S162 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 7, 2009 

of meager means, coming from low-income families but very bright, very capable, have received these Byrd scholarships which got them through college. 

Senator BYRD has also been outspoken in challenging the current administration for failing to keep its 

commitments under the No Child Left 

Behind Act. To the last fiscal year, No 

Child Left Behind has been underfunded since 2002, when it first came 

into existence. It has been underfunded 

by over $70 billion. 

Think what that would mean for our 

local school systems in America had we 

kept our commitment to funding No 

Child Left Behind. But I will tell you 

this: It would have been a lot worse if 

Senator BYRD had not been here on our 

Appropriations Committee, either as 

chairman or ranking member, sponsoring the key amendments to boost 

the funding above what the Bush administration had proposed. 

Senator BYRD is a great student of 

literature, and I am sure he knows 

‘‘The Canterbury Tales’’—probably a 

lot of it by heart, as he knows a lot of 

things by heart, by memory. Describing the Clerk of Oxford, Chaucer might 

just as well have been describing ROBERT C. BYRD. Here is what Chaucer said 

about the Clerk of Oxford: 

Filled with moral virtue was his speech; 

And gladly would he learn and gladly teach. 

Madam President, Senator BYRD is a 

great Senator, a great American, a 

great friend. He has both written our 

Nation’s history and left his mark on 

it. 

It has been an honor to serve both in 

the Senate and on his Committee of 

Appropriations with Senator BYRD for 

the last 24 years. The good people of 

Iowa have now reelected me, so I will 

be here for another term. I look forward to serving with Senator BYRD in 

this body and on the Appropriations 

Committee for many years to come. 

So today on this historic anniversary, we honor his service, we express 

our respect and our love for this very 

remarkable Senator, ROBERT C. BYRD, 

from the great State of West Virginia. 

Madam President, I yield the floor 

and suggest the absence of a quorum. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The 

clerk will call the roll. 

The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll. 

Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the 

quorum call be rescinded. 

The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. 

WHITEHOUSE). Without objection, it is 

so ordered. 

f 

OMNIBUS PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2009 RULE XLIV 

COMPLIANCE 

Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, pursuant to rule XLIV of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, I hereby certify 

that, to the best of my knowledge and 

belief, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 does not contain 

any limited tax benefits, limited tariff 

benefits, or congressionally directed 

spending items, as those terms are defined in rule XLIV. 

Rule XLIV broadly defines the term 

‘‘congressionally directed spending 

item’’ to include ‘‘ a provision . . . included primarily at the request of a 

Senator . . . authorizing . . . a specific 

amount of discretionary budget authority . . . for . . . expenditure with 

or to an entity, or targeted to a specific State, locality or Congressional 

district, other than through a statutory or administrative formula-driven 

or competitive award process.’’ 

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 is a collection of over 

150 public land bills that were reported 

from the Committee on Energy and 

Natural Resources during the 110th 

Congress, for which we have not been 

able to get unanimous consent to take 

up and pass during the 110th Congress. 

I have included them in the Omnibus 

Public Land Management Act of 2009 to 

facilitate their early consideration in 

the new Congress, and not ‘‘primarily 

at the request of a Senator.’’ 

Nevertheless, even though no Senator has specifically requested me to 

include a congressionally directed 

spending item in the Omnibus Public 

Land Management Act of 2009, in the 

interest of furthering the transparency 

and accountability of the legislative 

process, I have posted on the Web site 

of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources a complete list of all 

provisions in the Omnibus Public Land 

Management Act of 2009 that authorize 

a specific amount of spending authority that is targeted to a specific State 

or locality, other than through a statutory or administrative formula-driven 

or competitive award process. The list 

includes the name of the principal 

sponsors of the Senate bills in the 110th 

Congress that have been incorporated 

in the Omnibus Public Land Management Act. 

In addition, I have added several 

other non-public-land measures from 

the 110th Congress at the request of the 

majority leader. Most of these provisions were included in the Advancing 

America’s Priorities Act—S. 3297—in 

the 110th Congress. They include: the 

Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis 

Act, subtitle B of title I of S. 3297; four 

parts of subtitle B, relating to oceans, 

of title V of S. 3297; and title VII of S. 

3297, relating to the authorization of a 

greenhouse facility for the Smithsonian Institution. These provisions were 

determined not to constitute ‘‘congressionally directed spending items’’ in 

the Advancing Amercia’s Priorities 

Act. See 153 Cong. Rec. S7509–7510, July 

26, 2008. 

In addition, I have added the Coastal 

and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Act, H.R. 1907 in the 110th Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution 

Facilities Authorization Act of 2008, 

H.R. 6627 in the 110th Congress, at the 

request of the majority leader. The 

grant program established under Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation 

Program Act, section 12507 in the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, 

does not constitute a congressionally 

directed spending item because the 

funds are to be allocated through a 

competitive grant process. The authorizations in the Smithsonian Institution 

Facilities Authorization Act, sections 

15101 and 15102 of the Omnibus Public 

Land Management Act, do not appear 

to constitute congressionally directed 

spending items because they were requested by the Board of Regents of the 

Smithsonian Institution, and because 

they originated in the House of Representatives, where the committees of 

jurisdiction determined they did not 

constitute congressional earmarks. See 

H. Rept. 110–842, part 1, at 5, 2008, Committee on House Administration, and 

H. Rept. 110–282, part 2, at 4, 2008, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 

Finally, I have added the ShoshonePaiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act, 

H.R. 5293 in the 110th Congress, at the 

request of the majority leader. This act 

ratifies a water rights settlement 

among the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of 

the Duck Valley Reservation, individual water users, and the State of 

Nevada. Section 8 of H.R. 5293, section 

10807 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act, creates two trust funds 

to settle the legal claims of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes against the United 

States for compromising tribal water 

rights and failing to maintain the 

Duck Valley Indian Irrigation Project. 

They do not appear to constitute congressionally directed spending items 

because they were included to settle 

pending legal claims rather than ‘‘primarily at the request of a Senator,’’ 

and because they originated in the 

House of Representatives, where the 

committee of jurisdiction determined 

that they did not constitute congressional earmarks. See H. Rept. 110–815 

at 11, 2008, Committee on Natural Resources. 

I ask unanimous consent that the list 

be printed in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

THE OMNIBUS PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT ACT

OF 2009—S. 22 

Provisions in the Omnibus Public Land 

Management Act of 2009 authorizing appropriations in a specific amount for expenditure with or to an entity or targeted to a 

specific State, locality, or congressional district, other than through a statutory or administrative formula-driven or competitive 

award process: 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with SENATE
January 7, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S163 

Section Program or entity State Principal sponsor of Senate bill in 110th Cong. (or requester) 

2501(b) .......................... Rio Puerco Watershed ........................................................................................................................................................... NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 

7101(c) .......................... Keweenaw National Historical Park ...................................................................................................................................... MI .......................................... Levin 

7111 ............................... Women’s Rights National Historical Park ............................................................................................................................. NY .......................................... Clinton 

7405(g) .......................... St. Augustine Commemoration Commission ......................................................................................................................... FL ........................................... Martinez/Nelson 

8001(h) .......................... Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area ............................................................................................................................. CO .......................................... Salazar/Allard 

8002(h) .......................... Cache La Poudre National Heritage Area ............................................................................................................................. CO .......................................... Allard/Salazar

8003(h) .......................... South Park National Heritage Area ....................................................................................................................................... CO .......................................... Salazar 

8004(h) .......................... Northern Plains National Heritage Area ............................................................................................................................... ND .......................................... Dorgan/Conrad 

8005(h) .......................... Baltimore National Heritage Area ......................................................................................................................................... MD ......................................... Mikulski/Cardin 8006(i) ........................... Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area ................................................................................................................................ MA & NH ............................... Kerry 

8007(h) .......................... Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area .............................................................................................................................. MS ......................................... Cochran 8008(h) .......................... Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area ............................................................................................................................. MS ......................................... Cochran 8009(i) ........................... Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area ................................................................................................................................. AL .......................................... none 8010(h) .......................... Kenai Mountains—Turnagain Arm NHA ............................................................................................................................... AK .......................................... Murkowski 8201(c) .......................... Quinebaug & Shetucket Nat. Heritage Corridor ................................................................................................................... CN .......................................... Dodd 9001(c) .......................... Snake, Boise & Payette River Systems Study ...................................................................................................................... ID ........................................... Craig 

9002(b) .......................... Sierra Vista Subwatershed Study ......................................................................................................................................... AZ .......................................... Kyl/McCain 9003(c) .......................... San Diego Intertie Study ....................................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... none 9101(c) .......................... Tumalo Irrigation Project ...................................................................................................................................................... OR .......................................... Smith/Wyden 

9102(d) .......................... Madera Water Supply Project ................................................................................................................................................ CA .......................................... Feinstein 9103(e) .......................... Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Project ............................................................................................................................. NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 9105(b) .......................... Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Project ................................................................................................................................... CO .......................................... Salazar/Allard 9106(g) .......................... Rio Grande Pueblos ............................................................................................................................................................... NM ......................................... Bingaman 

9108(j) ........................... Santa Margarita River .......................................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... none 9109(a) .......................... Elsinore Valley Municpal Water District ............................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... none 9110(a) .......................... North Bay Water Reuse Authority ......................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... Feinstein/Boxer 9111(a) .......................... Prado Basin Treatment Project ............................................................................................................................................. CA .......................................... Feinstein 9112(b) .......................... Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin ............................................................................................................................................ CA .......................................... Feinstein 9114(a) .......................... Yucaipa Valley Water District ............................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... none 9301(3) .......................... San Gabriel Basin Restoration Fund .................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... none 10009 ............................. San Joaquin Restoration Settlement ..................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... Feinstein/Boxer 10203 ............................. Friant Division Improvements ............................................................................................................................................... CA .......................................... Feinstein/Boxer 10501 ............................. Reclamation Water Settlement Funds .................................................................................................................................. NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 10609 ............................. (a) Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project ............................................................................................................................... NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 10609(b) ........................ San Juan Conjunctive Use Wells .......................................................................................................................................... NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 10609(c) ........................ San Juan River Irrigation Projects ........................................................................................................................................ NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 10609(d) ........................ Other Irrigation Projects ........................................................................................................................................................ NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 

10702(f) ......................... Navajo Nation Water Trust Fund .......................................................................................................................................... NM ......................................... Bingaman/Domenici 10807(b) ........................ Duck Valley Development Fund ............................................................................................................................................. NV .......................................... Reid/Ensign 10807(c) ........................ Duck Valley Maintenance Fund ............................................................................................................................................. NV .......................................... Reid/Ensign 12107 ............................. National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology .................................................................................................... MS ......................................... Reid (Cochran) 

13006 ............................. National Tropical Botanical Garden ...................................................................................................................................... HI ........................................... Akaka 15101 ............................. Smithsonian Institution Mathias Laboratory ........................................................................................................................ MD ......................................... Leahy (Dodd) 

15102 ............................. Smithsonian Institution Panama Laboratory ........................................................................................................................ Panama ................................. Leahy (Dodd) 

15103 ............................. Smithsonian Institution greenhouse ..................................................................................................................................... MD ......................................... Reid (Leahy/Dodd) 

IDAHOANS SPEAK OUT ON HIGH 

ENERGY PRICES 

Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, in midJune, I asked Idahoans to share with 

me how high energy prices are affecting their lives, and they responded by 

the hundreds. The stories, numbering 

well over 1,200, are heartbreaking and 

touching. While energy prices have 

dropped in recent weeks, the concerns 

expressed remain very relevant. To respect the efforts of those who took the 

opportunity to share their thoughts, I 

am submitting every e-mail sent to me 

through an address set up specifically 

for this purpose to the CONGRESSIONAL

RECORD. This is not an issue that will 

be easily resolved, but it is one that deserves immediate and serious attention, and Idahoans deserve to be heard. 

Their stories not only detail their 

struggles to meet everyday expenses 

but also have suggestions and recommendations as to what Congress can 

do now to tackle this problem and find 

solutions that last beyond today. I ask 

unanimous consent to have today’s letters printed in the RECORD. 

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the 

RECORD, as follows: 

Thank you for your newsletter regarding 

the current problem of gasoline prices. I am 

a widow living on Social Security income. 

My car is a 1981 Volvo. Driving my car has 

almost come to a standstill. I drive only for 

necessities. I feel like a bear hibernating 

over the winter. The idea of buying a new car 

with better mileage is out of the question for 

me. 

As to the things our Nation should be 

doing—these include drilling for oil wherever 

available, using oil shale, developing nuclear 

power, windmills, biofuels. Using corn for 

ethanol is the craziest idea of all. The commodities market is hitting new highs almost 

daily. With the floods in Iowa, we cannot afford to use corn for oil. The animals that 

need corn for food are affecting our prices in 

the grocery store. Get rid of regulations that 

cause energy companies to take years to develop energy or cause no action because of 

the red tape of government. 

Blaming the oil companies for so-called obscene profits is nonsense. Taxes on gasoline 

are more than profits per gallon of gas that 

the oil companies collect. Exxon has even 

said that they are closing some stations because of non profit. It is sad that many do 

not understand the basics of economics. 

The American public has spoken. Stop listening to the environmentalists. Because 

there has been no foresight, we are suffering 

now for the lack of action by those in the 

past who we elected to represent us. Both 

parties are responsible, but blaming does not 

get the job done. 

It is embarrassing to read that France has 

developed their nuclear power while we just 

sit and talk about it. It is sad knowing that 

foreign countries are acquiring leases to drill 

for oil in our backyard, while we just sit and 

watch what is going on in the Gulf of Mexico 

and grumble about it. It is humiliating to 

hear those who say we are becoming a third 

world nation. Americans are known for their 

innovation. 

Gasoline prices are affecting food prices, 

small businesses and the cost of all goods 

and services. Independent truckers are suffering. We rely on them for delivery of our 

food and goods to market. If their numbers 

decrease because of their cost of doing business, it will cause an additional increase in 

prices or possibly the disappearance of some 

goods. I do not think we want that to happen 

to our food supplies. 

The time has come to act. Now is the time. 

We must not waste time. The public is begging for some common sense to solve these 

problems. Egos must be ignored lest we suffer more. Corporate America knows how to 

solve these problems. Do not hinder them 

any more with government red tape. 

LAVERGNE, Hayden. 

Our family lives about 30 miles from Idaho 

Falls where we do most of our business. My 

daughter and I also drive about 32 miles each 

way to our places of work so we are impacted 

every day. Our best guess is that we are 

spending about $400 per month more now 

than we did when gas was $2 per gallon. So 

far our response has been to curtail vacation 

traveling and reduce other unnecessary purchases. 

Solutions (in order of preference): 

1. Pursue increased domestic oil drilling 

including off-shore and ANWR and encourage 

construction of more refineries. I believe environmental concerns have been greatly exaggerated and need to be evaluated based on 

their cost effectiveness relative to their impact on the cost of living versus risk to our 

quality of life. 

2. Pursue alternative energy sources only 

as far they are cost-effective. If bio-fuels 

need to be subsidized in order to maintain 

production, they are obviously not cost-effective. 

3. Pursue nuclear power generation (we are 

20 years behind). There is also potential for 

hydrogen as a by-product that could be used 

as an alternative to gasoline. I have doubts 

about wind generation as a cost-effective alternative energy source, and I personally do 

not care for it is adverse effect on the natural beauty of Idaho’s landscapes. 

4. Pursue improved coal-fired electrical 

generation. I also have serious concerns regarding the apparent race to reduce CO2

emissions at any cost when there is so little 

real evidence that proves a correlation with 

global warming (also unverified). 

5. Encourage more mass transit systems in 

our larger cities and offer incentives for 

their use. I was in San Diego, California last 

week and the traffic was absolutely mindboggling. 

6. Encourage better individual planning 

and carpooling across the nation. There are 

way too many of us making unnecessary 

trips to the store and letting our kids drive 

to school every day when we have buses 

making the same trip, but I suppose this will 


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