Date: 1987-06-04
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman. I do not wish to impede the progress of H.R. 2355. and I want to commend the gentleman from New Jersey . the chairman of the full committee. and the gentleman from New York (Mr. SCHEUERJ. the subcommittee chairman. for the work that they have done on this bill. However. the interests of the Committee on Agriculture must be expressed and protected. I believe that the matters of concern are relatively minor and can be easily resolved. and I thank the gentleman for his interest and his cooperation in this endeavor. Mr. Chairman. the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Science. Space. and Technology share jurisdiction over certain environmentally related research activities of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. and other Federal agencies. Our committees have worked together in the past on these matters and I am sure this positive relationship will continue. As reported. H.R. 2355 provides an authorization for research under the Federal Insecticide. Fungicide. and Rodenticide Act [FIFRA]. Specifically. the bill provides $13.690.200 for fiscal year 1988. and $14.496.300 for fiscal year 1989 for research activities authorized under the FIFRA. While I believe these amounts will initially provide adequate authorizations for research under FIFRA in fiscal years 1988 and 1989. the Committee on Agriculture will review these levels this year as it works on a comprehensive FIFRA reform effort. I note that in last years Housepassed FIFRA bill the authorization for FIFRA research was $14.343.600 for fiscal year 1988 and $14.978.200 for fiscal year 1989. The bill was not enacted in the 99th Congress. but it will provide a vehicle.for our effort to pass a comprehensive FIFRA bill this year. Mr. Chairman. H.R. 2355 also includes other matters that touch on the jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture. With regard to water quality and drinking water. our committee will be reviewing pesticide related ground water initiatives as part of the FIFRA effort this year. Later. we will look at the ground water issue as it relates to the prevention of ground water contamination. and the education of farmers through the Cooperative Extension Service at the Department of Agriculture. With regard to energy research. the bill provides authorizations for. acid rain research projects. The Agriculture Committee Is particularly interested in the work being conducted by the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program [NAPAP]. which is an Interagency group that seeks to coordinate research on acid rain. I believe that the forest ecosystem implications of air pollution should constitute a major part of the work being conducted by NAPAP. In the 99th Congress the House passed H.R. 2631. the Forest Ecosystems and Atmospheric Pollution Research Act of 1986. that would have established a 10year program to document the threat to forests from air pollution. and a plan for research to deal with the problem. The Committee on Agriculture plans to move an identical bill in this Congress. Two provisions insection 7 of the bill also concern pesticide related research. Specifically. section 7(c) directs the Administrator of the EPA. in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture. to conduct a research study on the environmental effects of pesticide resistance and the potential of pesticide resistance management techniques to reduce such effects. It is worth noting that the 1985 farm bill required a similar study by the Department of Agriculture that was transmitted to the Committee on Agriculture on January14. 1987. I believe any future study of this subject should build on. and not duplicate. the study done previously by the USDA. In addition. the FIFRA effort in the 99th. Congress recommended a more comprehensive EPA pesticide resistance program to conduct research on pesticide resistance and pesticide resistance management techniques to control or reduce the development of pesticide resistance. Because the Committee on Agriculture will reconsider this proposal. I need to understand that the study provision in H.R. 2355 is not intended to hamper the effort to establish a broader program later this year. A similar problem is presented by section 7(d) of the bill. Section 7(d) requires the EPA to establish a research program to develop testing protocols. to determine the efficacy of antimicrobialsdisinfectants. Last years FIFRA effort included a similar provision that required the EPA to establish efficacy standards for antimicrobials. conduct compliance monitoring. and implement an enforcement program. Again. the Committee on Agriculture will reconsider this proposal later this year. I hope to receive clarification that the study required by H.R. 2355 is not Intended to slow any effort to move ahead on the.establishment of efficacy. standards for antimicrobials. Mr. Chairman. I do not wish to impede the progress of H.R. 2355. and I want to commend Chairman ROE and subcommittee Chairman SCHEUER for the work that they have done on the bill. However. the Interests of the Committee on Agriculture must be expressed and protected. I believe that the matters of concern are relatively minor and can be easily resolved.