THE PRESIDING OFFICER: ON THIS EIGHT, NUMBER 1499, AS AMENDED,
           THE YEAS ARE 0RBG9S THE NAYS ARE 7. THE AMENDMENT IS AGREED TO.
           

           MR. COCHRAN: MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO RECONSIDER THE VOTE BY
           WHICH THE AMENDMENT WAS AGREED TO.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. COCHRAN: MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE SEVERAL NORSE WHO HAVE
           AMENDMENTS THAT WE WANT TO CONSIDER. I KNOW SENATOR BOXER HAS
           AN AMENDMENT. SHE'S PREPARED TO OFFER. AND SENATOR -- THERE ARE
           OTHER SENATORS. WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE MOST OF THE AMENDMENTS
           THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, BUT THERE ARE A FEW
           THAT MAY REQUIRE A VOTE. AND I THINK THIS MAY BE ONE OF THEM
           THAT SENATOR BOXER HAS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA IS
           RECOGNIZED. BUT WOULD SHE PLEASE SUSPEND WHILE I GET ORDER IN
           THE BODY. LET'S PLEASE HAVE ORDER IN THE BODY. THE SENATOR FROM
           CALIFORNIA.
           

           MRS. BOXER: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT. I SEND AN
           AMENDMENT TO THE DECK ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, SENATORS FITZGERALD,
           DUR BIRNTION HARKIN, GRASSLEY, WELLSTONE, AND CRAPO.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL REPORT.
           

           THE CLERK: THE SENATOR FROM KAFLT, MRS. BOXER, FOR HER SEFED
           AND OH, PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT NUMBERED 1521.
           

           MRS. BOXER: MR. PRESIDENT, I MAKE A UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST
           THAT THE AMENDMENT BE CONSIDERED AS READ AND I WILL EXPLAIN THE
           AMENDMENT.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION. IF THE SENATOR WOULD
           SUSPEND, WE WILL GET ORDER IN THE BODY.
           

           A SENATOR: WOULD THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA YIELD TO ME FOR
           ONE SECOND TO --
           

           MRS. BOXER: I WILL BE HAPPY TO YIELD WITHOUT LOSING MY RIGHT TO
           THE FLOOR. IS THAT ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHAIR?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE SENATOR FROM NEW
           HAMPSHIRE.
           

           MR. SMITH: THANK MY COLLEAGUE. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT MY
           VOTE ON THE LAST RECORDED VOTE BE CHANGED TO A "NAY." I VOTED
           IN ERROR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. SMITH: I THANK MY COLLEAGUE FOR HER COURTESY.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA IS
           RECOGNIZED.
           

           MRS. BOXER: MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS VERY UNUSUAL THAT AN AMENDMENT
           HAS SUCH STRONG BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, AND UNLIKELY ALLIES ACROSS
           THE AISLE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE. AND I'LL TELL YOU THE
           REASON. WE HAVE A SITUATION IN THIS COUNTRY THAT HAS JUST BEEN
           RECOGNIZED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WHERE WE HAVE
           BEEN USING AN OXYGENATE IN GASOLINE, AN ADDITIVE CALLED MTBE.

           HE IS ACTUALLY KNOWN AS METHYL -- WHICH IS IN ESSENCE WITHOUT
           GOING INTO TECHNICALITIES BOYS SDONING THE WATER -- POISE ZONK
           THE WATER ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND PARTICULARLY IN MY HOME STATE
           WHERE MTBE IS IN USE. IT IS AN OXYGENATE AND IT HAS BEEN USED
           IN THE BLENDING OF GASOLINE AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE AND WE
           THOUGHT IT CLEANED UP THE AIR AND IT DOES HELP CLEAN UP THE
           AIR, BUT IT IS IN FACT HARMING OUR WATER SUPPLY. WHILE OTHER

           OXYGENATES LIKE ETHANOL MAY BE USED TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF
           THE CLEAN AIR ACT WHICH CALLS FOR 2% OF OUR GAS TO BE
           REFORMULATED, MTBE IS THE OXYGENATE OF CHOICE FOR MOST
           REFINERS. AND TODAY IT FULFILLS 85% OF THE DEMAND FOR OXYGENATE
           THAT THE CLEAN AIR ACT REQUIRES. ETHANOL ONLY FULFILLS 8% OF
           THAT DEMAND. NOW, WHY DID I OFFER THIS TO THE AGRICULTURE BILL?
           I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION. SOME SENATORS HAVE ASKED

           ME. BECAUSE I WILL TELL YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IF WE CAN USE
           MORE ETHANOL, IT IS GOING TO HELP OUR FARM STATES IN A BIG WAY,
           AND SENATOR FITZGERALD IS GOING TO GO FAR MORE INTO THAT POINT
           THAN I WILL, AND HE KNOWS THE SUBJECT. IF WE CAN HELP OUR FARM
           STATES CREASE TIR INCOME, THAT'S GOING TO REDUCE THE COST OF
           SUBSIDIES TO TAXPAYERS. SO THIS IS VERY MUCH RELATED TO THE

           AGRICULTURE BILL. UNLIKE OTHER HARMFUL CONSTITUENTS OF GASOLINE
           LIKE BENZENE, WHEN MTBE LEAKS FROM UNDERGROUND FUEL TANKS, IT
           MOVES THROUGH THE WATER VERY FAST AND VERY FAR. AFTER IT IS
           RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT, IT RESISTS DEGRADING AND ONCE IN
           WATER, MTBE, EVEN AT THE VERY LOW LEVEL OF FIVE PARTS BEFORE
           BILLION, CAN CAUSE THAT WATER TO TAKE ON THE TASTE AND SMELL OF

           TURPENTINE, RENDERING IT UNDRINKABLE. MY COLLEAGUE FROM TEXAS
           SAID, HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S UNDRINKABLE?
           AND THE ANSWER IS, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY HEARINGS ALL ACROSS MY
           STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND PEOPLE HAVE TESTIFIED WHERE MTBE LEAKS
           INTO THE DRINKING
{END: 1999/08/04 TIME: 19-15 , Wed.  106TH SENATE, FIRST SESSION}