S9142 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE September 25, 2000 Again, I didn't intend to come to the resources, to authorize the Secretary of the a very important amendment. We cer- floor this afternoon, but nor did I want Army to construct various projects for im- tainly have read a lot about Corps re- to sit and listen to debate which sug- provements to rivers and harbors of the form in the local newspapers, specifi- gests that the minority leader, or the United States, and other purposes. cally the Washington Post, over the Democratic caucus, or anybody else for The PRESIDING OFFICER. There last few months. The stories raised that matter, is at fault for what is tak- will now be 1 hour for closing remarks. very legitimate issues about the eco- Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. ing place. nomic modeling used to justify some of Madam President, I yield myself such As the Senator from West Virginia these water resources projects. indicated, there is perhaps sufficient time as I may consume. However, it is important to under- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- blame to go around. I don't disagree stand that a series of articles in a with that. But I also know that we ator from New Hampshire. Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. newspaper is no substitute for careful didn't win the election. I wish we had. Madam President, this is the first consideration of the facts and of the We don't control the Senate. I wish we major piece of environmental legisla- issues by the Congress. We have the did. tion debated on the floor since I as- oversight responsibility for the Army But between now and the date we fin- Corps, not the Washington Post. ish in this session of Congress, let me sumed the chairmanship of this com- mittee nearly 1 year ago. I am proud to Some Senators, such as Senator encourage those who make schedules FEINGOLD, have proposed reforms that around here to heed the words of the bring the Water Resources Develop- ment Act before the Senate, of which a focus on one element in the Corps re- minority leader, Senator DASCHLE. If major portion is the Everglades which formÐwhether or not to impose a re- we have a fair number of appropria- quirement that the feasibility reports tions bills remaining and people are I will talk about in a moment. This is a good bill. I am very proud of for certain water resources projects be worrying about whether we are going subject to peer review. Others, such as to get them done, then what Senator it. It is fiscally responsible. At the same time, it recognizes our obligation Senator DASCHLE, introduced more DASCHLE suggests, and I firmly sup- to preserve one of the most important comprehensive bills that would exam- port, is to do one appropriations bill a ine a number of the Corps reform day. Bring up a bill today. It is Mon- and endangered ecosystems in the Na- tion, if not the worldÐAmerica's Ever- issues, including peer review. day. It is 3:30. Let's bring a bill up and The committee needs more informa- debate it and stay here until it is done. glades. This bill gets us back on track to- tion before we can proceed with any That is a sure way of getting the bills ward regular biennial Water Resources bill that would impose peer review on done. It is a sure way of providing ev- Development Act bills. The committee the lengthy project development proc- erybody with an opportunity to be produced a so-called WRDA bill last ess that is already in place. We need to heard. It is also a way perhaps to get year, but that bill was 1 year late. know the benefits of peer review and the votes on the issues I described that I am proud of the WRDA portion of its impacts before starting down that I think this Congress ought to be this bill. This is not a bill that includes road. doing. numerous unnecessary projects. The Senator BAUCUS and I are committed I assume we will have an interesting committee established some tough cri- to examining this issue and other debate in the coming days. I hope Con- teria on which we worked very closely. issues related to the operation and gress will be able to finish its work in We evaluated the old criteria and put management of the Corps of Engineers the next 2 or 3 weeks. I hope that when in new criteria. We scrupulously fol- next year. This will include hearings we finish our work Democrats and Re- lowed this criteria in an effort to not on Corps reform. publicans can together say at the con- let projects make their way into this The hearings will take comments on clusion of the 106th Congress that we bill that did not belong there. the NAS studyÐthe National Academy have done something good for America. As I noted in my opening statement of Sciences studyÐthe bills that have But that will not happen unless things a few days ago, the committee received been introduced, as well as the issue in change, and unless we take a different requests to authorize more than 300 general. tact in the next 3 weeks. There is a list new projects. By holding firm on our I was very encouraged that the nomi- of about 8 or 10 pieces that we ought to criteria in this WRDA bill, we only au- nee to be the next Chief of Engineers, do. Bring them to the floor. Let's get thorized 23 new projects. We authorize General Flowers, is receptive to work- them done, and then let's adjourn sine 40 feasibility studies, and the bill con- ing with the Congress on a wide range die feeling we have done something tains 65 project-related provisions or of reform-related issues. good for our country. modifications that affect existing I want to speak specifically about I yield the floor. one major element in this legislation, The PRESIDING OFFICER. In my projects. I remain very concerned about clear- the Everglades. There is an important capacity as a Senator from Maine, I ing the backlog of previously author- element that separates this WRDA bill suggest the absence of a quorum, and ized projects that will not or should from all others, something that makes the clerk will call the roll. this WRDA truly historic. This WRDA The legislative clerk proceeded to not be constructed. Along with Senator bill includes our landmark Everglades call the roll. VOINOVICH, we are working very hard to Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. clear that backlog. Called the de- bill, S. 2797, the Restoring of the Ever- Madam President, I ask unanimous authorization process, this will be an glades, an American Legacy Act, very consent that the order for the quorum element of the committee's efforts to carefully named because it is an Amer- call be rescinded. reform the Corps and to get those ican legacy. We do have to restore it. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without projects deauthorized that should not That is what we have done. We have objection, it is so ordered. be there. begun the process. So many have askedÐespecially f This bill tightens that process by shortening the length of time that an some of my conservative friendsÐwhy WATER RESOURCES authorized project can stay on the should the Federal Government, why DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2000 books without actual funding. It is not should this Congress take on this long- Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. the full answer, but it is a good answer, term expensive effort? The answers Madam President, what is the pending and it is a good beginning. really are not that difficult, if you look business before the Senate? During floor consideration of the bill at them. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under last week, we accepted an amendment First, the Everglades is in real trou- the previous order, the hour of 3:50 p.m. that requires the National Academy of ble, deep trouble. We could lose what is having arrived, the Senate will resume Sciences to perform two studies relat- left of the Everglades in this very gen- consideration of S. 2796, which the ing to independent peer review of the eration. clerk will report. analyses performed by the Corps of En- Secondly, the Federal Government, The legislative clerk read as follows: gineers. despite the best of intentions, is large- A bill (S. 2796) to provide for the conserva- I would like to make a few points ly responsible for the damage that was tion and development of water and related about that amendment because it was done to the Everglades. The Congress September 25, 2000 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE S9143 told the Corps of Engineers to drain the alligators and this precious river of The Everglades bill is a great model that swamp in 1948Ðand drain it they grass of which we are all so proud. for environmental policy development, did, all too well. I am confident, because of the time I a model I endorse, a model I have Finally, the lands owned or managed have spent on this issue, that adaptive worked hard to implement since I have by the Federal GovernmentÐfour na- assessment or adaptive managementÐ been the chairman. It is cooperative. It tional parks and 16 national wildlife whatever you want to call itÐwill suc- is not confrontational. It is bipartisan. refuges which comprise half of the re- ceed, even if the plan is modified based It is flexible.