June 30, 1977
Page 21856
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the Senate has before it H.R. 7553, the public works and energy research appropriation bill for fiscal year 1978 which provides funds for water resources programs of the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, for the energy research and weapons programs of ERDA, and for several other smaller programs.
I want to comment briefly on the relationship between this bill and the first budget resolution we adopted in May.
As reported, H.R. 7553 provides $10.4 billion in budget authority with outlays estimated to be $9.8 billion including $4.5 billion in outlays from prior year authority.
Under section 302(b) of the Budget Act, the Committee on Appropriations divides among its subcommittees the budget authority and outlays allocated to it under the budget resolution.
Under this allocation process, the Subcommittee on Public Works was allocated $11.1 billion in budget authority and $10.0 billion in outlays. H.R. 7553, as reported, is within this allocation. The bill is $0.7 billion in budget authority and $0.2 billion in outlays below the amounts allocated to the subcommittee.
Later funding requirements for programs within the jurisdiction of the Public Works Subcommittee are estimated to be $0.4 billion in budget authority and $0.3 billion in outlays. Were these programs fully funded, the subcommittee would remain below its budget authority allocation by $0.3 billion but would exceed its outlay allocation by $0.1 billion. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a table reflecting these amounts be inserted in the RECORD at this time.
[Table omitted]
Regarding the outlay situation, the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator McCLELLAN has given his assurance that the full Appropriations Committee expects to be able to stay within the full allocation made to his committee under the first budget resolution, including all possible later requirements known at this time. I commend him for this, and for his commitment to the budget process.
Regarding budget authority, I would point out that it is critically important to save the funds remaining within the subcommittee's allocation because they are required to help the full Appropriations Committee to stay within its total allocation since some other subcommittees will be oversubscribed when later requirements known at this time are taken into account.
Mr. President, let me conclude by saying that I support the bill. H.R. 7553 provides funds for necessary programs in the water resources area and in the field of civilian and military energy research. The bill is within the allocation to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Works. I realize how difficult it has been for the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, Senator STENNIS, to bring this bill to the floor, and he has done so in a timely fashion. He deserves our commendation.