June 13, 1977
Page 18731
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, at this time I would like to comment on S. 1340,the authorization bill for the non-nuclear programs of the Energy Research and Development Administration, in regard to the first budget resolution for fiscal year 1978.
S. 1340 authorizes $2.5 billion in budget authority for fiscal year 1978, with estimated outlays of $1.2 billion in that year.
As I have stated before, the Budget Committee is not a line item committee. In our deliberations on the first budget resolution we did not try and specify a detailed mix of energy research technologies, nor did we address the question of nuclear versus non-nuclear technologies, or the question of how much to spend on solar energy programs as against fossil fuel programs.
What the Budget Committee did do was to recommend a target amount for function 300: natural resources, environment, and energy in which ERDA energy research programs are classified. The budget resolution contains targets of $20.7 billion in budget authority and $2 billion in outlays in this function. While these amounts are sufficient to fund major energy programs at levels well above last year, the committee recognized that congressional review of the President’s energy proposals may require these targets to be adjusted in the second budget resolution.
Recognizing that many uncertainties exist, I believe that the authorizations in S. 1340 are consistent with the targets of the first budget resolution and with an effective congressional energy program.
I therefore support S. 1340. I believe the bill is necessary to continue and expand this Nation's quest for new and improved energy technologies.