RECENTLY TAKEN STEPS TO RAISE THE AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY OF THEIR
           VEHICLES. IN EUROPE, AUTO MAKERS ARE COMMITTED TO INCREASING
           FUEL ECONOMY BY 33% BY THE YEAR 2008. AND IN JAPAN FUEL ECONOMY
           LEVELS ARE SET TO INCREASE 23% BY 2010. I DO BELIEVE FUEL
           EFFICIENCY IS AN ISSUE OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC
           COMPETITIVENESS. WE MUST AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE EFFORTS LIKE  PNGV
           OR RISK FALLING BEHIND IN THE GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE MARKET. IN

           CLOSING, I'M PLEASED THAT THE SENATE BILL PROVIDES ADEQUATE
           FUNDING FOR  PNGV. I AM CONCERNED, HOWEVER, THAT THIS YEAR --
           THAT MAINTAINING THE SENATE'S FUNDING LEVEL FOR PNGV IN
           CONFERENCE AND WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A VERY WRONGHEADED ACTION,
           THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ALL BUT ELIMINATED FUNDING FOR
           THIS VITAL PROGRAM. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO
           REDUCE OUR COMMITMENT TO CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH THAT OFFERS THE
           PROMISE OF DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN OUR NEED FOR OIL. I HOPE ALL
           SENATORS WILL WANT TO WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE TO MAINTAIN THE

           SENATE'S FUNDING LEVEL FOR PNGV AS THE BILL MOVES TO
           CONFERENCE. MR. PRESIDENT, I'D ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT A
           LETTER FROM SECRETARY RICHARDSON OPPOSING THE HOUSE'S ACTIONS
           BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY REMARKS.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. BINGAMAN: MR. PRESIDENT, PNGV REPRESENTS THE BEST OF
           AMERICA'S MINDS WORKING TOGETHER ON ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT
           ISSUES. I WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN GORTON AND SENATOR BYRD FOR
           THEIR WORK ON THE BILL, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE FUNDING THAT
           THEY PROVIDED FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION AND PNGV. MR. PRESIDENT,
           I WOULD JUST ASK IF I COULD TAKE TWO ADDITIONAL MINUTES TO
           SPEAK BRIEFLY IN SUPPORT OF THE NOMINATION OF MADELEINE

           CREEDON, WHO IS COMING UP AT
           
           3:30. I WOULD ASK THAT MY COMMENTS ABOUT MADELYN'S CREEDON'S
           NOMINATION BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD DURING THE PORTION OF THE
           DEBATE RELATED TO THAT.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTN.
           

           MR. BINGAMAN: MR. PRESIDENT, I DO WISH TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF
           MADELYN CREEDON. SHE'S BEEN NOMINATED BY THE PRESIDENT TO
           BECOME THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR DEFENSE PROGRAMS IN THE NEW
           NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, NNSA, AT THE
           DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. MS. CREEDON HAS A DISTINGUISHED CAREER
           ABROAD AND DEEP EXPERIENCE REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
           DEFENSE PROGRAMS OVER WHICH SHE WILL HAVE OVERSIGHT AND
           MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS NEW POSITION AS SECOND IN

           COMMAND AT NNSA. MY COLLEAGUES NEED TO BE AWARE THAT BEFORE SHE
           JOINED THE STAFF OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE IN 1990, SHE
           WORKED FOR TEN YEARS WITH THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL AT THE
           DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. SHE RETURNED TO THE DOMT DOMT AFTER
           SERVING AS COUNSEL TO THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE DURING 1990
           THROUGH 1994, DURING WHICH TIME SHE HAD OVERSIGHT AND REVIEW
           RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S NATIONAL
           SKUREPETE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. -- NATIONAL SECURITY AND

           ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. SHE SERVED AS ASSOCIATE SECRETARY AND
           THEN RESUMED HER WORK ON THE STAFF OF THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES
           COMMITTEE. ONCE AGAIN, HAVING RESPONSIBILITY FOR D.O.E. DEFENSE
           AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. IN SHORT, MR. PRESIDENT, MADELYN'S
           CREEDON'S PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS FOR THIS POSITION ARE
           IMPECCABLE. LET ME ADD THAT I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER FOR
           SEVERAL YEARS IN MY CAPACITY IN THE PREVIOUS CONGRESS AS
           RANKING MEMBER OF THE STRATEGIC AND EMERGING THREAT
           SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. SHE IS FULLY

           KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED. SHE IS A
           PERSON OF SOUND JUDGMENT REGARDING POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN THE
           INTEREST OF IMPROVING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. HER PROFESSIONAL
           CAPABILITIES AND COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE ARE PLAIN TO SEE
           FOR ALL OF US ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO HAVE WORKED WITH
           HER. AND I STRONGLY URGE MILE COLLEAGUES TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF
           MADELYN'S CREEDON'S NOMINATION TO ASSUME THIS POSITION AS
           DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR NNSA. HER EXPERIENCE AND KNOW-HOW WILL

           BE KEY TO ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO A SUCCESSFUL NNSA.
           MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD YIELD THE FLOOR.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON.
           

           MR. GORTON: MR. PRESIDENT, I SHOULD LIKE TO COMPLIMENT THE
           SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO ON HIS PRESENTATION AND ASK IF HE'LL
           PUT THE FIRST OF HIS TWO DISPLAYS BACK UP, IF HE WILL. MR.
           PRESIDENT, I APPRECIATE THE KIND WORDS FROM THE SENATOR FROM
           NEW MEXICO ON THIS GENERAL FIELD. MY OWN VIEW IS THAT WE DO
           NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO PRODUCE MORE PETROLEUM PRODUCTS FROM

           SOURCES THAT ARE WITHIN THE CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES. I AM
           CONVINCED THAT WE ALSO, IN MEETING WITH THIS CHALLENGE, NEED
           AGGRESSIVELY TO MOVE TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASED USE
           OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS, OF OTHER FUELS FOR OUR AUTOMOBILES. BUT
           EVEN IF WE ARE RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL IN BOTH OF THOSE COURSES
           OF ACTION, THE CHALLENGE OF AN INCREASED DEPENDENCE AND AN
           INCREASED USE IN TRANSPORTATION OF FOSSIL FUELS OR EVEN

           ALTERNATIVE FUELS IS SIMPLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE. AND
           SO THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO, IN STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF
           A FAR GREATER DEGREE OF EFFICIENCY IN THE USE OF ENERGY FOR
           TRANSPORTATION PURPOSE IS, I THINK, DIRECTLY ON POINT. AND AS
           HE KNOWS AND AS HE SAID, THIS APPROPRIATIONS BILL INCLUDES A
           MODEST INCREASE IN ITS APPROPRIATION FOR THE PARTNERSHIP FOR A
           NEW GENERATION OF VEHICLES, A PROGRAM THAT I'VE SUPPORTED EVER

           SINCE I TOOK THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THIS SUBCOMMITTEE. I THINK IT
           IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE. I THINK IT'S A
           CONSTRUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE
           SECTOR. AND I'M DELIGHTED THAT A MEMBER WOULD COME DOWN TO
           SPEAK ON THIS SPECIFIC ELEMENT OF THE BILL THAT I HAD TO PASS
           OVER RATHER QUICKLY. BECAUSE THE TOP LINE ON HIS DISPLAY THERE
           INDICATES THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. THE SENATOR FROM NEW
           MEXICO ALSO MENTIONED MY EFFORT ON A DIFFERENT APPROPRIATIONS

           BILL ONCE AGAIN TO GO BACK TO MANDATED BETTER FUEL EFFICIENCY
           STANDARDS ON THE PART OF AUTOMOBILES AND SMALL TRUCKS. THAT'S A
           VERY, AT LEAST A FIRST COUSIN, IF NOT CLOSER, TO THE
           PROPOSITION THAT THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO IS SPEAKING TO
           HERE. BUT IF WE'RE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, IF WE'RE TO TURN THAT
           RAPIDLY RISING LINE IN HIS CHART AND EVEN FLATTEN IT OUT, IT
           SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN ALL OF THESE AND THE
           SUBJECT ABOUT WHICH HE SPOKE IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. AND I

           CAN ASSURE THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO THAT IN A CONFERENCE
           COMMITTEE WITH THE HOUSE ON THIS SUBJECT, I'M GOING TO HOLD OUT
           AS ELOQUENTLY AS I POSSIBLY CAN FOR THE FULL SENATE

           APPROPRIATION FOR PNGV. MR. BINGAMAN: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO.
           

           MR. BINGAMAN: MR. PRESIDENT, I'D JUST LIKE TO RESPOND, THANKING
           THE SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON FOR HIS COMMENTS AND INDICATE THAT
           I THINK HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT,
           AND PARTICULARLY SO GIVEN THE WRONGHEADED ACTION THAT THE HOUSE
           OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS TAKEN IN THEIR BILL OF ESSENTIALLY SDEE
           ROGUE OUT THE FUNDING FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT -- ZEROING OUT
           THE FUNDING FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM AFTER SIX
           SUCCESSFUL YEARS OF PROGRESS IN A TEN-YEAR PROGRAM. I AM
           ENCOURAGED BY THE SENATOR'S STATEMENTS. I WILL CERTAINLY DO

           ANYTHING I CAN TO ASSIST HIM IN SEEING TO IT THAT THIS IS
           ADEQUATELY FUNDED IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I YIELD

           THE FLOOR. 679-- -- MR. THOMAS: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM WYOMING.
           

           MR. THOMAS: MR. PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO
           COMMENT ON THE BILL AND COMMENT ON SOME AREAS OF PARTICULAR
           CONCERN, IF I MAY. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND
           THANK THE CHAIRMAN AND SENATOR BYRD FOR THEIR GOOD WORK. THIS
           IS A TOUGH JOB. IT'S A TOUGH JOB ON ANY APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO
           HOLD DOWN SPENDING, TO KEEP IT WITHIN THE BUDGET. AND YET IT'S
           VERY DIFFICULT THEN TO SET THE PRIORITIES. THIS IS ONE OF THE
           HARDEST JOBS WITHIN THE CONGRESS, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK

           THEY'VE DONE. IT'S DIFFICULT, I THINK, PARTICULARLY IN THIS
           BILL ON INTERIOR WHERE A -- IT'S VERY HARD TO PUT TOGETHER A
           BILL THAT GETS SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CONGRESS,
           REPRESENTING ALL OF THE STATES IN THE COUNTRY, WHEN A LARGE
           PART OF THE ACTIVITY GOES ON, OF COURSE, IN THE PUBLIC LAND
           STATES. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON A FEW OF THOSE AREAS
           THAT ARE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN THE
           WEST WHERE MUCH OF OUR STATE IS OWNED BY THE FEDERAL

           GOVERNMENT. RANGES FROM 25% TO NEARLY 90% OF SOME STATES THAT
           BELONG TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO OUR ECONOMY, OUR FUTURE,
           ALL THOSE THINGS ARE TIED VERY CLOSELY TO WHAT HAPPENS AT THE
           MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL LANDS, AND MUCH OF THAT, OF COURSE, IS
           WITHIN THIS BUDGET OF INTERIOR. I'M PARTICULARLY PLEASED. I
           HAPPEN TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS
           AND OF COURSE THE FUNDING FOR NATIONAL PARKS IS IN THIS BUDGET
           AS WELL. CERTAINLY WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE AS MUCH POSSIBLE
           SUPPORT AS WE COULD HAVE FOR PARKS, BUT THERE IS AN INCREASE

           HERE, AS THERE HAS BEEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THERE IS
           SOME 379 PARKS IN THIS COUNTRY, NATIONAL PARKS, ALL OF WHICH
           ARE QUITE DIFFERENT, ANYWHERE FROM YELLOWSTONE TO THE STATUE OF
           LIBERTY AND PARKS THAT ARE VERY MUCH UNIQUE. THE IDEA, I THINK,
           OF COURSE IS TO HAVE THE BASIC PUP SUP -- SUPPORT FOR PARKS
           COMES FROM APPROPRIATIONS. WE HAVE DEVELOPED SOME ALTERNATIVE
           SUPPORT, SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT ARE NOT MEANT TO
           REPLACE, OF COURSE, BUT SIMPLY TO SUPPLEMENT. SUCH THINGS AS

           DEMONSTRATION FEES WHICH ARE THEN USED IN THE PARK IN WHICH
           THEY'RE COLLECTED. HIGHWAY FUNDS WHICH COME FROM THE HIGHWAY
           AND GO TO THE PARKS. I'M THINKING PARTICULARLY IN THIS CASE OF
           YELLOWSTONE PARK, FOR HIGHWAYS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT AND
           MUCH OF IT GOES THERE. WE ENCOURAGE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT CAN BE
           MADE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS OF
           CONCERN, OF COURSE. ONE OF THEM IS THE PILT PAYMENTS, THE
           PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES. THIS IS A PAYMENT DESIGNED TO -- IN A
           COUNTY WHERE MUCH OF THE LAND IS OWNED BY THE FEDERAL
           GOVERNMENT, WHERE THEY WOULD NORMALLY HAVE -- THEY WOULD

           NORMALLY HAVE REAL ESTATE TAXES THAT WOULD COME IN FOR THE
           OPERATION OF THE COUNTY. OF COURSE WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
           OWNS THE LAND, THOSE TAXES ARE NOT COLLECTED. AND, THEREFORE,
           THIS IS A REPLACEMENT, ONE THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A VERY LONG
           TIME. AND QUITE IMPORTANT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN MOST
           CASES THE COUNTIES PROVIDE THE KIND OF SERVICES ON THE PUBLIC
           LANDS THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE ON THE PRIVATE LANDS, EVEN THOUGH
           THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY ITS NATURE DOES NOT PAY THE TAXES. SO
           THESE ARE PAYMENTS THAT ARE MADE IN LIEU OF. THERE ARE SOME

           INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET OVER LAST YEAR, BUT NOT NEARLY EQUAL
           TO THE TAXES THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
           DID NOT OWN THE LAND. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT'S SOME
           MEASUREMENT OF FAIRNESS, THEN WE STILL ARE QUITE BELOW WHERE WE
           OUGHT TO BE IN TERMS OF PILT PAYMENTS. WE RAISE THE
           AUTHORIZATION A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND NOW IT'S TIED TO SOME
           KIND OF GROWTH IN THE ECONOMY, AND WE ARE, OF COURSE, QUITE
           BELOW WHAT THE AUTHORIZED LEVEL WOULD BE. WE HAVE SOME

           INCREASES IN THE BILL, IN THE HOUSE BILL, THE SENATE BILL. WE
           WOULD LIKE SO SEE SOME CONSIDERATION GIVEN. AS YOU KNOW,
           PAROCHIALLY, LARGE AMOUNTS OF LAND IN WYOMING BELONG TO THE
           FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AS IS TRUE IN THE WEST; CREATES SOME REAL
           RESPONSIBILITIES. JUST THIS WEEK I MET WITH THE COUNTY
           COMMISSIONERS IN BIGHORN COUNTY, WYOMING, AND THEIR PRIMARY
           CONCERN IS WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH PILT PAYMENTS?
           BECAUSE MUCH OF THEIR COUNTY, AS A MATTER OF FACT, IS FEDERAL
           LAND. WE HAVE A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL
           GOVERNMENT, AND GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO

           PROVIDE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE. SO WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THEETS
           COUNTIES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD BE UNABLE TO MANAGE
           THEIRS. I'M TALKING ABOUT HIGHWAYS, I'M TALKING ABOUT POLICE
           PROTECTION. I'M TALKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE, EMERGENCY CARE. ALL
           THESE THINGS ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE BASIS OF SUPPORT THAT IS
           USUALLY THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAX PROGRAM IS
           ALL ABOUT. I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK IT'S ONE
           THAT MERITS SOME CONSIDERATION AND PERHAPS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
           INCREASE THOSE PAYMENTS SOMEWHAT. ACTUALLY IT'S NOT CONFINED TO

           WESTERN STATES. ABOUT 49 DIFFERENT STATES PARTICIPATE IN THE
           PILT PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT OF
           COLUMBIA AND THREE TERRITORIES. AND SO, OF COURSE, IT IS
           WIDESPREAD IN TERMS OF ITS SUPPORT. EARLIER THIS YEAR WE HAD 57
           SENATORS JOIN IN A LETTER SUPPORTING AN INCREASE IN PILT
           FUNDING. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A LITTLE LATER FOR
           CONSIDERATION SOME OPPORTUNITY PERHAPS TO GIVE A LITTLE BOOST
           TO THAT KIND OF FUNDING. I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS A

           REAL MEANINGFUL -- LET ME GIVE YOU JUST A LITTLE EXAMPLE OF A
           FEW COUNTIES. WE HAVE 23 COUNTIES IN MY STATE OF WYOMING. TETON
           COUNTY IS 96% FEDERALLY OWNED. PARK COUNTY 82% FEDERALLY OWNED.
           AND ON DOWN THE LINE. BIGHORN, WHICH I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO,
           80% OF THAT COUNTY BELONGS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT GOES
           ON DOWN. SO I THINK THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN THAT,
           IN THAT QUESTION OF FAIRNESS. LET ME SAY TOO THAT EVEN THOUGH

           THE APPROPRIATIONS, OF COURSE, ARE NOT ACTUALLY THE AREA WHERE
           THESE KINDS OF DECISIONS ARE OFTEN MADE, I THINK IT IS
           IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE A
           DRIVE TOWARDS THE END HERE TO -- AND I UNDERSTAND THE
{END: 2000/07/10 TIME: 14-15 , Mon.  106TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}