Dale Bumpers: “That is right, you allocate it 2 years later than the Treasury Department receives it. But the basic problem here is…”

“That is right, you allocate it 2 years later than the Treasury Department receives it. But the basic problem here is that the Treasury Department underestimated by $1.5 billion 1994 receipts. So when it came time to appropriate the money from the trust fund in 1995, it was appropriated, not realizing the fact that they had $1.5 billion more than they thought they had. So this year, 1996, the States got an allocation of 1994 trust funds that was $1.5 billion short--$1.6 billion, to be precise. Here is my problem. My State tells me that by the time the $1.5 billion error had been discovered, everybody knew it, and the great State of Arkansas got less money in 1996 than we were entitled to, and we were told that we would get it made up in 1997, which is the bill we are debating here tonight, the 1997 bill. So the 1997 money is being allocated here this evening and, lo and behold, an amendment is offered that would cause my State to be about $6.5 million short. Now, that is not a lot of money to a very many people. However, in the State of Arkansas, $6.5 million is a pretty good hunk of change. So Arkansas got less money in 1996 than we were supposed to get. We did not get our share of that $1.5 billion. And now they are taking it away from us again in 1997. So, as I say, that is my understanding so far. And on that basis, of course, I do not have any choice but to vote against the Senator from Montana's amendment. I am hoping that a lot of other people will do likewise.”