Mike Thompson: “I intend to support final passage of H.R. 2203, the fiscal year 1998 energy and water development appropriations…”

“I intend to support final passage of H.R. 2203, the fiscal year 1998 energy and water development appropriations conference report, because it includes funding for a number of projects important to Tennessee, including the National Spallation Neutron Source in Oak Ridge. However, I want to express my deep concern about the section of the conference report dealing with the Tennessee Valley Authority [TVA]. The conference report includes $70 million for TVA's nonpower programs in fiscal year 1998, which is $36 million less than TVA received to perform these functions last year. However, the House version of the bill had zeroed out funding for TVA, so I am grateful that the conferees provided most of the Senate-passed level of $86 million for next year. Unfortunately, the conferees also stipulated that this will be the last year that they will provide funding for TVA to carry out its nonpower activities. They warned that, beginning next year, these nonpower responsibilities will either have to be transferred to some other Federal agency or paid for with revenues from TVA's self-financing power program. Mr. President, I want to be sure everyone understands what we are talking about when we discuss TVA's nonpower programs. We are talking about flood control and navigation on the Tennessee River, our Nation's fifth-largest river system.”