her income that we have the wrong things in art. behalf of the majority leader, that ever paid. So, first of all, we need to understand there will be a vote on the Ashcroft One of the questions that we must that the arts will survive. This is not a amendment at the end of that 145 min- face, and which we must answer, is the death knell for the arts. It is, in some utes or whenever time has been yielded question of whether or not we should respects, a contaminant to the arts to back. take the hard-earned resources of the extent that we continue to fund ar- We will also plan to have a vote on American citizens, people who get up tistic endeavors of specific kinds, espe- the Bryan amendment immediately early, work hard all day, go home late cially those things which are conced- after the Ashcroft amendment, prob- seeking to help their families, whether edly politically correct or drive the ably with the usual 1 minute per side we should take that resource to spend agenda of the National Endowment. for summary. But that has not been it on what the Government identifies That is where the small yellow wedge shopped to all Members to the point at as art or calls art or wants to encour- comes in. which it can be the subject of a unani- age as art. Just take a look again. Private giv- mous-consent request yet. There will be some who say that this ing to the arts and cultures and hu- Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, if I might will be a debate about whether or not manities is up. We have had some re- inquire of the floor leader, the floor we support art or do not support art. I duction. We have moved in the right di- leader indicated that there would be think it is important to note that art rection. We used to give more to the time since we are going to have an in- as an aspect of our culture has flour- arts through the National Endowment tervening debate? ished since the very beginning of the for the Arts than we do now. As we Mr. GORTON. Yes. The usual way is United States as a nation and prior to have had a reduction in the dollars 1 minute for each side. that time. that are spent by Government for art, Mr. BRYAN. Fine. That will be ac- Since the time we began our culture, we have had this substantial increase, ceptable. from Plymouth Rock forward, we have especially recently, in private giving to Mr. GORTON. When we clear it, we had an expression of art in the United the arts so that the private sector is will ask for it. That will be the plan. States—great literature, we have had totally capable of sustaining the arts. After that, Mr. President, there are great paintings, we have had tremen- I just add at this point that the kind three other amendments that have dous capacity on the part of the Amer- of art that sometimes gets funded here been debated on the National Endow- ican people to express themselves and is not the art of the great masses. ment for the Arts—Abraham, Sessions- to communicate noble ideas and high I tend not to be an individual who Hutchinson of Arkansas, Hutchison of aspirations through our artistic de- has invested a great deal of my life in Texas. We are going to attempt to get vices. the opera. 30 minutes equally divided additional But the debate which we are about to Now, the opera gets a subsidy from debate on those amendments, as Mem- embark upon is a debate about whether the National Endowment for the Arts, S9466 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 but by and large, Willie Nelson and people are entitled to additional tax re- this misspelled word or apparently mis- Garth Brooks don’t. Those of us that lief. spelled word is great art. drive our pickups to those concerts The second point is whether the arts Well, I suppose people could say that don’t get a subsidy; but the people who and the NEA need the money. Accord- we need the NEA so this sort of Good drive their Mercedes to the opera get a ing to the sponsors, this kind of an ap- Housekeeping Seal of Approval could subsidy. propriation is not an issue. The arts do convert misspellings into great art and Now, it seems to me what is clear not need the money. They say what is people would know how to invest their here is that the folks who patronize the needed here is sort of—the Federal money. I hardly think so. I have to opera don’t deserve a subsidy any more Government telling people what is make that argument with my tongue than those of us who enjoy the Ozark good and what is not good in the arts in my cheek. I wonder how those who opera instead of the other kind of community. They call this the Good made the argument kept their tongue opera—although I don’t purport to say Housekeeping Seal of Approval argu- out of their cheek in that respect? I couldn’t enjoy both kinds. ment. On several occasions individuals The mere fact that something has The first point I am making here is have come to the floor of the U.S. Sen- the National Endowment for the Arts that the arts are not in trouble. Sec- ate here and said whenever the NEA on it—and this particular stamp of ap- ond, the arts funding from the Federal comes in and puts its so-called stamp proval is there—doesn’t make it good Government is 1 percent or so. Third, of approval on items that it somehow art or doesn’t make it bad art. The the private share of contribution to the makes it possible for those artists to American people are still left to make arts is up dramatically. State and local survive because people need the NEA to their own judgments. The Good House- governments dominate giving to the develop a way of helping people under- keeping Seal of Approval doesn’t really arts. The Federal Government contrib- stand what is good art and what is bad tell us much, although it does tell us utes a low portion of that. art. something about the theory of Govern- Employment in the arts in the 1990’s I don’t think the NEA has been very ment that people have. is up. So we have a vigorous arts com- good at developing good art. They have Some people think that the Amer- munity and it is an arts community some good art, they have some art that ican people can’t make good judgments which continues to grow. This has been is atrocious. It is clear to me that about value themselves and they need an upward trend at a time when we had whether it has the NEA stamp of ap- Government to identify those things a decline in the amount of Federal proval on it does not make a difference. which are worthy of their support, and funding for the arts. If people are inter- I go back to an earlier example. This our Government’s absence of an identi- ested in more people coming into the is an item of art which the NEA has fying seal would be something that is arts, they could say that as we have de- paid for in the past. It is a poem, or so not worthy of your support. I think creased the funding, we have had more we are told it is a poem. It was part of they have inverted what is important people going in. We are not threatening an anthology. This was an anthology to understand about democracy in that the arts. for which money was paid, hundreds of the genius of democracy is not that the Median household income for artists dollars paid, to support this ‘‘L-I-G-H- Government would identify the great is up. It exceeds the income for the rest G-H-T’’ as a poem in the anthology. values of the world and impose them on of the labor force. It seems to me we Now I suppose you might say most peo- the people. That is the idea of the mon- are not threatening the art community ple would not recognize this as great archy, where somebody up high in or questioning whether the United art just looking at these letters. I was some remote place would tell every- States is going to have art. not extremely well educated. I went to body what to think and do. The genius Art attendance is up in every cat- the public schools, and, frankly, I have of a democracy is just the opposite of egory, from jazz, classical music, to confess I did not see that this was that. It is not that someone up high in opera, musicals, plays, ballet, art mu- great art when I first saw this. As a some remote place tells everybody seums. We had more people participat- matter of fact, I thought it was a mis- what to do. It is that the people, to- ing in the arts in 1992 than in 1982. I spelling—but it could be great art. gether, have a set of values, and in- don’t believe that is a trend that will The argument is if you put the seal stead of having values imposed on be reversed. These things are a func- of approval on it by the NEA, somehow them by the Government, the people tion of the fact that people have leisure it will make it possible for everyone to impose their values on the system. time and the people have disposable agree it is great art, so if you somehow That is the genius of a democracy. The net income and are not dependent on tack the Good Housekeeping Seal of idea that somehow we need the Na- whether or not we have a National En- Approval on it—it has Good House- tional Endowment for the Arts to im- dowment for the Arts. Artists are in- keeping and here is the National En- pose values on this culture is a bank- creasingly college educated as well. dowment for the Arts, a combination of rupt idea, in my judgment. Total receipts for performance arts what proponents of this legislation Of course part of the argument that events are up and are approaching the say—the National Endowment symbol says we need the National Endowment receipts for spectator sports. This gap becomes the Good Housekeeping Seal for the Arts is that it identifies where is narrowing. The arts, indeed, are of Approval for this, I suppose folks people should invest in the arts. You flourishing in the United States. They around the country will now recognize don’t have to tell people what they are getting closer and closer to match- this word as great art, that this is should like and not like, but this helps ing the same kind of receipts as for great poetry. I hardly think so. artists who are fledgling going around spectator sports. The truth of the matter is you do not and saying you should invest in me as The point I make is that the arts convert art into great art by putting an artist because I have the seal of ap- have an abundance of funding. They some governmental seal of approval on proval from the National Endowment don’t need to take the resources from it. It doesn’t change the character of for the Arts—sort of the idea you could families that the families need to it. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t help have a central planning agency for the spend on themselves. We are now taxed us at all in many respects. allocation of artistic resources. at the highest rate since the onset of One of the individuals that I talked Now, central planning for the alloca- this Republic, since we have been in ex- to earlier pointed out to me that in re- tion of resources is not a novel idea. As istence. We frequently have both par- gard to this poem a Congressman a matter of fact, some countries tried ents in the work force, one to pay for called the author of the anthology, the it, not just for art. Some countries Government, the other to support the one who had developed the book that have tried it for all of their economic family. We have governmental pro- included this and for which the Govern- endeavors. That is really the definition gramming that is taking resources, ment paid, and asked the developer of of communism or socialism, that you saying we can spend this money better the anthology to explain it. The author have some head of planning in the on your family than you can spend it of the anthology said, ‘‘You are from economy that tells you what is good, on yourself. My own view is that is not the Midwest. You are culturally de- bad, where you should invest and where something that we need to support. prived, so you would not understand it, you shouldn’t invest as a culture. So The arts do not require it, and I believe anyway,’’ no use to explain to you why you decide to grow this many acres of September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9467 potatoes, this many acres of corn, and This is art subsidized by Government National Endowment for the Arts. you make this much steel, and it is all and specifically designed to separate us Now, this is the most extreme one. It planned at the center of things. It is one from another based on racial dif- would totally do away with the Na- supposed to be a good system, in the- ferences, sexual differences and cul- tional Endowment for the Arts. I think ory. tural differences. She says these poli- it is a very radical and very serious It took about 80 years around the cies have not ‘‘excited much con- step for us to take. world to figure out what the theory troversy, but they have had a pro- I want to comment, because I think was, but it was a theory of collapse. We foundly corrosive effect on the Amer- it is important to correct the Record, only have two fully confessed Com- ican arts.’’ Here is a clear indication by or at least straighten it out a little bit, munist regimes left in the world now, an art critic that the subsidy of arts, on the poem that the Senator from North Korea—and most of the rest of based on political preference, based on Ohio continues to hold up in this de- the world is trying to send them aid so subject matter that is designed to di- bate. It is a one-word poem. I agree, it their children don’t starve to death— vide the American people based on sex- doesn’t make much sense to me either. and Cuba, which is teetering on the ual, cultural and racial lines, pulls us And, yes, the NEA has made some mis- edge of its own demise. The truth of apart rather than unifies us, has a cor- takes. I’m sorry, I mean the Senator the matter is central government plan- rosive effect on the arts. Not only a from Missouri, not Ohio. What the Sen- ning to allocate the resources in the corrosive effect on the arts, it has a ator from Missouri, Senator ASHCROFT, arts community isn’t any more effec- corrosive effect on the culture. does not tell us in his eloquent debate tive or any more to be desired than I wonder if we ought to spend our re- is that the one-word poem he holds up central governmental planning and al- sources on something which produces was funded 30 years ago; it was funded location of resources in the industrial that kind of an impact on the culture? in 1968. He holds it up on the floor of communities, the manufacturing com- Mr. President, there are a number of the U.S. Senate as if these are the munity or the agricultural commu- other reasons and things I would like kinds of grants that are being made nities. The genius of the marketplace is that to say about this. We will have debate today. Now, if we are going to have an hon- it rewards those things which are valu- on both sides. I know the Senator from est debate, why don’t we be honest able in the absence of planning in Gov- California is eager to speak. I want to with each other? I saw that poem and I ernment, not that it gets signals from give her an opportunity. So I sum up Government or some planning agency by saying there is no crisis in funding said, ‘‘That doesn’t make much sense.’’ or some guru in some bureaucracy that for the arts. People of America are Then I found out it was funded 30 years says, ‘‘This is my beloved artist in taxed at their highest rates in history. ago. Now, there are many reforms that whom I am well pleased, put all your There is no reason to require that have been put into place in the Na- money here.’’ As a matter of fact, some there be a Good Housekeeping Seal of tional Endowment for the Arts. Does it of the things that have been designated Approval from the Government to try mean there might not be a mistake or as those things to be supported like to dignify art that is not art, or to two in the future? No. There may be this poem—this is not the title for the make decent those things which are in- some out of the thousands and thou- poem, Mr. President, this is the poem. decent and unacceptable. Good art will sands of grants. But to hold up a poem This is it, the whole nine yards. This is be good art whether or not you label it funded 30 years ago, when I was just a it. with an NEA seal. An artistic state- kid—as a matter of fact, 30 years ago, There is a dispute about whether the ment, as a matter of fact, that came I became a mother for the first time, actual payment was $1,500 or $750. You before the onset of the NEA, and will and now my kids are having kids. So, can do the quick math. It is $107 a let- survive long after it, is that ‘‘A rose is yes, there was a mistake made, I agree. ter if it was $750, and $214 a letter if it nothing but a rose no matter what you You know, there are mistakes made in was $1,500. I make this copy as a bar- call it, and by any other name, it is life, but we don’t just take a meat ax gain to you, and just give you the $107 still a rose.’’ to the problem. And we didn’t; we have rate if you think your marketplace With that in mind, I think it is time made reforms. would sustain it. Of course, I am not for us to say we have spent more than The other point that I think is inter- sure whether this is the French version enough in subsidizing politically cor- esting for the Senator from Missouri to of the poem, the English or the German rect activities under the guise of pro- imply is that the music funded by the version of the poem, because I have moting the arts. National Endowment for the Arts is all looked in the dictionaries and I don’t I reserve the balance of my time. for the elite, the upper crust, and he find it in the English dictionary, the Mrs. BOXER addressed the Chair. talked about the opera and how he French dictionary or the German dic- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- doesn’t go to the opera much, and yet, tionary, but who knows. I know one ator from California is recognized. the opera is funded. Well, I tell the thing, putting the seal of approval on Mrs. BOXER. Thank you so much, Senator from Missouri that many this would not increase its value to me, Mr. President. Now, I have heard the groups across the country are funded and I don’t think it does for the cul- Senator from Ohio very eloquently ex- by the NEA: The Carter Family Memo- ture. press his views. I think it is time that rial Music Center in Hiltons, VA, sup- The truth of the matter is there are we hear from the other side. porting a weekly series and annual fes- other reasons why we shouldn’t be I am very pleased to be a member of tival of old-time traditional music, wanting to subsidize speech. Those rea- this Subcommittee on Interior Appro- played on acoustic instruments. There sons include the fact that the sub- priations, and I was very pleased that is the Western Folklife Center in Ne- sidization of speech results in the cor- we were able to resolve the question of vada, dedicated to the preservation and ruption of the arts. Jan Breslauer of the native Americans. I felt very presentation of the cultural traditions the Los Angeles Times wrote elo- strongly that had we not done that, we of the American West. There is the quently that the National Endowment were going to do a grave injustice to Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program, for the Arts results in the corrosive ef- native Americans and turn our backs fostering the growth and evolution of fect on the arts, that as a matter of on history, justice, fairness, and the Mississippi’s traditional arts by bring- fact that effect on the arts was prompt- Constitution. So I was very pleased to ing master traditional artists together ed by the fact that National Endow- support Senators MCCAIN, CAMPBELL, with promising apprentices. ment rewards politically correct art and the others. They convinced the So, again, we have a misleading pres- and art expression. She says, ‘‘The En- chairman of our subcommittee to put entation here that doesn’t square with dowment has quietly pursued policies that fight off until another time. the facts. This is 1997, not 1968. Mis- rooted in identity politics.’’ The Na- I thought we were going to be OK on takes were made, but many revisions tional Endowment for the Arts is con- the National Endowment for the Arts. have taken place and reforms have ducting a political effort, ‘‘a kind of It comes to the floor of the U.S. Senate been implemented to straighten out separatism that emphasizes racial, sex- funded at about the same level as last the problems. ual and cultural differences above all year, and here we are faced with an In 1993, the NEA initiated a complete else.’’ array of amendments to wipe out the overhaul of the agency’s grant review S9468 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 and monitoring process. All subgrants the Arts. I support spending money on look at whether or not it is a good in- to private nonapproved groups have military bands. I also support spending vestment. Does it bring back divi- been eliminated. Since 1996, all fine money on the National Endowment for dends? When you put in a dollar, what arts grants to individual artists have the Arts. We spent $176.2 million on do you get out? This is clear. Repub- been eliminated. Since 1996, all grants military bands in 1997, which is almost licans in my State, Democrats in my to organizations must be for projects twice the $99.4 million spent on the State, Independent voters in my specifically described in the applica- NEA. Let me tell you something. If a State—this is the place where they tion, further increasing accountability military band played an inappropriate cross over party lines. They want us to of grantees. Since 1994, all grantees song, or someone was dressed inappro- save the NEA. They think it is good. must file interim and final project re- priately or, in any way, degraded that They know mistakes will happen, yes, ports. The final one-third of all grant cultural event, we would address the when you give thousands of grants. I payments are withheld pending the situation. By the way, it is very impor- think they are willing to forgive a NEA’s approval of grantees’ interim re- tant to our country that we keep the grant made in 1968. An investment of ports. In addition, grantees must now culture of the U.S. military and that $100 million in the NEA is relatively seek written permission in advance to we keep the music of patriotism that small. We are talking about less than change grant activities proposed in the fills our souls every time we hear from one one-hundredth of 1 percent of the organization’s application. The Na- it. But if there is a mistake made and nearly $1.5 trillion Federal budget. tional Foundation on the Arts and the an inappropriate song chosen, or some- Now, I want to share with you some Humanities Act of 1965 requires a rigor- one is acting in an inappropriate way, pictures because I think they are worth ous multistep review process of all ap- we don’t walk away from funding the many times a thousand words. Let me plications. Diverse panels of citizens, military band. Do you know what we talk about Leon Bates, a world-class, representing wide geographic, ethnic, spend per person for the NEA? When highly respected concert pianist, who and cultural points of view, review all this Senate voted $10 billion more for has appeared with major orchestras applications. Following panel consider- the military than the military asked throughout the United States, Europe ation, all applications are then re- for, I stood on this floor in disbelief, and Africa. By the way, my colleagues viewed by the National Council on the because I heard all these speeches have talked about Communist coun- Arts, which is a body of 26 private citi- about how much money we are spend- tries and have somehow linked what we zens nominated by the President and, ing in taxes. I agree, I don’t want to are doing here to communism. You yes, confirmed by the U.S. Senate to 6- spend money we don’t need to spend. I know, if you look at every capitalist year terms. Do we have so little faith want to give the military what it country in the world, every democracy in what we have already done to needs—not $10 billion more. But now and capitalist country in the world, straighten out some of the problems we are going to save the Federal budg- they spend a far greater proportion of with the NEA that we would, with one et because we are going to cut out less their budgets on the arts than we do. vote, do away with the NEA? I hope than $100 million, 38 cents per person in So I don’t get how communism, social- not. By the way, applications rec- this United States of America? ism and capitalism comes in here, be- ommended by the council for support I was called to a meeting in San cause in fact every capitalist democ- are forwarded to the chairman of NEA Diego. In terms of politics, I would say racy in the world spends more on the for a final decision. The chairman may you would call it a Republican county. arts than we do. So I don’t see how not approve an application with re- I had people there from the business that gets into the debate. spect to which the council has made a community, I had people there from Well, here is Leon Bates. He has trav- negative evaluation. So we have even the arts community, I had people there eled in Europe, Africa, and the United put a rein on the chairman. from nonprofit organizations, and we States. He was hired by the Long Some of my colleagues have spoken had elected officials there of both po- Beach Symphony Orchestra to perform on this floor expressing concerns that litical parties. Do you know what their a piano concerto in January of 1996. projects receiving funding from the message to me was? Go and fight this As part of this week-long residency NEA are obscene. Anybody who says thing, because every time we get a dol- of rehearsals and public appearances, that should know that Federal law en- lar from the NEA, we get matched $12. Mr. Bates performed for an audience of sures that artistic excellence and artis- ‘‘It is important,’’ they said to me, ‘‘for 250 members of the Long Beach Boys tic merit are the criteria used to evalu- our community.’’ As a matter of fact, and Girls Club. ate applications. The law expressly they said to me, ‘‘Can’t you fight so Everyone in here stands up and talks prohibits the award of financial assist- that we can spend 50 cents per person about the children—everyone of us. ance to any project or program deter- in a year? If we spend 50 cents per per- And we should. mined to be obscene. If a mistake is son a year, we would get that much I wish you could see the faces on made in judgment, yes, we should en- more leverage, that much more job cre- these kids at the Boys and Girls Clubs sure that it is corrected, just as we ation, that much more tourism, and it watching this creative genius perform must do in any Federal agency or just would help us.’’ So it is very interest- his work with an NEA grant enabling as we must do in our own lives. If one ing. In San Diego, CA, I get called to a him to go to the Boys and Girls Clubs, postman is obnoxious as he or she de- meeting and I am told to fight for be a role model, and give them a love of livers the mail, we don’t stop deliver- more. Here I find myself fighting just music. He is the perfect ambassador for ing the mail. We get rid of that person. to keep what we have. classical music to an audience of chil- If one military officer sexually So when we talk about tax load, dren, parents, and counselors who are harasses another, we don’t shut down don’t be fooled about that. Don’t be not exposed to the world of performing the military; we hold a hearing and we fooled. In essence, what we have here is arts that often. He brought with him a hold the perpetrator accountable. a grant program that is far lower than full-sized concert grand piano, and in We have had an extraordinary num- it was under George Bush and Ronald between anecdotes from his life as a ber of military planes crashing, and Reagan who, by the way, signed all musician he answered questions and not one person would suggest that we those bills for the NEA—and it costs 38 played excerpts from several classical don’t build any more military planes. cents per person. composers. The event was a spectacu- Clearly, we are going to take the prob- Public funding of the arts is good for lar success. lems as they come to us and deal with the economy. Now, there was a recent He was supported in part by the NEA. them. And, surely, we are capable of study by McKinsey Consultants for Without continued support of the NEA, doing that with the National Endow- New York City and they said in their the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra ment for the Arts. This body ought to study that funding of the arts gen- would not be able to bring in top-qual- be very pleased that it has made tre- erates taxes, which brings down the ity artists like Mr. Bates. mendous progress. deficit, jobs and economic growth far I want to show you another photo- Now, speaking of the military, we in excess of the amounts invested. graph which I think is wonderful. The spend more on military bands than we I used to be a stockbroker. When you Senator from Missouri holds up a poem spend on the National Endowment for look at recommending a stock, you from 1968. I am talking about what is September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9469 going on now. This is a group called We And the third issue is funding for the I have excerpts from a book in my Tell Stories. It is a performance group arts. I have letters. I have phone calls. hand which very proudly bears the im- based in Los Angeles—a troop of actors I have gone to meetings. I have never print, the so-called good seal of ap- which travels to museums, parks, seen such bipartisan audiences as I proval, of the National Endowment for schools, and libraries to perform sto- have with those three issues. the Arts. This book was published in ries for children. Its goal is to enhance On this issue, they all agree that we 1996 after all the supposed improve- cultural awareness, communication, need to put the facts on the table. This ments, after all of these wonderful and awaken a taste for theater and isn’t some political issue. This is a safeguards to make sure that our children of all cultures. really important issue for our people. money is well spent. I think it is in- We Tell Stories received an NEA Will we stand up and say, ‘‘For a mod- structive to read just what the authors grant to support the creation and pres- est amount per person, 38 cents a year, say about their own book. This isn’t entation throughout the United States we will work with the States, the local some attack upon the book. This is the of work by Carl Sandburg, a great groups, the local symphonies, the local bragging of the authors. American. Girl Scouts, the groups that benefit I read: We Tell Stories began in cooperation from this to bring the arts to our peo- The blood of the Mugwump clan of Catho- with the Los Angeles County Museum ple, to help them leverage that invest- lic gender-shifting vampires has become in- of Art in 1981. Now in partnership with ment?’’ fected by decadent words and confused several organizations and agencies, in- I can’t imagine why anyone would memories. cluding the Los Angeles Unified School think that it is dangerous for us to It talks about a man trapped inside a District, and the troupe has performed have this very modest program that body that is always changing from for over 2 million people. In 1996, the sparks such enthusiasm. Are there mis- male to female, and dealing with his troupe presented performances for takes? Yes. Are there mistakes in ev- polysexual sister. 270,000 children. erything we do in life? Absolutely. But I asked my staff to just take a couple I am coming to the conclusion of my that doesn’t mean we destroy the idea of pages of the book. And this book was remarks, much to the delight of several of the spark. written because the National Endow- of my colleagues who are here to Senator KENNEDY and Senator JEF- ment for the Arts felt that the Amer- speak. But I want to show you one last FORDS across party lines have worked ican people needed to have this capac- photograph. This is one of the audience out an agreement on this. They would ity to identify good art so they could members who was watching a recent block grant up to 40 percent of the invest in it under the ‘‘Good House- performance in Westwood, CA, by We NEA funds and send it back to the keeping’’ or ‘‘good art’’ seal. I asked Tell Stories. Look at her face. It cap- States. That is a good compromise. them just to get a couple of pages of tures the promise of the arts. The great That would be up from 35 percent. the book and Xerox them. But I said, expectations of the arts, the creativity, I hope we can come together across ‘‘Be sure to mark out the things that the imagination. party lines because we need to do that. would be not suitable to be shown on C- Will there be art without the NEA? I hope we will reject this amendment. SPAN in the middle of the day.’’ Of course. I say to my colleague from I hope that we will support the Jef- This is what a typical set of pages Missouri, there will always be the arts. fords-Kennedy attempt to resolve this looks like. This is what the American Why wouldn’t there be? One of the matter. And let’s make sure that we people are paying for. This isn’t some- things we do in this country is to give fulfill our responsibilities, it seems to thing from 30 years ago. This is some- a very small amount—38 cents per per- me, to have a small, dynamic, flexible thing from 30 minutes ago. This is son in this country to be matched 12 program that responds to criticism but something that is current. This is times by the private sector, the non- continues to give a modicum of sup- something from 1996. profit communities, the State govern- port—let’s use it to support dance and No. 1, the so-called reforms have been ments. Why would we do that? To bring the arts in this Nation. ineffective. And, if we had an abuse these opportunities to the people of our Thank you, very much, Mr. Presi- which was at least not obscene—our country—and, yes; to the children of dent. abuses have not gone uphill. They have our country—because that is what the I yield the floor. gone downhill. NEA has been focusing on recently. I reserve the remainder of our side’s I have a list of current abusive things I just want to say that I know we time. funded by the National Endowment for have disagreements in this body. I re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the Arts. I could go through them time spect those disagreements, and I re- ator from Missouri. after time. I will not bother to give spect my colleagues who come at it Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I them to you. Hundreds of thousands— from a different way. But I think for yield myself such time as I may hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of the sake of this debate the American consume. thousands of dollars wasted in the cur- people—and I know the people in my I thank the Senator from California rent selection of grantees. They are not State of every political persuasion— for correcting the fact that I am not as easy to describe, and they are not as again, in my State, there are three is- from Ohio. I didn’t want people from suitable for television as the 30-year- sues that unite people along party Ohio to be too upset. It reminds me of old abuses are. Unfortunately, they are lines. This is California, and I can’t my having been introduced as having not as easy to use on television. speak for Missouri, and I can’t speak been an individual from Missouri but The Senator from California pled for for any other State, but there are three who was born in Illinois. I say, ‘‘Yes, honesty and integrity in talking about issues that make people cross over both States claim me. Missouri claims whether or not we would have any party lines. I am from Illinois, and Illinois claims I funding—that somehow there is a One of them is the environment. Peo- am from Missouri.’’ matching grant program. There is no ple cross over, and they say, ‘‘You The truth of the matter is that I matching program. We are not talking know, I don’t care if you are a Demo- would like to address some of the is- about matching funds here. We are just crat or Republican. I want clean air. I sues which the Senator from California talking about other money spent on want clean water. And I want my kid has talked about. the arts—most of it in the private sec- to grow up without getting environ- She mentions the fact of a poem—for tor. And when they have that kind of mental cancer.’’ which we paid $214 a letter—which was an expenditure, sure enough, they So there are no politics in that issue, paid for earlier in the history of the could say, ‘‘For every dollar we have in in my opinion, in my State. National Endowment. She is correct. Federal money we have $12 in private Another issue is a woman’s right to But it is incorrect to suggest that money.’’ That doesn’t mean the private choose. It’s the same thing—people there are not abuses now that are even money wouldn’t have been spent any- from both parties come to me, and they more egregious. how. After all, what happened before say, ‘‘Please. This is a private personal This is one of the more decent egre- 1965 when Lyndon JOHNSON concluded matter, and it has nothing to do with gious abuses of National Endowment in the Great Society that we had to Government. Stay out of our lives.’’ money. have funding for the arts? For several S9470 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 hundred years America had great art- many of these misrepresentations will Arts has been credited with supporting a ists, and we weren’t devoid of expendi- we hear from the Senator from Mis- number of books published by FC2 that were ture. We had great museums. We had souri in debate on funding of the Na- not funded by a grant from this agency. As tremendous collections. We had artists tional Endowment for the Arts? you know and as the Endowment’s grant let- Now, I have here a letter, Mr. Presi- ter makes clear, funds are released for the who thrived. We had novelists, and specific project described in the grant letter poets. dent, from People For The American and specified in the grant application. The So it is pretty clear to me that art is Way. It said: Endowment’s logo should be used only on not dependent upon some matching In a letter to Congressional Members dated those publications for which a grant was re- fund system. June 25, 1997, the Christian Coalition urged ceived. Mr. HARKIN addressed the Chair. Members to ‘‘vote against any amendments Grant #96–5223–0091, which will conclude on The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who to increase NEA funding’’ and asserted that June 30, 1997, awarded funds for the following yields time? the NEA is now ‘‘funding the proliferation of books: S&M, by Jeffrey DeShell; Mexico The Senator from Iowa. pornography,’’ citing specifically two films, Trilogy, by D.M. Stuefloten; A Spell for the ‘‘Sick’’ and ‘‘Age 12,’’ and one book, ‘‘Blood Mr. HARKIN. How much time do we Fulfillment of Desire, by Don Webb; Memory of Mugwump.’’ Wax, by Alan Singer; and Aviary Slag, by have? Fact 5: The Christian Coalition is wrong. Jacques Servin. The progress report which The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The NEA did not fund any of the three exam- you filed with this agency erroneously in- ator from Iowa has 40 minutes and 41 ples used. cluded Blood of Mugwump as among those seconds. Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- volumes partially supported by a grant from Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I yield sent that this material from the People the National Endowment for the Arts; this is myself such time as I may consume. For The American Way be printed in not the case. In any future publications, including pro- Mr. President, first of all, the Sen- the RECORD. ator from Missouri has repeatedly There being no objection, the mate- motional materials and reprints of FC2 vol- talked about the poem ‘‘Lighght.’’ He umes, please remove any reference to the Na- rial was ordered to be printed in the tional Endowment for the Arts from any has held up this little piece of paper, RECORD, as follows: publication which is not supported by an and he has talked about this poem and Claim: In a letter to Congressional mem- NEA grant. castigated it as one of the great spend- bers dated June 25, 1997, the Christian Coali- I would appreciate your prompt attention ing holes of the U.S. Government, we tion urged members to ‘‘vote against any to this matter. spent money on the poem ‘‘Lighght.’’ amendments to increase NEA funding’’ and Sincerely, Well, I saw that and I recognized it. asserted that the NEA is now ‘‘funding the KAREN CHRISTENSEN, Believe it or not, I recognized that proliferation of pornography,’’ citing specifi- General Counsel. cally two films, ‘‘Sick’’ and ‘‘Age 12’’ and one Mr. HARKIN. Again, Mr. President, if poem. And so I thought I would take book, ‘‘Blood of Mugwump.’’ some time since I have a history in this Fact: The Christian Coalition was wrong. the Senator from Missouri was really to shed a little light on ‘‘Lighght’’. The NEA did not fund any of the three exam- serious, I am sure that he could have Now, again, I am glad that the Sen- ples used. found out that in March of this year ator from California brought this up Mr. HARKIN. If the Senator from the National Endowment for the Arts because the Senator from Missouri Missouri would like, I am sure that we wrote a letter to the director, who put never did mention this until the Sen- could sign him up for People For the out this book, I guess, under this grant, ator from California, Mrs BOXER, American Way, and he could get the that it wasn’t supported by the NEA. brought it up. This poem ‘‘Lighght’’ correct information as to what is going And the Senator from Missouri would was published in 1969. The Senator on and not the false information that not have stood in this Chamber today from Missouri did not say that. He ad- he got from the so-called Christian Co- and said that ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ mitted it after the Senator from Cali- alition. was another example of bad taxpayer fornia pointed that out. But in listen- And so again the Senator from Mis- spending by the National Endowment ing in the last couple of days to the souri has brought up something that for the Arts. Senator from Missouri, one would have simply has no basis in fact. And I have I caution my friend from Missouri assumed that this grant was just made, here again, Mr. President, a letter that he simply check his facts. That is not in fact made in 1969, when it was. dated March 17, 1997, from Karen all. And I am certain that if he just Mr. President, the debate on the Christensen, general counsel of the Na- wanted to check his facts, if the Sen- NEA, National Endowment for the tional Endowment for the Arts. It is ator from Missouri just simply wanted Arts, has set a new standard for debate written to Mr. Curtis White. I will not to check whether or not what he was in the Senate. First of all, suggesting read the whole thing. It just said here: saying was factual, a simple call to the that we should eliminate the National The progress report which you filed with National Endowment for the Arts— Endowment for the Arts in 1997 because this agency erroneously included ‘‘Blood of they are not hard to get hold of. They of a grant that was made in 1969 begs Mugwump’’ as among those volumes par- are right down here in Washington, DC. incredulity. That would be like saying tially supported by a grant from the Na- Their phone number is 682–5400. I would the State of Missouri, since it had laws tional Endowment for the Arts; this is not suggest to my friend from Missouri the case. that he simply pick up the phone and on its books that allowed segregated In any future publications, including pro- schools until the 1960’s, will not be eli- motional materials and reprints of FC2 vol- call them, ask them: Is it so that gible for Federal education programs. umes, please remove any reference to the Na- ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ was funded by an Or saying that the University of Ala- tional Endowment for the Arts from any NEA grant? And he would have been bama will be prohibited from partici- publication which is not supported by an told the facts. pating in Federal student aid programs NEA grant. So I think we have an obligation because it was segregated prior to June I would appreciate prompt attention to when we debate here on the Senate 1963, or the schools in Little Rock, AR. this matter. floor to be, at least, somewhat careful. Times change. Conditions change. Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- I know we make mistakes around here. Well, now, the Senator from Missouri sent that this letter be printed in the But, at least, try to check our facts said, oh, OK, fine. ‘‘Lighght,’’ this was RECORD. out. 1969, but then he held up a piece of There being no objection, the letter In that regard, Mr. President, I would paper which he was reading something was ordered to be printed in the like to talk a little bit more about the from—I didn’t catch it all, but it was RECORD, as follows: poem ‘‘Lighght.’’ Now, the reason this from a book called ‘‘Blood of Mug- THE NANCY HANKS CENTER, came to my attention is because this wump,’’ which I never heard of until Washington, DC, March 17, 1997. was an issue in my first campaign for today, but I remembered someone had Re Grant #96–5223–0091. public office in 1974 when then incum- said something to me about it and I Mr. CURTIS WHITE, bent Congressman Bill Scherle in the looked it up. My staff gave me this. Lo Co-Director, Fiction Collective 2, Unit for Con- House had gone after the National En- temporary Literature, Illinois State Univer- and behold, the Senator from Missouri sity, Normal, IL. dowment for the Arts on the same is wrong again. ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ DEAR MR. WHITE: It has come to my atten- basis, that they had funded this word, did not receive any NEA funding. How tion that the National Endowment for the one-word poem ‘‘Lighght.’’ September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9471 And so I want to set the record Ashberry, Jim Harrison—I say to the able to take the year off and write po- straight, and I want to talk a little bit Senator from Missouri, Jim Harrison, etry because she had a young child. So about it to get the facts out, the latest who later wrote ‘‘Legends of the Fall,’’ that grant enabled her to do that. facts out. Mr. President, here are the which has been made into a movie, I I might also point out with some facts. The National Endowment for the guess; W.S. Merwyn, Pulitzer Prize- sense of pride that in 1996, last year, Arts sponsored a three-part series enti- winning poet who also attended the the three nominees for the Pulitzer tled ‘‘American Literary Anthology.’’ Writers Workshop at the University of Prize in poetry, Charles Wright, Donald This was the idea of George Plimpton Iowa, and I will say more about that in Justice and Jorie Graham, were all and also Roger Stevens, that they a second; James Tate, one of our fore- from the Writers Workshop at the Uni- would seek out writers, poets around most poets in America; Joyce Carol versity of Iowa. It is interesting to the country who were not well known, Oates, also in volume II. note that it was the student, Jorie Gra- who maybe had published in small lit- That is just a sampling. Why didn’t ham, who won the prize. All three were erary journals that had small circula- he pick out some of those? No; he recipients of NEA grants. tion, to have a contest to put them to- picked out this one-word poem, just to Why does the Senator from Missouri gether and to pick what judges decided show people how it appeared in the not talk about that? Why doesn’t he go were the best of these new writers and book. Here it is, volume II, a one-word after the Writers Workshop at the Uni- to put them in an American anthology poem, on one page. versity of Iowa? to give them a wider berth so that This is called calligraphic poetry. Here, I will be glad to give it to my more people could read them. Calligraphic poetry is poetry where it’s friend from Missouri. Here is a whole The purpose again was to support not just the content of the poem, but it packet of pages, going clear back to small literary magazines and their con- is how it is laid out on the page that 1970, of writers and poets who have re- tributors. After all, most writers, Mr. also sends a message, or conveys a ceived grants, who were at the Writers President, don’t start writing for Es- thought or a feeling. I might point out Workshop. Who will the Senator find in quire or the New Yorker or the big to the Senator from Missouri that cal- here? People like Robert Penn Warren, magazines. They start with small lit- ligraphic poetry is not new; it is very he’ll find people like Kurt Vonnegut, erary journals around the country. And old. In fact, some calligraphic poetry he’ll find people like Tennessee Wil- so that was the idea of George goes back to the 18th century, some in liams—he may not like Tennessee Wil- Plimpton and Roger Stevens, to get religious poetry. These religious poetry liams. some of these new writers out there might be shaped in the form of pulpits, Mr. ASHCROFT. Will the Senator and bring them in and give them a crosses, churches, saints, icons, things yield? The Senator asked me a ques- wider circulation. like that, to convey a religious image tion. I spoke just the other evening with by the way the poem looked as well as Mr. HARKIN. I will be glad to yield George Plimpton about this. He and the words that the poem contained. to the Senator in just a second. He’ll Peter Ardery were the directors of the I must say, I think the Senator from find people like John Irving, Kurt ‘‘American Literary Anthology.’’ He Missouri, if I might just say—I think Vonnegut, Tennessee Williams, Flan- told me that the NEA grant in 1966 had the Senator from Missouri picked the nery O’Connor, Jane Smiley, who just three goals. First, to provide wider dis- wrong poem. There is a poem, it starts wrote the wonderful book ‘‘A Thousand tribution for literary works which first on page 273 of the second volume of the Acres’’ and won a Pulitzer Prize for it. appeared in magazines with limited American Literary Anthology. It is It is now being made into a movie. circulation. Second, to supplement the ‘‘The Last Will And Testimony of Art Writers Workshop. NEA recipients. small stipend the magazines used to Evergreen,’’ and it goes on for 17 pages. No, he didn’t mention those. provide to the authors. If the Senator had picked that poem, Mr. ASHCROFT. Will the Senator As Mr. Plimpton told me, in many he might have a little more sympathy yield? cases these writers got nothing except from this Senator. I say that tongue in Mr. HARKIN. Now I will be glad to four or five copies of the magazine in cheek. yield for a question. which they were published. But why did the Senator not also Mr. ASHCROFT. The Senator has So, it was to supplement it. And here pick the poem on page 339 by James asked why I didn’t cite all these others. was the supplement: $1,000 for prose Tate called ‘‘Stray Animals’’? No; he Is it the Senator’s position that none material, $500 for poems. That was to picked this one-word poem because, ob- of these people would have been writers the contributor, the writer. And, third, viously, he doesn’t like it. Frankly, I absent these grants? That absent the to reward the magazines which pub- am not certain I like it either. It ability to have the Federal subsidies lished the literary works in the first doesn’t say much to me. But some cal- we could not have literature like this place: $500 for prose, $250 for poems. ligraphic poetry I like, in the way the in the United States? The total was $60,000 for the second words are shaped and put on a page. Mr. HARKIN. I will just answer my volume. So the Senator from Missouri That one doesn’t say much to me at friend from Missouri. I just had a long is wrong again. Again, I ask the Sen- all. But, nonetheless, it is legitimate conversation on the phone with Jorie ator from Missouri, please check your poetry. And there are a lot of other Graham, the poet from the University facts. The amount of grant for this poems in there. of Iowa Writers Workshop, who won one-word poem was not $1,500, it was Again, the Senator may not care for the Pulitzer Prize last year. She told $750: $500 to the writer, $250 to the mag- this type of poetry, but that is no rea- me without that NEA grant—she had a azine. son to abolish the National Endowment little child—she would not have been I am certain the Senator will say for the Arts. Over its 32-year history, able to take the year off to develop her that $750 is still too much for this the NEA has made 112,000 grants. To talents as a poet that enabled her to poem, but nonetheless I thought it im- date, about 40 that we have been able win the Pulitzer Prize. Yes, she abso- portant to set the record straight, that to find have caused people some prob- lutely stated that to me. it is not $1,500, it was $750. lems—about 40 out of 112,000. I think Some of these, maybe not. But I can I got a copy of the American Literary that is a pretty good record. Again, the tell you some people like Kurt Anthology, volume II. Actually I read Senator did not mention all of the Vonnegut and some people, when they some of the poems in it. It is interest- other people who have gotten grants first started out—no. They needed ing that the Senator from Missouri from NEA. these grants to get up to a level. picked out a poem written by Aram Sa- A little while ago I spoke on the Mr. ASHCROFT. Did Kurt Vonnegut royan, the son of William Saroyan, by phone with Jorie Graham. She is at the start out with an NEA grant? the way. I don’t know Aram Saroyan. I Writers Workshop at the University of Mr. HARKIN. I don’t know. He got an have never read his poetry before and I Iowa. Last year, 1996, she won the Pul- NEA grant at one point, I believe. have not since. But I looked in volume itzer Prize for poetry. I had a long talk Mr. ASHCROFT. I see. It seems to II of the American Literary Anthology with her. Here is an individual who re- me, will the Senator concede we had a to see who else was published: people ceived an NEA grant, and she told me lot of great poets and a lot of great art- like Robert Penn Warren, John without that she would not have been ists in America between the time of the S9472 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 founding of this culture and the time esthetics of different regions of this the truth. This is the American Lit- in the mid-1960’s when we started NEA country that weren’t there. erary Anthology in which the poem grants. Sure, you can point to Samuel ‘‘Lighght’’ appears. No Government Mr. HARKIN. I will respond to my Clemens and a few others. But how agent or employee decided what went friend this way. That is true. We have many more might have come along, into this book. I can’t for the life of me had a lot of great poets and writers might have been great, might have figure out what the Senator from Mis- who received no NEA grants. How been maybe not at that pinnacle, but souri is talking about. many more, though, were out there in maybe up in that level who died aborn- For example, who decides whether a the little towns of Missouri, in the ing because they had no support what- writer gets published? It is the editor fields of Iowa, around the coal mines of soever? of a magazine, the publisher of the Kentucky and in the hills of Kentucky, I might also, tongue in cheek, ask magazine. Who decided what poems and who wanted to develop their writing my friend from Missouri, who has gone what fiction, essays, went into this an- skills and their talents but did not after some writings that he claims are thology? Editors and publishers of have the support to do so? How many not quite appropriate for readers to magazines. They all got together and were left lying fallow in the ground be- read—you know, old Samuel Clemens went through all of their different cause we wouldn’t even come up with wrote some things that were pretty ris- magazines and decided who they the two pennies, the two pennies per que. I wonder if the Senator from Mis- thought ought to be in here. It wasn’t taxpayer per year, to help them to de- souri has ever read ‘‘Letters From Government. No Government agent did velop their talent? Heaven’’? If the Senator from Missouri this. No Government employee did I think that is the appropriate ques- has never read ‘‘Letters From Heaven’’ that. tion to ask, is how many were out by Samuel Clemens, I ask him to read Does the Senator think that writers there who didn’t get the nourishment it and bring it on the floor and read it. just sort of spring up and, because they who, if they had the nourishment, I doubt he would want to read ‘‘Letters are so good in the beginning, that right could have been great writers and poets From Heaven’’ on the floor of the Sen- away they appear in the New Yorker in our society today? ate. Magazine? Of course not. Mr. ASHCROFT. I can name—— Mr. ASHCROFT. Will the Senator They appear in these small literary Mr. HARKIN. I will yield for a ques- yield? magazines around the country, and it tion. Mr. HARKIN. I will be glad to. is the editors of those magazines and Mr. ASHCROFT. In response to that Mr. ASHCROFT. I thank you for rais- the publishers who decide what gets question, I can name at least one who ing the extent to which I have read published. They were the ones who de- didn’t have that kind of grant, who was Samuel Clemens’ work, Mark Twain. I cided what went into this anthology. a poor fellow from a small town in Mis- find him to be an interesting author, There is no Government agency. I don’t souri. His name was Samuel Clemens. and I think some of his works are bet- know of one Government agent who de- He wrote under the name of Mark ter than others and some of them are cided on an NEA grant. It has all been Twain. He seemed to do pretty well. In very helpful and some of them moved done in a peer review process. the name of artists whose works are society in the right direction—I think That would be like saying, I say to arrayed in this Capitol, George Caleb move us all and inspire us all. my friend from Missouri, that we Bingham, who is considered to be the The point is not whether or not a should cut out research at the National American Rembrandt, who was a Mis- writer has the ability to write things Institutes of Health because it is Gov- souri State treasurer, who did not have that might be appropriate in one set- ernment money, and why should the a public subsidy to do it. We could go ting or not appropriate in another set- Government pick which research to do, through the list. Obviously you could ting. The point is, what do you do by whether it is cancer or heart, whether always say there may have been lots way of subsidy and whether the Gov- it is diabetes or Alzheimer’s? The more. There may have been some who ernment decides to endow any particu- present occupant of the chair knows a would have been great artists in the lar writer with a special stamp of ap- lot about this. Should the Government last 25 years but, because they didn’t proval and discriminate in favor of be picking the researchers because we get the seal of approval, weren’t able to that writer and thereby discriminate put the money into the NIH? We put a market as successfully their artwork, against every other writer? Had Sam- lot of money, as the occupant of the now that the arts community has been uel Clemens been a writer 100 years ago chair knows, into NIH. We don’t tell so oriented to the Federal approval or and had there been the current NEA them what to pick. They do it through disapproval. and had the fellow from down the river the peer review process, through sci- It seems to me, how many would be in St. Louis gotten the grant and Sam- entists in the field who decide what is here or how many would be there is not uel Clemens been discriminated legitimate, good research to do. a question that would be very produc- against and shunned by the arts com- The same is done in the National En- tive in leading us to good policy. munity because the other guy had got- dowment for the Arts. We don’t sit Mr. HARKIN. I only responded be- ten the grant, we might never have there. No one in the Government sits cause the Senator raised the issue. He known about Samuel Clemens. there and says we pick this and we pick was saying, questioning me, that was I The point is, when you start with that. They set up boards, commissions, saying all these great ones all received Government identifying and establish- they set up peer review entities that NEA grants. I would say no. But I ing the value for one artist over an- decide what is going to be. You can dis- think the question I asked was how other, picking and choosing between agree with them, and sometimes I have many more were out there that could the levels of free expression, free ex- disagreed with them, too, but that is have risen up? pression in the free society, pushing no reason to end the National Endow- He mentioned Samuel Clemens. That people toward politically correct ex- ment for the Arts. was the last century and of course, pression, there are risks involved there So I repeat, Mr. President, I had a again, we had great musicians and we that might result in stifling other peo- lengthy conversation yesterday with had great artists and poets in the past. ple who are not favored by the Govern- Mr. George Plimpton and today, again, But again, I challenge my friend from ment. So, it seems to me there are with Jorie Graham, who, I repeat to Missouri to think about this. The few equally—it’s equally possible that my friend from Missouri, won the 1996 that we talk about in the past century there are great writers who are being Pulitzer Prize for poetry. She was em- were so few in number. I mean, they stifled by the current system—there phatic that she and so many of her col- were absolutely the pinnacle, abso- are art critics who say there are—just leagues would not have been able to de- lutely the best. How many more who as much as there might have been peo- velop their talents were it not for the didn’t quite make it up there could ple in previous years who didn’t rise to NEA grants they received, and then go have been very good? Maybe they the level of being able to write because on to win the Pulitzer Prize. wouldn’t have been the top echelon, they lacked the Federal subsidy. She said the NEA took a risk, I say but they might have been very good Mr. HARKIN. I say to my friend from to my friend from Missouri. She said it writers and purveyors of senses of the Missouri, he couldn’t be further from was a gamble. They didn’t know if she September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9473 was going to be a good writer, poet or aesthetics of that State or that region So he has 12 principles. I will not not. But she said the cost to the tax- or that area? That is why NEA grants read them all, obviously, but I will payers for the creative fellowship was 2 go out to regions and geographically so read the seventh principle of Mr. Frank cents, two pennies. That is what we are it doesn’t just go to one certain area of Luntz, who is writing this for the GOP: putting into supporting writers and America. ‘‘Abolish the National Endowment for poets around the country—2 cents per The critics many times focus only on the Arts.’’ That is what he is saying taxpayer. those from the cities, but as I have just Republicans should say: ‘‘Abolish the Again, if I may use the analogy of pointed out, many, many, many rural National Endowment for the Arts.’’ the National Institutes of Health, we writers have also received awards and ‘‘This makes sense,’’ Mr. Luntz says, don’t expect that all $13.5 billion that many have gone on to do great things. ‘‘for strategic reasons as well as on we have put in every year at NIH is So, the Senator from Missouri can principle.’’ I will give him that benefit. going to produce a medical miracle. get up all he wants. I just wish he ‘‘Napoleon spoke of the importance of Not at all. A lot of that research is would be straight with the facts. First feeding your army if you expect the dead end and nothing ever happens, but of all, he or his staff should have soldiers to go off to battle. You must we believe in doing the research. checked and let us know—let everyone deliver some nourishment to the true So, again, NIH is not right 100 per- know—that this poem was awarded a believers. You need a symbol that both cent of the time, and we shouldn’t ex- grant in 1969. differentiates the two parties and stirs pect the National Endowment for the Second, I wish the Senator from Mis- up the troops.’’ Arts to be right 100 percent of the time souri had further checked his facts and No. 7 in his book of the 12 principles. and that every writer that is picked found out that the book ‘‘Blood of If you want to stir up the troops, through this process is going to be a Mugwump’’ received no NEA grant. A that is fine. Again, I hope they will be Pulitzer Prize winner or another Sam- letter from NEA March 17, 1997, points clear on the facts and that we under- uel Clemens or another Jorie Graham. out that ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ did not stand what this is about. I don’t be- No, some of them won’t make it, but at receive an NEA grant. lieve it is really valid, and, again, I least we are getting them out. As I said to my friend from Missouri, happen to like the Senator from Mis- As Jorie Graham told me, she said, all he has to do, if ever he has a doubt souri, he is a good guy and I like him, ‘‘You know, there is a market out about what NEA is doing, is pick up but I think he has gotten mixed up on there. The American people aren’t stu- the phone and call them—they are here his facts. But then, again, we all do pe- pid. If they read the poetry and they in Washington—and ask them and they riodically around here. But I just wish read the literature, like cream on will be glad to set you straight on what that he would be a little bit more care- milk, the best will rise to the top.’’ But they are doing. ful in looking at what the National En- until you put that milk together and I will wind up by saying, Mr. Presi- dowment for the Arts really does and put it in the bottle, forget it. That is dent, for 2 cents from every taxpayer in how it operates in Missouri and Iowa what we are doing through the NEA America—just 2 pennies—we can go out and the Midwest and to think about grants; we are bringing these people to- and lift up some of these young writers whether or not we would want to throw gether and giving them an outlet for and poets all over America, artists who out all funding for the National Insti- their creative abilities. Some will may be like Jorie Graham and have a tutes of Health because some of the make it, some won’t. Some will write a young child but they have innate tal- money we gave them might have gone one-word poem that is calligraphic. It ent, to be able to get across to people, for bad research or something we didn’t may mean something to somebody. It as she did with poetry, what it is like like. I don’t think so. doesn’t particularly to me. Or some in small rural towns or small commu- We may not like all the things the people like the poet I just pointed out nities of rural Iowa. She said without NEA does, but on the whole, out of will write a 17-page poem, which also those 2 cents and with a small child, 112,000 grants in its history, this Sen- didn’t mean much to me either. she wouldn’t have been able to do it. ator only knows of 40 that has been But I can tell you that there are The Senator can get up and say he raised as issues on the floor of the Sen- some writers in here that have meant a doesn’t like ‘‘Lighght’’; that is fine. ate or the House in the 22 years I have lot to me and a lot to a lot of other There is a lot of poetry I don’t like ei- been privileged to serve here. people. People like Robert Penn War- ther. As I said, I am not partial to this So, again, Mr. President, the Na- ren, John Ashberry, Jim Harrison, W. particular poem, although there is a tional Endowment for the Arts is much S. Merwyn, who, by the way, was also lot of calligraphic poetry I do like. too important to us as a nation, much at the Writers Workshop and received I will say one other thing. I was look- too important for America, for our di- the Pulitzer Prize in poetry, and James ing at some information that came out versity, for understanding who we are Tate, Joyce Carol Oates. They were in from Mr. Frank Luntz. I don’t know and where we have come from and per- this anthology, too. So I guess that is Mr. Frank Luntz, but he has been in haps even where we are going to have what we are saying. It is not an elitist the news a lot lately. He wrote a book maybe one example of one poem dis- institution. The creative writer fellow- on how the GOP can use language to liked by one or two or three Senators ships are made to writers with no other manipulate people. His book is called be the cause of not funding the entire means to support themselves. These ‘‘The Language of the 21st Century.’’ I National Endowment for the Arts. It grants don’t go to the wealthy; they guess it was presented to the Repub- has done an outstanding job. We should don’t even go to the middle class. lican conference before the August re- make sure we continue to fund it, not Second, I might point out to my cess. I was looking at some excerpts so that Government can pick winners friend from Missouri, these grants also from Mr. Luntz’ book. He is saying how and losers and all that, but to make are awarded geographically, not just to people should talk about things. Oh, sure that those who are out there in a few areas. Since these grants are there is addressing the gender gap. the field, those budding writers and awarded on a geographical basis, the There is health care. How to talk about poets will at least have some hope that writings that we get reflect the re- Clinton. Education. And then he has they, too, can become the next Jorie gional and aesthetic values of those re- here, ‘‘Prolog: Luntz’s 12 step program Graham at the Writers Workshop in gions. How else could we get the flavor to make Republican language more Iowa and win a Nobel Prize for her or of what it means to be born and raised soothing to voters.’’ his poetry. I yield the floor. in Iowa on a farm unless perhaps we Here is a quote from his book: The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who read something by Jane Smiley, ‘‘A Every time Republicans get into a conflict yields time? Thousand Acres,’’ and what it means with the President, you begin to shout, mis- Mr. BINGAMAN addressed the Chair. today about what is happening to the takenly believing that if you speak loud The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- farmers in Iowa. Or what would it enough, your message will get through. But the American people aren’t deaf. They sim- ator from New Mexico. mean if we didn’t have a flavor of what ply don’t understand what you’re saying, nor Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I was happening in the West or in the understand its relevance to their day-to-day wish to speak for a few minutes also in South with writers who can under- lives. Linguistically, you’re out of touch support of the National Endowment for stand, who feel and are sensitive to the with the American people. the Arts and a strong Federal role in S9474 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 supporting the arts. I am honored to have in my State and in the Southwest ship last year. He was involved with follow the eloquent Senator from Iowa. in general. the Smithsonian Institution in an ex- I think he has made a very strong case New Mexico has a wealth of artists hibit that attracted national attention. for continued Federal support in this and musicians, museums and arts cen- And this type of recognition enriches area. I also believe the Senator from ters. NEA support over the last several the lives of many of our artists and of Utah, Senator BENNETT, made a very years has strengthened the arts and visitors that come to our State. eloquent statement in support of the strengthened arts education in New I fought very hard in the last Con- NEA and demonstrated great common Mexico in very important ways. It has gress to maintain the program of herit- sense in much of what he said there. benefited the children in my State. age grants to outstanding individuals. Over the past few days, several of my Research has shown that art and But despite all these benefits that I colleagues have attacked the NEA, and music education is extremely impor- have gone through here we have Mem- one of the attacks has been that NEA tant to the development, the proper de- bers of Congress, Members of the Sen- funds are concentrated too much in big velopment of a child. Healthy brain de- ate, who continue to campaign to cities—six big cities in particular. I velopment in very young children is eliminate the National Endowment for want to make it clear at the beginning aided by arts education and by expo- the Arts. I believe we need to resist of my comments that none of those big sure to art and to music. Problem-solv- that. We need to also resist turning cities are in New Mexico, but still the ing skills are enhanced. There is im- this into a block grant program. NEA does support a very wide spec- provement even on math tests as a re- On July 23 of this year the Labor trum of arts in my State of New Mex- sult of exposure to music. That has Committee marked up and passed the ico. been demonstrated in various tests in NEA’s reauthorization. Even though NEA funds come to my State and recent years. the measure has not come to the Sen- support everything from opera to cow- I recently attended a program in Al- ate floor, people here in the Senate boy poets. In my hometown of Silver buquerque which was inspirational. It need to know the outcome of the com- City where I grew up, we have an an- was called ‘‘Starts with the Arts.’’ It mittee’s deliberations. nual event where cowboy poets come was a conference for children with ex- Like most of us in the committee, I from all over the country to partici- ceptional needs at the Very Special concluded that the NEA now strikes pate. It is my understanding—and I can Arts Center in Albuquerque. Clearly, the right balance, the right balance be- be corrected on this—but it is my un- this is making a great contribution to tween national involvement, State and derstanding that the first cowboy po- the lives of those children. local involvement. NEA has been criticized as ineffi- etry convention or conference that oc- In 1997, $90,000 from the National En- cient. But under the leadership of its curred in this country was in Elko, NV, dowment for the Arts came through present chairman, the NEA has estab- our State arts agency to assist with and was sponsored by the NEA. And lished numerous accountability and that type of program. they have continued with that tradi- streamlining measures that ensure re- This has benefited not only children, tion in Elko, NV, ever since. sponsible use of Federal funds—consoli- So clearly the funds go to a broad young children, but it benefits stu- dating administrative operations of the range of arts. There have been more dents, programs like the Working NEA and the NEH, the National En- Classroom in Albuquerque. This is a than 20 national competitive grants in dowment for the Humanities; reducing free year-round art and theater in- my State in 1996. administrative costs of both. NEA National Heritage awards have struction program in the Broadway There are peer review panels that are gone to individuals in my State. NEA section of Albuquerque in southeast Al- chosen from all sections of the country has supported the arts in education buquerque. under this language that we adopted in strongly in my State. Disadvantaged, at-risk children this reauthorization bill. We ensured This year, the NEA provided the New starting in their early teenage years that all sections of the country would Mexico State arts agency with a participate in this. There is reduced be represented. We ensured also that on $380,000 block grant. So some of the dropout rates as a result of this work. the peer review panels that no State Federal funds that come from the NEA There is substantial beautification of would be unduly represented. do come in block grant form so that some areas of downtown Albuquerque Some groups continue to spread what the State can make the judgment. through the painting of murals. That I believe are misrepresentations about Those funds are matched on a 2-to-1 program has been supported by NEA NEA support for obscene art projects. basis with State funding. They enable funding as well. Most of those stories turn out to be our State agency to make 125 awards, In 1997, they received $15,000 from the half-stories. Many of those stories in- both small awards and large awards. NEA through a State block grant. So volve subgranting of NEA dollars for NEA’s goal is to support the arts that the decision was made by the State to objectionable projects. It is my under- enrich the lives of everyone in our put that money into the Working standing that the chairman, the country. I have seen that in my own Classroom Program, but it was funding present chairman of the NEA, has State of New Mexico over the 14, 15 that came through the National En- eliminated the practice of subgranting years that I have served here in the dowment for the Arts. NEA awards except to State arts coun- Senate, Mr. President. I have seen arts There have been benefits to many of cils. councils established and grow in vir- the communities in our State, as I in- I am convinced that the arts and arts tually every community in New Mex- dicated, that not only benefits to the education contribute enormously to ico. cultural lives of those communities but the cultural life of our country. I There was a time in my State when also to tourism, to economic develop- strongly believe we should maintain it. the arts were essentially Santa Fe and ment, to job creation. I had the good fortune, Mr. Presi- Taos. If you started talking about the Mr. President, I do not have exact dent, last night to attend a reception arts, whether they were paintings or figures to provide to the Senate today, and dinner at the Library of Congress chamber music or the opera or any of a but I can tell you that the arts are a and to see there the program that they variety of arts, you talked about Santa substantial part of the reason why have developed and put on the Internet Fe and Taos. But that is no longer true tourists come to my State. Whatever for anyone in this country to dial up in my home State of New Mexico. we do to strengthen the arts also who wants to dial up Thomas— At the present time in New Mexico strengthens our economy and helps to ‘‘www.Thomas.org’’ I believe is how. there is an arts council in virtually strengthen the economy of all those But you can get into Thomas. And every community, every community of communities. It benefits a wide audi- when you do, you can get access to all any size in the State. And those arts ence. of the photographs that were taken in councils are bringing into those com- We benefit a wide audience by giving this country during the 1930’s under the munities artists who contribute a tre- recognition to local artists, artists Federal Writers Project which was part mendous amount to the lives of the such as Ramon Jose Lopez, who is a of the Works Progress Administration, people who live there. I am very proud santero and is a master metalsmith. He the WPA, at that time. That was of the rich tradition of arts that we won an NEA National Heritage Fellow- money well spent. September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9475 We are not here through the NEA duced. On the other hand, the NEA has crease. For this minute investment of having the Government choose who to made changes in its policies and oper- 38 cents per year, the American people support and who not to support. That ation to safeguard against providing get orchestras, chamber music ensem- is done by peer review panels. But I Federal dollars to distasteful and, yes, bles, children’s festivals, operas, poetry think it is anomalous to suggest that perhaps, inappropriate projects. So, readings, concerts in the parks, music the Federal Government has no inter- some bad and some good has come from festivals, Shakespeare festivals, artists est in this issue or to suggest that Fed- our discussions here. visiting schools, museum and gallery eral Government should not be able to Now, we are in the midst of another exhibits, dance troupes, and much lend its support to a richer cultural life such debate. The House voted to elimi- more. For this tiny investment, local for this country. nate funding for the NEA. It even re- communities in rural areas far from So I very much hope that we will re- jected a proposal to provide $10 million our Nation’s cultural centers are able sist all efforts to eliminate the NEA in close down costs. There are Senators to experience our rich artistic tradi- and to drastically change its structure. who support the House and have of- tions. Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise fered amendments to eliminate funding According to BusinessWeek maga- today in opposition to the Ashcroft for the NEA altogether. Others would zine, the arts support 1.3 million jobs. amendment. This amendment would eliminate the Endowment by providing The arts contribute $36.8 billion annu- eliminate the National Endowment for all of the appropriated dollars directly ally to our economy, and 6 percent of the Arts [NEA], an organization which to the States in the form of block the GNP is attributable to nonprofit has come under unfair attack in the grants based on State populations. arts activities. past few years. Still others would allow the Endow- In Rhode Island, we count our artists Funding for the NEA has consist- ment to continue but would vastly di- among our State’s natural resources, ently dropped. Funding last year was minish its role by sending the lion’s among the resources that are contrib- $99.5 million, a 39-percent decrease in 2 share of funding to the States as block uting to a wonderful revitalization, years. Now, many of my colleagues grants. particularly evident in Providence. We want to abolish the endowment com- Earlier this summer, I introduced are very fortunate to be home to one of pletely. I disagree with this approach. legislation with Senators JEFFORDS the most prestigious art schools in the For every Federal dollar invested in and KENNEDY to reauthorize both the Nation, Rhode Island School of Design. the arts, our citizens receive an enor- National Endowment for the Arts and RISD draws young artists to Rhode Is- mous return. My state of Maryland re- the National Endowment for the Hu- land from around the globe. Perhaps ceived $1.4 million in arts funding last manities for 5 years. The Labor and because of our State’s marvelous qual- year. This means that the Baltimore Human Resources Committee marked ity of life or perhaps because of the ef- Childrens Theater Association is able up the bill and reported it from the forts of community leaders and State to thrive. It means that the Baltimore committee on a bipartisan basis. Ac- officials to develop an atmosphere in Museum of Art can bring world renown cording to our bill, 40 percent of funds which the arts can flourish, many of exhibits to the citizens of my State. would go to State arts agencies, 40 per- these fine art students stay and con- And it means that local communities cent would be used by the Endowment tribute to our community and to our throughout Maryland have access to to support projects of national signifi- economy. community festivals, arts centers, and cance, 10 percent would be for direct Let me share a few excerpts from a galleries. grants, and the remaining 10 percent letter I received earlier this summer There is a myth that the arts are for would go to arts education in under- from Roger Mandle, President of RISD. the elite. However, I believe the arts served communities. All funds appro- Mr Mandle writes: are about three things: Jobs, economic priated beyond the current level of $99 Federal support for the arts and human- development, and families. The arts at- million also would go to arts edu- ities is more than a symbolic matter, and tract jobs. The arts help create eco- cation. helps to leverage strong state and local pri- nomic development in communities. My colleagues might wonder: Why vate sector support for operas, dance compa- The arts are family first. this emphasis on arts education? All nies, symphonies and museums. Students of The cost of Federal funding for the across the Nation, arts education is schools and colleges gain access, some for arts is 35 cents for every citizen. The being integrated into the core curricu- the first time, as performers or audiences for arts are a sound investment. The re- lum of schools. This integration is the these cultural activities. Cities and towns benefit from the tourism generated by the wards are great. result of the realization that an arts institutions and events they sponsor. Fed- Federal funding for the NEA has led education can help students to develop eral inspiration to maintain and support to the flourishing of arts organizations better skills in analysis, problem solv- America’s cultural heritage comes at a small in small cities and rural areas across ing, and just plain thinking. This is in price to every citizen. The existence of these the country. In my State of Maryland, addition to nurturing and developing Endowments helps to compare ourselves fa- local arts agencies are able to leverage the child’s imagination and creativity. vorably to other nations whose govern- Federal dollars for their fundraising ef- A study by the College Entrance Ex- mental support for the arts exceeds that of forts. amination Board found that students the United States by many times. Without Federal support, Maryland- who have studied the arts regularly Some critics of the NEA suggest that ers wouldn’t have the Puppet Co. in outperform students who do not have supporting the arts should be left up to Glen Echo, the Bluebird Blues Festival an arts background on SAT exams. Ac- the private sector. They contend that at Prince George’s Community College, cording to the study, students who there is no purpose for Federal support the Writers Center in Bethesda, or the have studied the arts for 4 years score and that the arts would do just fine University of Maryland music pro- 53 points higher on the verbal SAT without it. Mr. President, you may be grams. exam and 35 points higher in math interested to know that since the cre- I am committed to protecting the than do students who lack arts edu- ation of the NEA 30 years ago, the Federal role in the arts. We should not cation. number of nonprofit theaters has become the only civilized country in Senator GORTON recognizes the im- grown from 56 to more than 400; the the world that does not support the portance of continuing to fund the Na- number of orchestras has quadrupled to arts. tional Endowment for the Arts. The more than 200; the number of opera I urge my colleagues to join me in bill he has brought before us even pro- companies has grown from 27 to more opposing the Ashcroft amendment. vides a small increase to the NEA, than 100; the number of dance compa- Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, for from $99 to $100 million. The NEA costs nies has increased from 30 to about 250; years during consideration of the Inte- each American less than 38 cents per and today there are more than 3,000 rior appropriations bill, the Senate has year. My colleagues might be inter- public arts agencies in small cities and debated the fate of the National En- ested to know that a recent Lou Harris towns throughout the United States. dowment for the Arts. Those debates poll showed overwhelming support There is no doubt in my mind that the have had mixed results. On one hand, among the American people for arts NEA, whose budget is seven-tenths of 1 NEA funding has been severely re- funding, even if it meant a tax in- percent of federal spending, has had a S9476 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 sizable contribution in making the arts National Endowment for the Arts. I op- tional impact. Programs of this large accessible to all Americans, rather pose the amendment. There are also scale are best run, are most efficiently than to an elite few. several amendments that seek to re- run, on a national level. Most states I was curious about the idea of pro- strict, censor, or block grant the NEA. cannot take on a project of this mag- viding block grants to the States. Mr. President, in my view, the arts nitude. Another national program that Surely, that would mean more money play an enormously important role in the NEA says will be eliminated under to the State arts agencies, and they shaping our national culture and our block granting is the Mayor’s Institute would be all for it. But, of course, that local communities. The question is on City Design, in which over 300 of the is not the case at all. I asked Randall what is the best way for the Federal nation’s mayors have had the oppor- Rosenbaum, executive director of the Government to fund the arts, if at all. tunity to meet with planners and ar- Rhode Island State Council on the NEA IS A SUCCESS chitects to discuss urban design issues. Arts, what he thought of either provid- Since the NEA’s creation in 1966, This single grant benefited over 300 ing the entire appropriated amount for there has been an explosion of commu- American communities. the NEA directly to the States in the nity arts in local communities PRIVATIZATION OF NEA form of block grants, or increasing the throughout the country. There are 8 Other members of this body would size of the State block grants by scal- times more nonprofit theaters, 7 times like to privatize the National Endow- ing back NEA grants to projects of na- more dance companies, and 4 times ment for the Arts. I believe this would tional significance. Here is what Mr. more orchestras and opera companies. be a grave mistake. According to Inde- Rosenbaum had to say: The impact of the National Endowment pendent Sector’s 1996 Giving and Vol- While the Rhode Island State Council on is far reaching. Through sponsorship of unteering survey, households giving to the Arts might, on appearance, benefit from the arts, the NEA can stimulate ex- the arts, culture, and humanities has such a move (we would not), the Nation as a pressions of our national character in decreased by 29 percent since 1987. whole would suffer immeasurably. The Fed- many localities and guide our young eral Government’s leadership in arts funding ‘‘Giving USA’’ found that total dona- has been critical to State and local efforts to people and pump hundreds of millions tions to the arts and humanities de- raise matching dollars from public and pri- of dollars into local economies. Mr. clined by $270 million between 1992 and vate sources to support the arts. Stacks of President, if it were not for the strong 1995 and private donations to the arts research support this point . .. leadership of the NEA, many rural and humanities decreased by 7.7 per- More to the point, if the money is just areas and impoverished communities cent in 1992 and to 6.9 in 1995. These block granted to the States, we will lose one would be denied the opportunity to ex- statistics do not bode well for arts of the most precious things the NEA has to perience artistic presentations, per- without the support of a federal endow- offer, leadership in development of public formances, and education. policy in support of the arts. A strong fed- ment. eral presence through the arts endowment ACADEMIC BENEFITS CONTROVERSIAL NEA GRANTS has changed the nature of an arts field I have Exposure to the arts has academic I have heard some Senators criticize worked in since 1976. Through its consensus benefits. According to College En- the questionable content of past NEA building, policy making, and yes, financial trance Examination Board, students grants. I agree there have been mis- support, I have seen more emphasis on access with more than four years of course takes. Yet, throughout the NEA’s 30- for all Americans to the arts. NEA-supported work in the arts score 59 points higher year history, ‘‘objectionable’’ grants projects in Rhode Island ensure that every- on the verbal and 44 points higher on one, from toddlers to seniors, experiences the have amounted to only 45 out of more arts on a personal level. the math portions of the SAT. Children than 112,000 grants. This figure trans- with a background in piano have also The NEA supports the Rhode Island lates to approximately four-one-hun- scored better in math. Philharmonic Orchestra, and I have dredths of 1 percent of all grants. Few heard from many of its musicians writ- ECONOMIC BENEFITS other federal agencies can claim the ing in strong support of continued The National Endowment for the same small proportion of error or high funding. It provides funds to the Trin- Arts contributes to our national econ- rate of success. ity Repertoire Co., to RISD and to omy. For every $1 spent by the NEA, NEW REFORMS Brown University. But it also provides $34 are returned to the U.S. Treasury. NEA grantees must now adhere to funds to smaller, less well known thea- Because of the Endowment’s support of strict guidelines to ensure quality con- ter and dance companies, such as the arts, the arts industry has boomed. tent: all grants to individual artists ‘‘Lydia Perez and Ensemble’’ whom I Every $1 spent by the NEA attracts $12 have been eliminated, all grants to or- was privileged to hear at a gathering in to the arts from other sources. The ganizations must be for grants specifi- Providence in July. Ms. Perez special- nonprofit are industry now generates cally described in the application, all izes in bomba’’ music. Grants have $37 billion annually in economic activ- grantees must file interim and final gone to the All Children’s Theater En- ity. The nonprofit arts industry also project reports, and all grantees must semble in Providence, to the Black- employs nearly 1.3 million Americans seek written permission in advance to stone Valley Tourism Council, to the and represents nearly one percent of change grant activities proposed in the Capeverdean American Community De- the entire U.S. work force. organizational application. velopment Center in Pawtucket, to the BLOCK GRANTS In conclusion, Mr. President, I re- Children’s Museum of Rhode Island, to Some of my colleagues believe that mind my colleagues that most great the Festival Ballet of Rhode Island, to all of the NEA’s funds should go to the civilizations are remembered primarily the Island Arts Center in Newport, to states in the form of block grants. for their arts. Already, the United the Ocean State Light Opera, and to Under current law, states have direct States spends nearly fifty times less on literally dozens of other community control over 35% of NEA funds in the the arts than any of its major allies. arts groups. form of block grants and state arts The National Endowment for the Arts Mr. President, I wholeheartedly sup- agencies believe this is the appropriate represents a national commitment to port Senator GORTON’s efforts to con- federal-state balance. our nation’s culture, history, and peo- tinue to fund the National Endowment LOSSES UNDER BLOCK GRANTS ple. If the NEA were to be privatized, for the Arts and the National Endow- If further block granting is success- block granted, or eliminated, not only ment for the Humanities, and I support ful, states will lose hundreds of na- would we suffer a great economic loss, Senator JEFFORDS as he works to reau- tional grants that benefit all Ameri- but more importantly Americans, par- thorize both Endowments for 5 years. I cans. For example, according to the ticularly those living in rural and low- urge my colleagues to reject efforts to NEA, under block granting shows on income areas, would suffer a great loss. eliminate the Endowments, either by public television like Great Perform- The NEA benefits our young people, cutting funding or by creating block ances, Dance in America, American our communities, and our economy. We grants to the States. Playhouse, and American Masters will cannot deny our citizens this national Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, the be lost. 98% of American homes have treasure. Senate today is considering the access to public television—a great ex- Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise Ashcroft amendment to eliminate the ample of one grant having a huge na- before you today to express my support September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9477 for the NEA and to articulate the im- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who From an article by Jan Breslauer, in portance of preserving the arts in yields time? a special to the Washington Post—and America. I would like to take this op- Mr. ASHCROFT addressed the Chair. certainly the Washington Post is not portunity to briefly describe to my col- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- some sort of conservative journal. Jan leagues how the NEA, in it’s unique ca- ator from Missouri. Breslauer is from Los Angeles and I be- pacity, has strengthened the values Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I lieve is normally a critic for the Los and cultural education of the people in yield myself so much time as I might Angeles Times in their arts depart- my state. Specifically, it has played a consume. ment. She puts it this way, that the critical role in enhancing the local tal- I do want to be responsive to some of NEA has had a bad impact on art. It ent and in funding community edu- the comments that were made by those has—according to her—‘‘. . . quietly cation activities for all Louisiana fam- in opposition to this amendment. pursued policies rooted in identity pol- They have suggested over and over ilies and children. Mr. President, not itics—a kind of separatism that empha- again that difficulties are isolated, only has the NEA provided access to sizes racial, sexual and cultural dif- that they are misrepresented. And I the arts for the less advantaged in all ferences above all else.’’ want to bring some sense of authen- of the 64 parishes, reaching a total au- So in choosing people to assemble an- tication to the kinds of things in which dience of 7.5 million Louisianians by thologies or in choosing publishers to funding programs like philharmonics, I have been involved. In talking about the poem favor or in choosing artists to favor, ballets and training for young talented ‘‘Lighght,’’ if that is what this poem is, here is an independent individual who inner-city artists, but NEA has also the one-word poem, there was a ques- writes for the Los Angeles Times, writ- played a vital role in supporting cul- tion about the documentation for the ing in the Washington Post, and here is tural tourism. The NEA-funded arts payment of $1,500 for the poem. The what she says about it on March 16, programs have remained a consistent documentation we have is from Policy 1997. source of economic revenue for Louisi- Analysis, August 8, 1990, No. 137, ‘‘Sub- Perhaps this poem that I used as an ana with our rich musical and cultural sidies to the Arts: Cultivating Medioc- example is a poem from years gone by. history. We have a brilliant history of rity,’’ by Bill Kauffman. And I quote: It happens to be a lot cleaner than any talented local artists and renowned of the other examples which are objec- The NEA has been more patronizing than musicians that people from all over the patron to the towns and villages of Middle tionable now. There are a lot of mate- world come to Louisiana to experience. America. rials that I simply could not bring to Mr. President, as a nation that values So that is interesting to me, and es- the floor in good conscience. I held one the promotion of individual creative pecially in light of the remarks of the up a moment ago that showed what we talent and these contributions to our Senator from Iowa as if the NEA has had to mark out in order to bring it to cultural fabric, I encourage and re- been a savior to middle America. the floor. spectfully ask my colleagues not to An example: In 1969, NEA grantee But she puts it this way, that what abandon our national responsibility George Plimpton, editor of the Amer- has happened here is that the NEA and to support an equitable balance of ican Literary Anthology/2, confounded ‘‘. . . has quietly pursued policies root- grant distribution to the NEA. We have observers by paying $1,500 for a poem ed in identity politics—a kind of sepa- all seen the NEA adhere to the valid by Aram Saroyan consisting of a single ratism that emphasizes racial, sexual concerns of my colleagues, Senator misspelled word, ‘‘lighght.’’ and cultural difference above all else.’’ HELMS and Senator SESSIONS. I give That is interesting. We have been I would expect that to be something Jane Alexander her due credit for put- through this particular poem. This is that hurts the culture. When the Gov- ting in place a new organizational the entirety of the poem for which tax- ernment spends $100 million to favor structure—including the elimination of payers paid. I suppose you can say it is people who will emphasize racial, sex- all sub-grants and grants to individual a better poem if you put it on a bigger ual and cultural differences, that is bad artists. Yes, there are clear examples piece of paper so that you have a sense for America. My colleague and friend in the past where the NEA should have of the calligraphy involved. I will be from Iowa can hold up 2 pennies and used better judgment, but I ask my col- willing to concede that, although I say this is what it costs. Well, he can leagues to concur that this is by no think the Senator from Iowa says it show me the line on the appropria- means grounds to deny our children did not mean much to him anyhow. tions, if he chooses, that says it costs 2 the right to access the arts—and not But it is kind of an interesting thing, cents, but the truth of the matter is we just on the state level in the form of when an assistant to an Iowa Congress- are debating $100 million in expendi- block grants—but with a national com- man asked this grantee about the tures here, $100 million in expenditure mitment. Mr. President, I do not want meaning of the poem, here is what the that, according to this independent ob- to debate the past nor do I think I can person to whom we gave the Federal server, says it emphasizes our racial di- define what is art and what is not art. funds for the distribution among other visions. We don’t need anyone to em- However, there are clear examples authors in the assemblage of this work phasize the divisions in this country across the nation where NEA funding said. The editor replied, ‘‘You are from racially, our divisions sexually, or our has supported the very talented and the Midwest. You are culturally de- cultural differences. worthy people we all represent. I sup- prived, so you would not understand it America needs to get beyond our dif- port my colleagues’ efforts to continue anyway.’’ ferences. We need to be one nation to fund the NEA and to establish a per- When the representative of the agen- united. We don’t need to be a place manent endowment fund that, matched cy that is doling out grants treats where we emphasize these differences. with private funds, would continue the American people who ask that kind of She says, ‘‘The art world’s version of successful private/public partnerships question, about whether or not this is affirmative action, these policies the NEA has created. I look forward to an effective expenditure of tax dollars, haven’t excited much controversy, but the opportunity to work with my col- that way, I do not think that is really they have had a profoundly corrosive leagues to find an agreeable funding such an enriching experience for our effect on the American arts.’’ Now, formula that will show the American culture so that we need to continue here is the real trigger. She states a people that this Congress values and that kind of subsidy. condition which would make this very supports American culture, our cre- There has been a persistent stream of serious and adverse to our culture, and ative talent and the arts. suggestions additionally from those in then she says, the truth of the matter Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, how opposition to this amendment that is this hurts the arts. Then she goes on much time remains if there is time al- there is no problem in the way the to say how it hurts the arts, located on my side on this issue? grants are awarded, and that as a mat- ‘‘pigeonholing artists and pressuring The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. ter of fact these are done by independ- them to produce work that satisfies a FAIRCLOTH). All the time in opposition ent groups and they do not have any politically correct agenda rather than to the amendment has expired. particular slant. That is simply not the their best creative instincts.’’ Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I way the world looks at it when the You have a situation where an inde- yield the floor. world reviews these things. pendent observer says, all of what the S9478 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 NEA says aside, she says they empha- independence or the confidence to pit the Chairman for the National Endow- size things that divide us in race, cul- their taste against those critics, per- ment for the Arts, to the U.S. House of ture, and sexual matters, and that they formers, and artists.’’ Representatives some 2 months after pigeonhole artists by getting them to The point I am making, is the U.S. disavowing this book. In March they know, if you want a grant from whom- Government has no business spending say we don’t want to claim credit for ever it is that the NEA allows to make $100 million—you can talk about it ‘‘Blood of Mugwump,’’ and we think these designations, you have to satisfy being 2 cents if you want; I guess you you have mistakenly or illegally or in- a politically correct agenda. can talk about it being 2 cents. The appropriately—in a letter from the It is interesting to note that there truth is $100 million is $100 million. To general counsel—we think you have are those who are eager to satisfy a po- me that is significant. Most people in mistakenly, illegally, or inappropri- litically correct agenda, and in a list of my State realize $100 million is signifi- ately included the fact that you spent projects that was favored with funds cant. the money. just this year, $60,000 was given to the More important is the fact that Gov- It looks to me like the author or pub- American Conservatory Theatre Foun- ernment should not be favoring one lisher knew where they spent the dation in San Francisco in order to put kind of speech or one kind of expres- money. What do they say about a pub- on a play by Tony Kushner. Here is sion over another kind of speech or an- lisher who does this later on? Here is what Tony Kushner said about art: Art other kind of expression. We should not what Ms. Alexander says about that should be used to ‘‘punish Repub- be highlighting someone’s idea of what publisher. She says, ‘‘The [American licans.’’ I suppose you can say that the is good or what is bad. Family Association] also criticized the funding of his plays is not a problem. I move to another individual, Hilton agency for supporting Fiction Collec- You might say that more eagerly if Kramer. This was published in the Indi- tive 2 (FC–2), a small publisher at the you sat on the other side of the aisle anapolis Star, in 1993. Kramer believes University of Illinois, which has intro- than if you sat here, but frankly, I that the NEA has ‘‘gutted the initia- duced some of our newest minority don’t think anybody on any side of the tive of private patronage.’’ He says writers of quality to the American pub- aisle should want a Government sub- that private donors lack the confidence lic. Over the years, FC–2 has sustained sidy that goes to people who say one of of their own taste. Now they ‘‘wait to a commitment to intellectual chal- the purposes of art—and especially a piggyback on NEA certification before lenge, and some of America’s greatest subsidy for their art—is to punish any they commit.’’ So they wait to see who writers have supported it.’’ political party. the Government says ought to be fa- She goes on to endorse the publisher. I would be ashamed if I were hearing vored and who the Government says We provide the funding for which the arguments in favor of a subsidy for shouldn’t be favored, and then the pri- publisher says part of what we got for some sort of literature which was de- vate donors pile on. I think that is in- it was ‘‘Blood of Mugwump.’’ Here is a signed to punish Democrats. I disagree verted. We have distorted the market- letter saying you better not say we with Democrats, but I don’t think they place by putting Government funding helped publish ‘‘Blood of Mugwump,’’ are to be punished because they don’t into the marketplace. and then they endorse the publisher agree with me. I don’t think we need a Now, back again, to the first ques- and say what a fine group they are. You don’t have to read too far be- subsidy for artists or authors or poets tion of the Senator from Iowa about tween the lines to find out what is who would punish them or otherwise the one-word poem. He says we only paid $107 a letter for this poem. I say going on. speak against them. Incidentally, the ‘‘Blood of Mug- I think that is what Jan Breslauer we paid $214 a letter for this poem wump’’ volume is one which is frankly based on the article in the Policy Anal- was talking about when she said we are so repugnant to the values of Amer- ysis, but let’s just reduce the price. I driving artists into a politically cor- ica—it talks about a clan of Catholic, will give it to you cheap, Mr. Presi- rect agenda. If you want to get the gender-shifting vampires who get infec- dent, $107 a letter for this poem. Yes, it grant, you have to say things like the tions, viruses, by reading prayer books. was 30 years ago, but have the abuses playwright whose plays are being sub- The virus comes in through the eyes. I been corrected? Absolutely not. sidized in San Francisco, that art really cannot imagine this is the kind I talked about a book, ‘‘Blood of should be used to ‘‘punish Repub- of thing we want to suggest to the Mugwump.’’ He says it was disavowed licans.’’ American people, that the way you get by the National Endowment for the Incidentally, there is a list of things the kind of fatal diseases or the way Arts. Here is what the National Endow- here of similar sorts of grants, the you really get involved in things that ment for the Arts says in its letter to kinds of things that I don’t think any are counterproductive is to somehow the publisher, massively subsidized in of us would really want to support. be involved with religious artifacts or I should mention that Jan Breslauer, publishing this book: ‘‘The progress re- read a prayer book that will get you in- in her special to the Washington Post, port which you filed with this agency fected so you start eating your own of the Los Angeles Times, is not the erroneously included ‘Blood of Mug- flesh or the flesh of others. only art critic who says we have been wump’ as among those volumes par- I had my staff look at the book and wasting money on politically correct tially supported by a grant from the just Xerox a couple pages. I told them art. William Craig Rice, from Harvard National Endowment for the Arts; this I didn’t want anything that would of- University, put it this way: ‘‘The mar- is not the case.’’ I want to know who fend the conscience of the American ketplace, with its potential for demo- knows what book was supported when people if I showed it on television, to cratic engagement and dissemination, they got the grant. Would the pub- mark out that which should not be is hardly the enemy of the arts. The lisher know? If you were the business- shown on Senate TV, and that is what burgeoning American theater of the man running the printing press, would came from the book. It carries the so- 19th century owed nothing to Washing- you know how you spent the money? called Good Housekeeping Seal of Ap- ton. In fact, any system of selective, Apparently the people who publish the proval of the National Endowment for expert-dictated Federal support for the book thought they spent the money the Arts. arts would have been anathema to the that came from the Government on the It is kind of interesting, though. Here rollicking impresarios of that era.’’ ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ book. is another set of individuals who have Here you have a poet who says, ‘‘Wait That is why on the book itself they been careful about their statements, a minute, we had great art. We had put the seal of the National Endow- and I think they are appropriate. There great poetry. We had great drama. And ment for the Arts. That is what the have been a lot of suggestions here we had a system of selecting and sup- publisher thinks the money went for. It that this is important or we will not porting on a selective basis art during may be that the National Endowment have anybody who is not well to do who that era. It would have been an anath- for the Arts decided they didn’t want can appreciate art or participate in art. ema, an enemy, a corrosive impact on to claim credit for the book when they I think that is nonsense. those who were involved in the art saw what they had gotten, although I They talked about Robert Penn War- community; creative people expressing, am puzzled by that, too, because of a ren having been included in the anthol- and audiences receiving, without the letter I have seen from Jane Alexander, ogy of poetry. The truth of the matter September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9479 is Robert Penn Warren wrote his fa- for people what they cannot do well for literature and subsidizing this lit- mous ‘‘All the King’s Men’’ in 1945, 20 themselves.’’ I think these are things erature, if it is going to pull the spir- years before the National Endowment that can be done well. itual underpinnings of America from for the Arts came into existence. He There has been some suggestion on beneath us. was a nationally known, world-re- the part of those who would oppose this I know there is a dispute about nowned author. amendment, also, that the existence of whether this publisher was the one The truth of the matter is we have good authors who have received help that got the assistance, or whether this had great individuals who have not re- shows that we should have been subsi- specific book got the assistance. The ceived NEA grants. The suggestion dizing the program. I don’t think that publisher seems to be representing the that because a few people have suc- proves anything at all. You can have a fact that he used the money to publish ceeded or a number of people have suc- good baseball player who got some help this book. The National Endowment ceeded after they have received a Fed- from the Government; does that mean for the Arts, having learned that peo- eral subsidy and that they somehow we should have a program to subsidize ple are distressed about this, now could not have succeeded without a baseball? You have to look at what wants to say that the publisher should Federal subsidy, I can’t really follow happens in the absence of a subsidy and not have used the money for the book. that logic. what happens in the presence of a sub- But then, later on, the Chairman of the America has been full of good people sidy. I think if you look at the first 200 National Endowment for the Arts indi- who have written well and have pro- years of this Nation’s existence, basi- cates that this is one fine publisher and duced well artistically. I don’t think cally where we had no subsidy, the it ought to be credited for what it has there has been any suggestion they quality of art was very good. As a mat- done to bring on line exciting new au- have all been born to rich parents or ter of fact, it may have been better thors who would have novel approaches even predominantly born to wealth. I than it is today. to the world. Some of those novel ap- don’t think the ability to express one’s In many respects, whenever you pro- proaches would certainly be best left self correlates to whether or not you vide a subsidy, you pay for something without a Federal subsidy, in my judg- have wealthy parents. It certainly that the public would not pay for. Now, ment. doesn’t correlate to whether or not you usually the public won’t pay for things I observe the presence in the Cham- have been favored with a Federal that are not as good. In business, for ber of other individuals, such as the grant. example, if you have a subsidy for senior Senator from North Carolina. I One thing that does correlate is the something and it won’t exist unless reserve the balance of my time at this fact that most Federal grants, or a you subsidize it, it means that the moment and suggest the absence—— large portion of them, go to support in- market doesn’t really believe that it is Mr. GORTON. Will the Senator with- stitutions that the wealthy patronize worth what people would be asked to hold that? far more than the poor do. pay for it and it simply doesn’t survive. Mr. ASHCROFT. Yes. I am quoting again from Policy Anal- So that subsidies themselves become a Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I be- ysis in an article by Mr. Kauffman, No. way for picking up things, in many re- lieve the senior Senator from North 137, ‘‘Take art museums, a favorite spects, at the bottom end of quality. I Carolina wishes to speak. I understand NEA beneficiary. Eighty-four percent won’t deny that there may be fledgling that the senior Senator from Illinois of art museum visitors have attended artists who may be beginning and would like to speak and doesn’t have college; less than a third of the entire might want to try and find somebody any time left on her side. I ask, how population has.’’ So people who are to provide them a stake so that they long does she wish to speak? getting that subsidy are people who are can get started. But people who find Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Thank you very well educated. He said ‘‘Blue-col- their way into other professions don’t very much. I was going to ask my col- lar workers constitute 47 percent of the have a means of getting started in league if it was possible to have 5 min- workforce but just 7 percent of the art their writing, in their music, and in utes to speak, obviously, in opposition museum audience.’’ their paintings. For my music and for to the amendment. I know there is no So you have basically one-seventh of my writing, I have never had that kind time for the opponents left. If my col- the art museum audience that is blue of subsidy. I have done it on my own. It leagues would so indulge me, I would collar. is not that I resent those who do. But be grateful. I am not saying we should not have I think it is important for us to under- UNANIMOUS-CONSENT AGREEMENT art museums, but I am saying we ought stand that when the Government Mr. GORTON. I am certainly not to be careful, when we talk about sub- chooses one and denies another, it ex- going to have any objection to that re- sidies, that we don’t suggest to people presses a special set of values. In my quest. I wanted to find out where we we are subsidizing things for people view, that special set of values is some- are in order to announce what I can an- who cannot afford them when in fact thing that we ought to be careful nounce, and this would not be incon- we are subsidizing programs for people about, especially when that special set sistent with the request of the Senator who can very well afford them. of values is found in books like ‘‘Blood from Illinois. Robert J. Samuelson, a well-known, of Mugwump,’’ where you have people It looks like this debate will be con- outstanding economist and commenta- who are sexual deviants and vampires, cluded at about 4:45. There will then be tor, put it this way, calling subvention who involve themselves in cannibalism a vote, I believe, on the amendment. I of the arts ‘‘highbrow pork barrel,’’ and and other things as a result of their certainly do not propose to table the ‘‘an income transfer from middle-class problems, which come to them because amendment. taxpayers to affluent museum goers.’’ they were involved in religious experi- I now, with the permission of the mi- Now, I think the point is that to sug- ences. I think that is an affront. I am nority leader, ask unanimous consent gest that the National Endowment for not a Catholic. I am grateful for my that immediately following the vote on the Arts is some way that we somehow Catholic friends and for the influence the Ashcroft amendment, there be 2 open a door for everyone who is poor to of the Catholic Church in this culture. minutes of debate, equally divided be- become a great artist is simply to mis- But if I were, as a Catholic, to look at tween Senator BRYAN and myself, to be interpret what is happening here. All the book ‘‘Blood of Mugwump,’’ about followed by a vote on or in relation to too frequently, the National Endow- a Catholic family group of vampires the Bryan amendment No. 1205. ment for the Arts is subsidy for well- with all this deviance and were to learn The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without to-do individuals to be able to do what that it suggested in the book that objection, it is so ordered. they would do anyhow. I believe that many of their problems come as a re- Mr. ASHCROFT. May I inquire as to our responsibility to tax Americans is sult of a virus that infects them be- the current state of business in the not related to providing subsidies for cause they are involved in prayer, I Senate then? What has been done? Has people to do what they can do on their don’t know if I would think that was a the Senator from Illinois been granted own. Maybe Abraham Lincoln said it very appropriate book. I don’t think time to speak? better than anybody else, when he said the Government needs to be in the Mr. GORTON. I don’t think the re- that ‘‘The role of Government is to do business of approaching this culture of quest has been formally made yet. S9480 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN addressed the Mr. GORTON. One other point, for hibit of the Works Progress Adminis- Chair. the convenience of colleagues. When tration that was started, as you know, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The those 2 stacked votes have been com- during the Depression, by President Chair recognizes the Senator from Illi- pleted, we will go to the Abraham Roosevelt. President Roosevelt started nois. amendment and, after that, on the WPA to hire starving artists, and, Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Reserving other two amendments that have al- frankly, every American should be the right to object, and I will not ob- ready been extensively debated on the grateful that he did. The work that ject, necessarily. I wanted to know if National Endowment for the Arts, I be- they did, preserved for us the indige- the Senator from Washington would be lieve there will be 30 minutes equally nous music out of the Delta of Mis- prepared to allow me to speak. divided agreed to on each of those. sissippi, folk music and blues—and oral Mr. GORTON. The Senator from Whether or not those votes will be histories that would have been lost to Washington is not going to object to a stacked to occur all at the same time us forever. We would not have the request by the Senator from Illinois. or not is yet undecided. But there will value of the photographs and the paint- Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Could the be more votes this afternoon. There ings and the music and the original art unanimous-consent request be amended will be more debate on the National that had been created all over this to provide 5 minutes for the Senator Endowment for the Arts. country had it not been for the activi- from Illinois before the vote? The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ties and intercession of the WPA. And The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Chair recognizes the Senator from Illi- so they did all of this wonderful stuff objection? nois. and left it as a legacy to all of us. Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, re- Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. I thank the By and through the arts, the cultural serving the right to object. May I in- Chair. I am going to try to be brief. I fabric of our country was reinforced quire as to how much time is left for have a lot to say and I will try to sum- during some of its darkest days. Now marize. Some friends of mine were hav- debate on this? the National Endowment for the Arts, ing a conversation over dinner, and The PRESIDING OFFICER. There which was created in 1965, is under at- their 5-year-old was sitting at the are 18 minutes 14 seconds for the Sen- tack again. I point out what their char- table. They were talking about this ator from Missouri and 5 minutes for ter says. It says: ‘‘To foster excellence, issue, the funding for the National En- the Senator from Washington. diversity and vitality of art and broad- dowment for the Arts. And Mr. ASHCROFT. Is it my understand- en public access to the arts.’’ midconversation, the baby looked up ing that the Senator from Washington That is the charter; that is what NEA and said, ‘‘Mommy, do Republicans is yielding his 5 minutes to the Senator is supposed to do, and that is what it in hate Big Bird?’’ The answer is obvi- from Illinois? fact has done. Has it followed tradi- ously that Republicans don’t hate Big Mr. GORTON. That understanding tion? A look at the good things it does Bird and, in any event, ‘‘Sesame would not be correct. for our country resoundingly answers Street’’ is only indirectly supported by The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is that question. In Illinois, it has sup- the National Endowment for the Arts. not the case. ported the YMCA of Chicago, The Lyric But there is little question but that Mr. ASHCROFT. Then is it my under- Opera, the Art Institute, and other some have made this issue one of those standing that the Senator from Illinois large institutions that might have pri- wedge issues to inflame passions about is asking that the proponents of this vate support, but then it also, most im- amendment, who have 18 minutes left, cultural values and the role of Govern- ment, to pit people against each other portantly, supports those smaller insti- yield to the opponents an additional 5 and, again, to make us angry at each tutions that would not have the help minutes from their time? other as Americans, and focus in on otherwise. The PRESIDING OFFICER. No. The We have in Illinois received NEA those things that make us different request, as I understand it, of the Sen- grants for the Peoria Symphony and from one another, on the things that ator from Illinois was simply for an separate us instead of the things that the Little City Foundation, Glenn extra 5 minutes—to delay the voting bring us together. Ellyn Children’s Choir—activities that time 5 minutes to give her an addi- Public support of the arts ought to be would not have the support and would tional 5 minutes. one of those points around which we as not be able to leverage private dollars Ms. MOSELEY-BRAUN. Mr. Presi- Americans can come together, because were it not for the NEA. dent, again, as a matter of deference to it is one of the ways in which we define These community initiatives educate my colleagues, if they are prepared to ourselves as Americans and in which children, provide adults with the tools give 5 minutes of debate to the oppo- we communicate the richness of our to socialize our young people, help nent, I would be grateful to accept American culture. communities to build on positive val- that. Alternatively, if the proponents The NEA follows in a noble tradition ues which art inspires. of the amendment would agree to add of publicly supported art initiatives. I would like to quote from Tolstoy an additional 5 minutes, I would be Just last night, we were over at the Li- for a moment who defines art ‘‘as a grateful for that. Really, I am not con- brary of Congress, and there we had an human activity having for its purpose cerned as to the source of the time. I opportunity to see firsthand what pub- the transmission to others of the high- would like to have some time to speak lic support of the arts can do. That est and best feelings to which men have to this before a vote takes place. building is one of the more magnificent risen.’’ Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I treasures of this country. I hope every Obviously, this amendment, I think, suggest the absence of a quorum. American can have the opportunity to takes the position that if you do not The PRESIDING OFFICER. The see it. I was particularly impressed by have private money, those positive val- clerk will call the roll. the room in which we held our meet- ues won’t be available to you or to The legislative clerk proceeded to ing, which had been built by American your community. call the roll. craftsmen—publicly supported, follow- Have there been embarrassments Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I ask ing the end of the Columbian Expo- among the projects supported? Of unanimous consent that the order for sition in my hometown of Chicago— course there have. As with any art, the quorum call be rescinded. who brought a variety of skills to bear some of it will at all times be repug- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without on its creation, the woodworking, plas- nant to somebody. There is 16th cen- objection, it is so ordered. ter work, painting, ceramics—some so tury art around that some of my col- Is there objection to the request of beautifully done that it lifted spirits leagues will find offensive. That is a the Senator from Illinois? just to look at them. matter of their personal taste. But the Without objection, it is so ordered. Some of them were so refined that, truth is that in any republic such as Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, is my frankly, the talents, skills, and art in- ours the freedom we enjoy starts with unanimous-consent agreement on the volved are in danger of being lost to us the proposition that individual expres- stacked votes agreed to? forever. sion is a positive value. Instead of al- The PRESIDING OFFICER. That has Then in another part of the Library lowing for the fact that expression will already been agreed to. of Congress, there is a wonderful ex- be of all kinds, the sponsors of this September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9481 amendment would shut down all ex- sophistry to spend the taxpayers’ his background, the NEA will neverthe- pression because they don’t like some money on programs that every year less—nevertheless—funnel $150,000 of of it. outrage the taxpayers. the taxpayers’ money this year to sup- I urge my colleagues to reject this So the NEA wants to deny funding port his future work. attempt to divide us as Americans, and this filthy book, with all of their dou- That is what is going on. They come I urge their support of the NEA. ble talk about who is paying for it, or forth with obfuscation and confusion, I thank my colleagues for their in- who has paid for it. This book, called Mr. President, and they hoodwink a lot dulgence and thank the Chair. ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ by a fellow of Senators. They didn’t hoodwink Mr. HELMS addressed the Chair. named Doug Rice—the saints have been them over in the House of Representa- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The dis- good to me; I have never heard of him tives. tinguished senior Senator from North before—the most filthy thing I believe The amendment of the Senator from Carolina, Senator HELMS, is recog- I have ever read. And I have not read Missouri deserves to be approved on a nized. but about half a page of it. But down unanimous vote. It won’t be, because Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair. I here it says—what do you guess? The there are enough weak sisters sitting hope the Senator will yield to me 5 or National Endowment for the Arts. Up around that will find some excuse for 6 minutes. here it says that the National Endow- not voting for it. Mr. ASHCROFT. The Senator from ment for the Arts is furnishing the But I commend the Senator, and I Missouri is pleased to yield as much money through the English Depart- praise him for taking the time to ad- time as the distinguished Senator from ment for Contemporary Literature of dress this subject. North Carolina desires. Illinois State University, Illinois Arts One final note. I think it is time to Mr. HELMS. I certainly appreciate Center. end the charade at the NEA and just it. I would have been here earlier but That is the way it always is—subter- acknowledge to the taxpayers once and we had a meeting on China in the For- fuge about what is going on with the for all that Congress will no longer eign Relations Committee. I couldn’t taxpayers’ money. waste money on this Federal agency. leave. The witnesses were long-winded, I am informed that while I was over So the Senate of the United States as well as some others. in the Dirksen Building presiding in ought to do the right thing today by But I compliment the distinguished the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen- adopting the amendment of the Sen- Senator from Missouri. I have been in ator HARKIN inserted a letter from the ator from Missouri. the same position that he has been in NEA disavowing NEA connection with Thank you, Mr. President. for several years. It is pretty lonely. the book. Yet, even the letter acknowl- I yield back such time as I may have. But the people all across this country edges that it was published by FC2. Mr. GORTON addressed the Chair. will admire the Senator from Missouri That is the publishing company, FC2. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The for it, and the Senator will hear from And FC2 put the NEA seal of approval Chair recognizes the distinguished Sen- them—people who believe in high prin- on the copyright page of this book. All ator from Washington. ciples and morality. I just want the I am doing is reading it to you. Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, this Senator to know that he is not being The point, Mr. President, is this: The should be charged to my own time on overlooked. NEA and the FC2 can cook the books this amendment. I want a few minutes this afternoon all they want to, but they know what Mr. President, I recommend to my to reflect upon an Associated Press re- this publishing company is all about, colleagues the rejection of the Ashcroft port published Tuesday morning and they know about the filth that amendment with a degree of sympathy quoting NEA spokeswoman Cherie they have published, particularly in and understanding of the purity and Simon as claiming that ‘‘legislative re- this book. There is not a Senator in the sincerity of his motives. I don’t in- strictions’’ and ‘‘internal reforms’’ this body who will take this book home tend to go into great detail on it. Per- have solved the NEA problem and that and show it to his wife, or her husband, sonally, I think there has been too the NEA ‘‘didn’t fund some of the pro- let alone their children. It is filth. And much detail spent on this amendment grams as HELMS condemned’’. the taxpayers paid for it. No matter and this bill already. Mr. President, isn’t it interesting? what Cherie Simon says about it, the Fundamentally, however, there are You have a little lady —and I know she taxpayers of America paid for this large numbers of people in the United is a nice lady because she is some- book. States who believe passionately in the body’s daughter, but I never heard of On June 24 of this year—long after mission of the National Endowment for her—make this statement, which is not the Senator from Iowa claimed that the Arts. There are millions more who true in the first place, that the NEA is the NEA disavowed ‘‘Blood of Mug- benefit from it directly or indirectly not furnishing taxpayers’ money for a wump’’—Jane Alexander wrote that through the various institutions, musi- whole plethora of rotten material. No FC2—get this—‘‘FC2 has sustained a cal and otherwise, that it supports and other word will fit. This dissembling commitment to intellectual chal- the outreach in educational benefits has been going on, but every year they lenge. . .’’ That is the lady who heads that they provide. At the same time, come up, and say, ‘‘Oh, no. Not us. We the agency. That is the lady whom I there is not the slightest doubt but just fund nice things.’’ like personally. She is a nice lady. But that the National Endowment for the It is sort of like the farmer who I don’t know where she is when all of Arts frequently follows the most recent heard some noise in his chicken house. these decisions are made. This book politically correct trends, that it has He said, ‘‘Who is out there?’’ He heard sure is an intellectual challenge, isn’t wasted some of the money that has a voice say, ‘‘Just us chickens.’’ And it?. I wish every citizen of America been granted to it and has financed that is all the NEA says. I like Jane would take a look at it; they’d want to other exhibits under the broad defini- Alexander. I have met with her. But throw it in the furnace. tion of ‘‘art’’ that are fundamentally they are evading the issue every year. Perhaps we should examine another offensive to large numbers—often to a They are getting money that they example of how these legislative re- majority of the American people. ought not to get every year. strictions and internal reforms work. I believe that the reforms of the last If spokeswoman Cherie Simon, who- The other day on this floor I men- few years have to a significant degree ever she is, believes that ‘‘legislative tioned a grant—for fiscal year 1997—for corrected that shortcoming but that no restrictions,’’ as she put it, and ‘‘inter- a project by choreographer Mark Mor- set of reforms could correct them for- nal reforms,’’ as she put it, have, as she ris. This is the same guy who once ever, simply because we have grants at put it, ‘‘solved’’ the problem, she needs staged a version of The Nutcracker two different levels. The first are the to wake up and smell the coffee be- Suite complete with cross-dressing and direct grants from the National Endow- cause she obviously didn’t understand other unsavory themes. ment itself over which we should exer- the problem in the first place. The If the folks at the NEA want to say cise at least a degree of control that we truth is that legislative restrictions that the taxpayers didn’t fund that already have and about which the Na- and internal reforms mean simply that piece of work, they might be accurate. tional Endowment should be even more the NEA has been using subterfuge and But, knowing this fellow Morris and sensitive than it has been in the past. S9482 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 The second level, of course, are what money on ‘‘Blood of Mugwump.’’ And c. Progress Report. Complete #12 the first grantees do with grants that they get this was brought to the floor by the time the cumulative amount requested ex- from the National Endowment for the Senator from Iowa as testimony that ceeds two-thirds of the grant amount. Con- sult the Reporting Requirements document Arts. The process is more difficult for the National Endowment had nothing included in your grant award package for us to control and often presents some to do with the scandalous and literally guidance on the content of this report. difficulty to the Endowment itself. revolting attack on faith and on per- b Progress report. Please respond in the I have little doubt that there are sons of spiritual values and upon mo- space provided. those at the extremes of the art com- rality that the ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ b Authorizing Official: To the best of my munity who deliberately go out of book represents. And obviously, the knowledge and belief, the data reported their way to use money to offend a ma- National Endowment, having been above are correct and all outlays were jority of Americans. But I want them caught in this indiscretion, feels bad made in accordance with grant condi- tions. Payment is due and has not been to control the ultimate outcome of this about it and seeks to repudiate it. But previously requested. debate no more than I want it con- the Senator from Iowa did not provide Signature: Curtis White. trolled by those who would remove all the additional documentation showing Name/Title: Co-director. limits from the National Endowment that 5 months before that the publisher Contact Person: Curtis White. and spend far more money on it than was submitting a reimbursement form Date 10–10–96. we are doing at the present time. that included ‘‘Blood of Mugwump’’ as Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, the I believe that on balance it is a part of what was being subsidized. situation is simply this. The publisher healthy influence in American society Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- in the previous year was claiming that and, therefore, I think agreeing with sent that this ‘‘Request for Advance or it was publishing with the grant the the House in abolishing it, as this Reimbursement’’ form to which I am ‘‘Blood of Mugwump.’’ I think the record is clear. It may be that the Na- amendment would do, is inappropriate. referring be printed in the RECORD. I have a somewhat greater degree of There being no objection, the form tional Endowment for the Arts doesn’t want to say that the money, our sympathy with those proposals that was ordered to be printed in the money, your money, my money, tax- would decentralize it and give more to RECORD, as follows: payers’ money was being used for what State art entities, although I must say REQUEST FOR ADVANCE OR REIMBURSEMENT I am not at all sure they are going to was obviously revolting or repugnant (Long Form) literature. But the publisher knew be less politically correct than is the Please type or print clearly. what he was using it for and his re- National Endowment itself. My own Complete and mail the top three copies to: quest for reimbursement submitted to opinion is that it is likely that we will Grants Office, National Endowment for the the agency well before, during the pre- come out of the conference committee Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Wash- vious year indicated that the utiliza- with a somewhat more decentralized ington, DC 20506–0001 OR–FAX one copy to 202/682–5610. Do not do both. tion of the resource was for ‘‘Blood of system than we have at the present Mugwump.’’ Nevertheless, the National time. If you need assistance, call 202/882–5403. b Endowment for the Arts says that its But, for the purposes of this debate, I National Endowment for the Arts b Grant #96–5223–0091 grant wasn’t ‘‘Blood of Mugwump.’’ It don’t believe that the Senate is going b Type of payment requested was books like this one, ‘‘S & M.’’ to accept the Ashcroft amendment. a. b Advance Frankly, I could not read a page out of There was no sentiment for it on the b Reimbursement this book that I have seen to the Sen- b 15-member subcommittee that I headed b. Final ate; I could not read it in my home, b Partial that reported this bill, and I do believe could not read it anywhere else. It says this is a case in which we should strive b Basis of request b on the front, ‘‘It’s funny. It’s smart.’’ for greater improvement and greater Cash b Accrued Expenditures It is not, not at all. public acceptability rather than de- b Payment request #2 Fellow Members of the Senate, the stroy the entity in its entirety. b Grantee account or identifying #13–2957841 United States of America has been a I yield the remainder of my time. b Period covered by this request (month/ culture that’s been rich in good art and I believe it is appropriate for the pro- day/year) has been rich in good culture and has ponent of the amendment to have the From 8–15–16 To 11–15–96 attained a level of being a world leader b last word. Grantee (Official IRS name/mailing ad- not because of Government sponsor- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The dress) Fiction Collective, Inc. Unit for Contem- ship, not because of Government tell- Chair recognizes the distinguished Sen- ing people what’s good and what’s not ator from Missouri. porary Literature Illinois State University Normal, IL 61790–4241. good and awarding scholarships or Mr. ASHCROFT. I thank the Chair. I b Remittance address. Complete only if dif- grants to one group and not to another. thank the Senator from Washington. I ferent from #8. We attained our level of greatness in believe the 8 minutes that I have re- For faster payment, complete #14 below. the absence of those things and in the maining will be sufficient for me. b Computation of amount re- presence of a free marketplace, in the I want to begin by thanking Senator quested: presence of freedom for art. a. Total project outlays to HELMS for his understanding of the fact Less than a month before John Ken- that subsidized speech, the process of date (As of 10–10–96)...... $18,000 b. Estimated net cash outlays nedy was assassinated, less than a identifying for Americans what they needed for advance period ... 7,000 month before he died, he was asked to should value and what they should not c. Total (a plus b) ...... 25,000 speak at Amherst College in Massachu- in terms of ideas, somehow selecting d. Non-Endowment share of setts to praise American poet Robert between one author and another, has amount on line c ...... 0 Frost. John Kennedy talked about art been a bad concept. It has been a bad e. Endowment share of and about freedom and about how art- concept which turned into a horrible amount on line c (c minus ists need to be free in order to express d) ...... 25,000 concept as we have literally wasted re- themselves with integrity and how sources, and it has been a waste of re- f. Endowment payments pre- viously requested ...... 16,000 Government might corrupt that proc- sources from the inception. I provided g. Endowment share now re- ess. examples from the 1960’s, and I have ex- quested (e minus f) ...... 9,000 Now, you have to understand that amples from the 1990’s. b Reminders: there was no such thing as the Na- Now, part of the activity on the part a. Authorizing Official. This form must be tional Endowment for the Arts in the of the group that would seek to praise signed by an authorizing official who either lifetime of John Kennedy, President of the National Endowment and say that signed the original application or has a sig- the United States, assassinated in 1963. it is just fine is the suggestion that the nature authorization form on file. If nec- This program, the National Endow- NEA disavowed involvement in the essary, submit an updated signature author- ment for the Arts, was part of Lyndon ization form. publication of the ‘‘Blood of Mug- b. Labor Assurances. In signing below, Johnson’s discontent with America, wump’’ book. grantee is also certifying to the Assurances thinking we could make it a great soci- In March this year they said to the as to Labor Standards printed on the reverse ety by infusing Government money ev- publisher: You shouldn’t have used the of this form. erywhere. And you know what he did to September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9483 the family; you know what he did with nates against artists by discriminating The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- the welfare system, and you are seeing in favor of others violates our fun- ate will please come to order. This is what he did to the arts. damental responsibility of free speech. an important amendment. Here are the words of John F. Ken- And when it promotes morality, it un- Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, the nedy. dermines the very foundation and Senate is not in order. For art establishes the basic human truths underpinnings of a culture. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- which must serve as the touchstones of our We should defund the National En- ator from Alaska is correct. The Sen- judgment. The artist, however faithful to his dowment for the Arts. We should not ate will be in order. personal vision of reality, becomes the last spend this $100 million of taxpayer re- The Senator from Nevada. Mr. BRYAN. I thank the Chair. Mr. champion of the individual mind and sen- sources. sibility against an intrusive society and an President, I ask unanimous consent Mr. President, I yield the floor. officious State. that Senator CAROL MOSELEY-BRAUN be The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time Let me just say that again and see if added as a cosponsor to the Bryan has expired. I can say it more clearly. John Ken- amendment. Mr. GORTON. Has all time expired? I nedy says that the artist becomes an The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without assume that the Senator from Missouri individual who stands against the in- objection, it is so ordered. wishes a rollcall? trusive society and the officious State. Mr. BRYAN. I thank the Chair. He sees the artist as a line of defense Mr. ASHCROFT. Yes. I ask for the Mr. President, I say to my col- against statism. He sees it as a bul- yeas and nays. leagues, I want to tell you, first of all, wark of freedom—John Kennedy. I The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. what this amendment is not about. This amendment is not about timber wonder what he would have thought if ABRAHAM). Is there a sufficient second? harvesting in the national forests. It the officious State was to be guarded There is a sufficient second. does not prevent it. And it does not by an artist paid by the State. The yeas and nays were ordered. prevent the construction of new roads He goes on to say: The PRESIDING OFFICER. The in the national forests for purposes of The great artist is thus a solitary figure. question is on agreeing to the Ashcroft amendment numbered 1188. The yeas timber access. He has, as Frost said, ‘‘a lover’s quarrel with What it does is to eliminate a costly the world.’’ and nays have been ordered. The clerk will call the roll. taxpayer subsidy that is part of the Then John Kennedy is eloquent and Forest Service program, a subsidy that insightful. The result was announced—yeas 23, nays 77, as follows: has been roundly denounced, and cor- In pursuing his perceptions of reality, the rectly so, by virtually every taxpayer artist must often sail against the currents of [Rollcall Vote No. 241 Leg.] group in America, such as Citizens his time. This is not a popular role. YEAS—23 Against Government Waste and Tax- Well, against the currents of your Allard Hagel McConnell payers for Common Sense, because it time is not what we find is happening Ashcroft Helms Nickles cannot be justified. with the National Endowment for the Brownback Hutchinson Sessions Coats Inhofe Shelby Second, this is an important environ- Arts. They are directing the current. Enzi Kyl Smith (NH) mental vote, perhaps our most impor- We have gone over and over the article Faircloth Lott Thompson tant environmental vote to date be- by Jan Breslauer from the Los Angeles Gramm Mack Thurmond cause we reduce by $10 million an Times which reminds us that they are Grams McCain amount of money that is appropriated demanding that artists be politically NAYS—77 for new road construction in the na- correct in accordance with what the Abraham Dorgan Levin tional forests. Government would dictate. Akaka Durbin Lieberman The amendment does absolutely Baucus Feingold Lugar nothing to reduce or to impede the ac- That is really not rising to the chal- Bennett Feinstein Mikulski lenge of being against the officious Biden Ford Moseley-Braun counts that are provided for in the State. That is falling into the trap of Bingaman Frist Moynihan maintenance of roads in the National being a participant of the officious Bond Glenn Murkowski Park System. Boxer Gorton Murray So Mr. President, I urge support of State telling citizens what to believe Breaux Graham Reed (RI) and how to think. So when John Ken- Bryan Grassley Reid the Bryan amendment because it is nedy was praising Robert Frost, John Bumpers Gregg Robb truth in budgeting and makes sense Burns Harkin Roberts from a fiscal point of view and because Kennedy put it this way: Byrd Hatch Rockefeller In pursuing his perceptions of reality, the Campbell Hollings Roth environmentally it is sound policy for artist must often sail against the currents of Chafee Hutchison Santorum the Nation. his time. Cleland Inouye Sarbanes Mr. GORTON addressed the Chair. Cochran Jeffords Smith (OR) The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Perhaps he might even dare be politi- Collins Johnson Snowe ator from Washington is recognized for cally incorrect, but were he to do so, Conrad Kempthorne Specter 1 minute. woe be unto his chance of being identi- Coverdell Kennedy Stevens Craig Kerrey Thomas Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, harvest- fied for a grant from the NEA. D’Amato Kerry Torricelli ers in national forests have declined by Kennedy spoke in praise of Robert Daschle Kohl Warner more than two-thirds over the course DeWine Landrieu Wellstone Frost who, without subsidy from the of the last several years. This amend- Government, wrote eloquently: Dodd Lautenberg Wyden Domenici Leahy ment is designed to cause them to de- Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I move cline still further. Many of its prin- the one less traveled by, and that has made cipal sponsors outside of this body have all the difference. to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was rejected. as their design the entire termination America could have art that was sub- of any harvest on our Federal lands. sidized, controlled by, directed by Gov- Mr. STEVENS. I move to lay that motion on the table. This proposal drives significantly in ernment. It can happen. You can look that direction. The motion to lay on the table was at the art of the Soviet Union of the The amount of money in the bill for agreed to. last 70 years. They had art. They took Forest Service roads is the rec- the artists that weren’t acceptable and AMENDMENT NO. 1205 ommendation of the Clinton adminis- they banished them. Solzhenitsyn was The PRESIDING OFFICER. The tration. The Clinton administration re- one of them. We don’t manage artists question now occurs on amendment No. flects no savings of money by the end- but we identify ones for approval and 1205 offered by the Senator from the ing of the Forest Service credit. It is others for subsidy, and some of those State of Nevada, Mr. BRYAN. Under the simply another step in the desire to see that don’t get the subsidy and don’t get previous order, there will now be 2 min- to it that there is no harvest whatso- the approval are individuals that we utes for debate equally divided between ever on our forest lands. ought to be looking carefully at and Senators BRYAN and GORTON. The PRESIDING OFFICER. All time they should not be discriminated Mr. GORTON. Will the Presiding Offi- for the debate on the amendment has against. A Government which discrimi- cer bring the Senate to order? now expired. S9484 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 17, 1997 Mr. GORTON. Have the yeas and been ordered. The clerk will call the [Rollcall Vote No. 243 Leg.] nays been ordered? roll. YEAS—49 The PRESIDING OFFICER. They The assistant legislative clerk called Akaka Ford Lieberman have not been ordered. the roll. Biden Frist Mikulski Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I ask Bingaman Glenn Moseley-Braun The result was announced—yeas 49, Boxer Graham Moynihan for the yeas and nays. nays 51, as follows: Bryan Gregg Murray The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a [Rollcall Vote No. 242 Leg.] Bumpers Harkin Reed Chafee Hollings Reid sufficient second? There is a sufficient YEAS—49 second. Cleland Inouye Robb Akaka Ford Lieberman Conrad Jeffords Rockefeller The yeas and nays were ordered. Biden Frist Mikulski D’Amato Johnson Roth Mr. BYRD addressed the Chair. Bingaman Glenn Moseley-Braun Daschle Kennedy Sarbanes The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- Boxer Graham Moynihan DeWine Kerrey Thompson ator from West Virginia. Brownback Gregg Murray Dodd Kerry Torricelli Bumpers Harkin Reed Dorgan Kohl Wellstone Mr. BYRD. I have cleared this re- Chafee Hollings Reid Durbin Landrieu Wyden quest with the Republican leader. Cleland Inouye Robb Feingold Lautenberg I ask unanimous consent that I may Conrad Jeffords Rockefeller Feinstein Leahy address the Senate for not to exceed 10 D’Amato Johnson Roth NAYS—51 Daschle Kennedy Sarbanes minutes following this rollcall vote. DeWine Kerrey Thompson Abraham Enzi McCain The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there Dodd Kerry Torricelli Allard Faircloth McConnell objection? Dorgan Kohl Wellstone Ashcroft Gorton Mack Durbin Landrieu Wyden Baucus Gramm Murkowski Without objection, it is so ordered. Feingold Lautenberg Bennett Grams Nickles Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I would Feinstein Leahy Bond Grassley Roberts like to make a unanimous-consent re- Breaux Hagel Santorum NAYS—51 quest that I think will inform Members Brownback Hatch Sessions Burns Helms Shelby of where we are going in the next few Abraham Enzi McCain Allard Faircloth McConnell Byrd Hutchinson Smith (NH) minutes. Ashcroft Gorton Mack Campbell Hutchison Smith (OR) I ask unanimous consent that when Baucus Gramm Murkowski Coats Inhofe Snowe the Senate considers the following Bennett Grams Nickles Cochran Kempthorne Specter Bond Grassley Roberts Collins Kyl Stevens amendments regarding the National Breaux Hagel Santorum Coverdell Levin Thomas Endowment for the Arts—that will be Bryan Hatch Sessions Craig Lott Thurmond next—they be considered under a 30- Burns Helms Shelby Domenici Lugar Warner minute time limit, equally divided in Byrd Hutchinson Smith (NH) The motion was rejected. Campbell Hutchison Smith (OR) the usual form: the Abraham amend- Coats Inhofe Snowe Mr. GORTON. Madam President, ment No. 1206; the Hutchinson of Ar- Cochran Kempthorne Specter there is an amendment that might kansas amendment No. 1187; the Collins Kyl Stevens have caused a lot of debate that has Coverdell Levin Thomas Hutchison amendment No. 1186. I fur- Craig Lott Thurmond been agreed to by Members on both ther ask unanimous consent that no Domenici Lugar Warner sides. I request the President recognize Senator BUMPERS to offer that amend- second-degree amendments be in order The amendment (No. 1205) was re- ment. Senator BYRD has graciously to these amendments. jected. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there agreed to give us a minute before his Several Senators addressed the objection? special order. Chair. Without objection, it is so ordered. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. COL- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ma- Mr. GORTON. I further ask unani- LINS). The Senator from West Virginia. jority leader is recognized. mous consent that following the debate Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I yield Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I move to on the Abraham and the Hutchinson of 1 minute for that purpose without los- reconsider the vote. Arkansas amendments, the Senate pro- ing my right to the floor. ceed to a rollcall vote on or in relation Mr. BRYAN. Mr. President, I ask for The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is the to amendment No. 1206, to be followed the yeas and nays. Senator from Arkansas offering a first- by a vote on or in relation to amend- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a degree amendment to the bill? sufficient second? ment No. 1187. EXCEPTED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT BEGINNING The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there For the moment, there is not a suffi- ON PAGE 123, LINE 9, THROUGH PAGE 124, LINE 20 objection? cient second. Mr. BUMPERS. I ask unanimous con- Mr. LEVIN. Reserving the right to Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I sug- sent the pending amendment be laid object, and I will not object, there is an gest the absence of a quorum. aside and the Senate proceed to the effort to have the Armed Services Com- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The committee amendment beginning on mittee meet. I was just speaking with clerk will call the roll to ascertain the line 9, page 123 of the bill. the chairman. Would it be possible to presence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without have the votes on those three amend- The assistant legislative clerk pro- objection, it is so ordered. ments lined up together at the end of ceeded to call the roll. The text of the excepted committee the debate for all three? Was that part Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unan- amendment is as follows: of the UC? imous consent that the order for the SEC. 339. (a) No funds provided in this or any Mr. GORTON. The design of this re- quorum call be rescinded. other act may be expended to develop a rule- quest is that the votes on the first two The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without making proposal to amend or replace the Bu- be stacked, and there would be an hour objection, it is so ordered. reau of Land Management regulations found at between the end of the next rollcall Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask for 43 C.F.R. 3809 or to prepare a draft environ- and those two. The proponent of the the yeas and nays. mental impact statement on any such proposal, The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a until the Secretary of the Interior establishes a third amendment does not want to Committee which shall prepare and submit a re- stack her amendment with them. But sufficient second? port in accordance with this section. there will be more than an hour for the There is a sufficient second. (b) The Committee shall be composed of appro- committee to meet. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The priate representatives from the Department of Mr. LEVIN. I thank the Senator. question now occurs on the motion to the Interior and a representative appointed by The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without reconsider the previous vote. the Governor from each State that contains pub- objection, it is so ordered. The unani- The yeas and nays are ordered and lic lands open to location under the General mous-consent request is agreed to. the clerk will call the roll. Mining Laws. The Committee shall be estab- lished and operated pursuant to the terms of the Under the previous order, the ques- The assistant legislative clerk called Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. ap 21 tion now occurs on agreeing to amend- the roll. et seq. ment No. 1205 offered by the Senator The result was announced—yeas 49, (c) The Committee established pursuant to from Nevada. The yeas and nays have nays 51, as follows: subsection (b) shall prepare and submit a report September 17, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S9485 to the Committees on Energy and Natural Re- Mr. BUMPERS. Madam President, I In fact, according to the survey, only sources and Appropriations of the United States move to reconsider the vote. I move to 5 percent of Americans could correctly Senate and the Committees on Resources and lay that motion on the table. answer 10 rudimentary questions about Appropriations of the United States House of The motion to lay on the table was the Constitution. That is an embar- Representatives which (1) contains consensus recommendations on the appropriate relation- agreed to. rassingly low percentage. How can citi- ship of State and Federal land management Mr. BUMPERS. Madam President, I zens be expected to meet their Con- agencies in environmental, land management send an amendment to the desk. stitutional responsibilities when they and regulation of activities subject to the Bu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The lack even basic knowledge about how reau’s regulations at 43 C.F.R. 3809, (2) identi- question now occurs on the underlying our Government operates? fies current and proposed State environmental, committee amendment. While 84 percent of those polled felt land management and reclamation laws, regula- All those in favor, say aye. that to work as intended, the U.S. Con- tions, performance standards and policies, ap- Mr. BUMPERS addressed the Chair. stitutional system depends on an ac- plicable to such activities, including those State The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- tive and informed citizenry, only 58 laws and regulations which have been adopted to achieve primacy in the administration of fed- ator from Arkansas. percent surveyed could name the three erally mandated efforts; (3) explains how these Mr. BUMPERS. I suggest the absence branches that comprise our Federal current State laws, regulations, performance of a quorum. Government—only 58 percent. And, less standards and policies are coordinated with Mr. BYRD. Madam President, I don’t than half knew how many Members Federal surface management efforts; and (4) yield the floor for that purpose. I yield- make up the U.S. Senate. contains consensus recommendations for how ed for 1 minute. I did not yield for that These are not difficult questions, but Federal and State coordination can be maxi- purpose. basic knowledge taught to school- mized in the future to ensure environmental The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- children at a young age when I was protection and minimize regulatory duplication, ator from West Virginia has 9 minutes, conflict and burdens. coming along, and should be taught under the previous order. today to schoolchildren at a very AMENDMENT NO. 1209 TO EXCEPTED COMMITTEE Mr. BYRD. I thank the Chair. Madam young age. Yet, only 66 percent of AMENDMENT BEGINNING ON PAGE 123, LINE 9, President, may we have order in the THROUGH PAGE 124, LINE 20 those surveyed knew that the first ten Senate? amendments to the Constitution are (Purpose: To modify an antienvironmental rider to permit the Interior Department to The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- called the Bill of Rights—only 66 per- revise environmental regulations govern- ate will be in order. The Senator from cent. Some even responded that the ing hardrock mining on certain Federal West Virginia. first ten amendments to the Constitu- land) f tion are called the Pledge of Alle- Mr. BUMPERS. Madam President, I THE UNITED STATES giance. Now, think of that. I wonder how many listening right send an amendment to the desk. CONSTITUTION The PRESIDING OFFICER. The now to my voice know how many clerk will report. Mr. BYRD. Madam President, today amendments have been added to the The legislative clerk read as follows: marks the 210th anniversary of the Constitution since 1787. Only 19 percent most successful political experiment in of those surveyed answered correctly. The Senator from Arkansas [Mr. BUMPERS] thousands of years of human history, proposes an amendment numbered 1209 to ex- There have been 27 amendments. cepted committee amendment beginning on because on this date in 1787, the United The 27 amendments that have been page 123, line 9, through page 124, line 20. States Constitution was signed by a added to the Constitution—which in- Mr. BUMPERS. Madam President, I majority of delegates attending the clude the first 10 amendments, or the ask unanimous consent that reading of Constitutional Convention in Philadel- Bill of Rights—reflect the genius that the amendment be dispensed with. phia. This ingenious living document, our Founding Fathers demonstrated in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without thoughtfully crafted by our Founding the creation of the document, by equip- objection, it is so ordered. Fathers more than two centuries ago, ping the document with the inherent owes its enduring quality in great The amendment is as follows: flexibility to accommodate the changes measure to one of its most basic, yet of a growing nation. Such flexibility is Strike all after ‘‘SEC. 339.’’ on page 123, line most ingenious and revolutionary 9, of the pending Committee amendment and intended to be part of a continuing add the following: ideas—namely, that the power and sov- process, which gives the Constitution ‘‘(a) No funds provided in this or any other ereignty of the United States Govern- life and relevance to the daily affairs of act may be expended to develop a rule- ment ultimately rests in the hands of all Americans. A course of apathy, and making proposal to amend or replace the Bu- its citizens. an ignorance of our civic responsibil- reau of Land Management regulations found An active and educated citizenry, is ities and rights threatens to com- at 43 C.F.R. 3809 or to prepare a draft envi- therefore an essential component of pletely undermine the democratic prin- ronmental impact statement on such pro- the constitutional machinery that ciples on which our sacred Republic posal, until the Secretary of the Interior cer- keeps our Government in tune. A citi- tifies to the Committees on Energy and Nat- was founded—the very principles which ural Resources and Appropriations of the zen of the United States not only has Americans say they value so highly. United States Senate and the Committees on the right to hold opinions, but he has a If there is anything encouraging to Resources and Appropriations of the United duty to work through his elected offi- come from the results of the National States House of Representatives that the De- cials in behalf of those opinions. If the Constitution Center’s poll, perhaps it is partment of the Interior has consulted with Government is not being run effec- that 9 out of 10 people surveyed said the governor, or his/her representative, from tively, efficiently, and constitu- that they were proud of the U.S. Con- each state that contains public lands open to tionally, citizens of the United States stitution. On this anniversary of the location under the General Mining Laws. have a responsibility to work to cor- signing of the U.S. Constitution, I hope ‘‘(b) The Secretary shall not publish pro- posed regulations to amend or replace the rect that course through the exercise that more citizens will demonstrate Bureau of Land Management regulations of their right to vote. It is not only a that pride by taking it upon them- found at 43 C.F.R. 3809 prior to November 15, right, it is a privilege. In other words, selves to learn more about their Con- 1998, and shall not finalize such regulations the Government that stands over us is stitution and their Government, and prior to 90 days after such publication.’’. ours to endorse or to change. teach their children, so that they can Mr. BUMPERS. Madam President, Unfortunately, however, a recent poll adequately perform the responsibilities this amendment has not only been commissioned by the National Con- which were conferred upon them in agreed to, it has been microscopically stitution Center, an organization es- Philadelphia in 1787 by some of the fly-specked by all of the parties for the tablished to better educate Americans greatest minds in history. past 24 hours. I urge its adoption. about the Constitution, reveals that a Our first Chief Justice John Marshall The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there shocking number of people in this once stated ‘‘The people make the Con- be no further debate, the question is on country have virtually no knowledge of stitution, and the people can unmake agreeing to the amendment. what is contained in this vital docu- it. It is the creature of their own will, The amendment (No. 1209) was agreed ment, and, thus, have no clue about and lives only by their will.’’ If that to. how it affects their everyday lives. will is motivated mostly by ignorance