Authorization ceilings for river basin commissions established under title II of the act would not be changed by this bill. It would, however, clarify the budgetary procedure for such commissions by providing explicitly that the salaries and expenses of commission chairmen are subject to the title II ceilings. The ceiling on grant funds to States, set at $5,000,000 in the act would not be affected by this bill. The Office of Budget and Management advises that this bill would be in accordance with the program of the President. Sincerely yours, ROGERS C. B. MORTON, Chairman. A BILL To amend the Water Resources Planning Act to authorize Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Water Resources Planning Act (79 Stat. 244, 42 U.S.C. 1962 et seq.) is amended by striking out the present Section 401 and inserting in lieu thereof the following. SEC. 401. There are authorized to be appropriated: (a) not to exceed $6,000,000 annually for the Federal share of the expenses of administration and operation of river basin commissions, including salaries and expenses of the chairmen: Provided, That not more than $750,000 annually shall be available under this subsection for any single river basin commission; and (b) such sums as may be necessary for the expenses of the Water Resources Council in administering this Act. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING LAW In compliance with clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law, section 401 of the Water Resources Planning Act as amended (79 Stat. 244, 82 Stat. 935, 42 U.S.C. 1962), made by the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets; new matter is in italic): SEC. 401. [There are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $500,000 annually to carry out the provisions of Title I of this Act, [p. 3] not to exceed $6,000,000 annually to carry out the provisions of title II, and not to exceed $400,000 annually for the administration of Title III: Provided, That with respect to Title II, not more than $750,000 annually shall be available for any single river basin commission.] There are authorized to be appropriated— (a) not to exceed $6,000,000 annually for the Federal share of the expenses of administration and operation of river basin commissions, including salaries and expenses of the chairmen: Provided, That not more than $750,000 annually shall be available under this subsection for any single river basin commission; and (b) not to exceed $1,500,000 annually for the expenses of the Water Resources Council in administering this Act. 1.19c (2) SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR S. REP. No. 92–139, 92d Cong., 1st Sess. (1971) [p. 4] AMENDING THE WATER RESOURCES PLANNING ACT TO AUTHORIZE INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS JUNE 3, 1971.-Ordered to be printed Mr. JACKSON, from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H.R. 6359] The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, to which was referred the bill (H.R. 6359) to amend the Water Resources Planning Act to authorize increased appropriations, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE The purpose of this bill is to amend the existing provisions of the Water Resources Planning Act which impose ceilings upon the annual appropriations authorized for the administration of titles I and II of the act, to increase the ceilings. BACKGROUND The Water Resources Planning Act of 1965 has the following general provisions: Title I established the Water Resources Council. The Council is composed of the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, the Army, HEW, Transportation, and the Chairman of the Federal Power Commission. It is supported by an Executive Director and staff which constitute a separate agency. The Council has important administrative duties to maintain an assessment of the Nation's water resources, review and establish standards and procedures for Federal water resource development, and review comprehensive river basin plans. [p. 1] Title II authorizes the establishment of joint Federal-State river basin commissions to perform comprehensive water resource planning for various regions and to coordinate water resource development activities in the regions. Each such commission shall have a chairman appointed by the President as Federal representative, and a representative from each State and each Federal agency represented and from each interstate agency created by compact. (River basin commissions have been established in five basins thus far. In the other basins ad hoc committees are performing the function.) Title III provides for a program of grants to the States amounting to $5 million annually to finance not more than 50 percent of each State's comprehensive water resource planning program. Title IV of the act includes miscellaneous provisions including the authorization of appropriations. The existing limitations are as follows: $500,000 annually to carry out title I (increased from $300,000 by the act of Oct 2, 1968, 82 Stat. 935). $6,000,000 annually to carry out title II, further limited to not more than $750,000 for any single river basin commission. $400,000 for the administration of title III. The Subcommittee on Water and Power Resources held a hearing on April 23, 1971, on S. 1398, which was recommended by the Water Resources Council and which is a companion bill to H.R. 6359. PROPOSED LEGISLATION As introduced, H.R. 6359 and S. 1398, would have deleted section 401 of the act dealing with appropriations and substituted new language which would have the following effects: (1) Retain the existing ceiling on funding for river basin commissions. (2) Remove entirely, the existing ceilings on funds to carry out the Council's coordinating functions under title I and to administer the grant program of title III. COMMITTEE ACTION The committee voted to amend S. 1398, to place a limitation of $1,500,000 annually upon the combined appropriations for the Council's administrative expenses under titles I and III of the act. The committee then voted to report H.R. 6359, which had passed the House on May 17, 1971, incorporating a similar amendment. The committee believes that the authorization of appropriations wherever possible should include a ceiling. In this case experience in administering the act provides an adequate basis for such a ceiling. The Council's request for fiscal year 1972 is $1,381,000. The recommended ceiling of $1,500,000 provides some additional latitude for future increases. If larger increases are necessary, the committee believes that further review by the legislative committees would be appropriate. [p. 2] COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, by unanimous vote, recommends that H.R. 6359 be enacted. EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS An executive communication from the Chairman of the Water Resources Council, transmitting draft legislation is set forth in full below. WATER RESOURCES COUNCIL, Washington, D.C., March 11, 1971. Hon. SPIRO T. Agnew Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: Enclosed is a proposed draft bill to amend the Water Resources Planning Act to authorize increased appropriations. At present, the act (79 Stat. 244, 42 U.S.C. 1962 et seq.) contains a combined ceiling of $900,000 for the Council's administration of the act, consisting of a ceiling of $500,000 for title I and $400,000 for the administration of title III. The bill proposes to eliminate these ceilings so as to accommodate the administration's proposed fiscal year 1972 budget for the Council and to permit any necessary future increase in funds that could be made available. The separate authorization ceilings for the administration of titles. I and III have proved to be somewhat artificial and impractical in actual operation, and we believe that the authorization for the Council's administration of the act should be combined as proposed in the bill. This change will result in more efficient administration and more accurately reflect the Council's organizational structure. Authorization ceilings for river basin commissions established under title II of the act would not be changed by this bill. It would, however, clarify the budgetary procedure for such commissions by providing explicitly that the salaries and expenses of commission chairmen are subject to the title II ceilings. The ceiling on grant funds to States, set at $5 million in the act would not be affected by this bill. The Office of Budget and Management advises that this bill would be in accordance with the program of the President. Sincerely yours, ROGERS C. B. MORTON, Chairman. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW In compliance with subsection (4) of rule XXIX of the Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, H.R. 6359 as reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be [p. 3] omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): SEC. 401 OF THE WATER RESOURCES PLANNING ACT (79 Stat. 244 as amended 82 Stat. 935) SEC. 401. [There are authorized to be appropriated not to exceed $500,000 annually to carry out the provisions of Title I of this Act, not to exceed $6,000,000 annually to carry out the provisions of Title II, and not to exceed $400,000 annually for the administration of Title III: Provided, That with respect to Title II, not more than $750,000 annually shall be available for any single river basin commission.] There are authorized to be appropriated— (a) not to exceed $6,000,000 annually for the Federal share of the expenses of administration and operation of river basin commissions, including salaries and expenses of the chairmen: Provided, That not more than $750,000 annually shall be available under this subsection for any single river basin commission; and (b) not to exceed $1,500,000 annually for the expenses of the Water Resources Council in administering this Act. |