Max Baucus

the U.S. merchant marine is facing an uncertain future. The U.S. commercial fleet is falling behind which diminishes its power to protect the United States' interests abroad and at home. This is why I strongly support the Maritime Security…

I know the distinguished chairman of the committee will join with me in also thanking Administrator Browner; Bob Perciasepe, Assistant Administrator; and Cynthia Dougherty, and a former administration official who worked very hard on this…

in the past 2 years, the House of Representatives has made some good decisions, but I must say they have also made some rather questionable ones that is, from the two Government shutdowns not too long ago to the attempted cuts in school…

I, like my good friend and chairman of the committee, Senator Chafee, strongly support the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996. We all know that the Safe Drinking Water Act needs to be reformed. We have heard all kinds of stories…

very clearly, the Department of Treasury admits the error, a $1.590 billion miscalculation. To review this, so that Senators understand how this procedure works, by law, there is a 2-year time lag, which means that because a mistake was…

I said one of the most. I did not say ``the.'' He is saying that, under the law, the allocation is made according to the best data available. The fact is the data was available and is available in 1994. Do you know what happened? Some…

this is a very simple technical correction amendment. Very simply, it corrects a mistake that the Department of the Treasury made. The administration tells us, incredibly, they need legislative authority to correct the mistake. This…

the Senator from Texas--by the way, one of the biggest beneficiaries of this bureaucratic snafu, his State, gets more dollars as a result of this bureaucratic snafu than almost any other State.

The allocation made to States is determined by the receipts received 2 years earlier. So 1994 determines 1996, and the amount in the trust fund in 1995 determines 1997.

I appreciate the statement the chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation of the Environment and Public Works Committee made. I understand the Senator's position, namely that although a mistake is made, and there is not anybody who…

this is an accommodation to allow us to proceed with the bill. I think it meets the objective of the Senator from Texas, and as to another look at the degree to which there is an accounting clerical error, it is also significant. It is my…

essentially following up, I thank the managers for the amendment. There was a natural catastrophe in the State of Montana due to abnormal weather. This amendment helps that situation. I thank the Senators.

I am happy the Senator from Indiana offered this amendment. He has been committed, including the Presiding Officer, for many years to trying to get this passed. There has been a development which makes this legislation more imminent…

But I have a larger concern about this bill. It is the issue of our spending priorities. Briefly stated, at a time when we are trying to cut spending in order to balance the budget, we should not be authorizing so much new spending on…

when I came to the Senate a few years back, one of the first bills I introduced was the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights, to protect taxpayers in disputes with the Internal Revenue Service. At that time I noted: Oliver Wendell Holmes reasoned…

it is with great sadness and regret that I rise today in support of S. 1899, a bill to name the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness for Mollie Beattie, the former Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As most of you now…

I am pleased that the intent of this language is for the cleanup to proceed according to the schedule in the deed or other agreement proposed to govern the transfer. But I am unclear who would enforce the schedule and I would hope this is…

I would like to ask the sponsor of the amendment, Senator Smith, to clarify a couple of points I have on the amendment allowing the transfer of Federal facilities. First, let me say that transferring Federal facilities to private parties…

Second, I understand that the amendment would allow transfers of Federal facilities to occur before remedial action is in place, provided that the transfer contains several assurances. These assurances would, among other things, assure…

like so many Americans, I have watched with horror and anger the news accounts of the senseless act of violence in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia which has claimed the lives of 19 of our Nation's best and brightest young men and women and shattered…

I want to talk today about a friend, Randy Bellingham, who lived life to the fullest--in his work, in his play, in his personal relationships. And because of the way he lived, the sense of loss for those who knew him, is that much greater…

I rise in support of the important campaign finance reform legislation that is before us today. I support this legislation because I believe it represents the right kind of change. While not a perfect solution, it will help put our…

with some bemusement, I listen to my good friend from Mississippi. When a vacancy occurred in Montana for a Federal district court judge, I saw this as an opportunity to find the best person in the State of Montana for this position. This…

I rise to discuss the question of most- favored-nation tariff status for China. Our goals in China policy over the next 10 years are more important than our goals for the next 2 months. But we must begin with the next 2 months and MFN…

I would like to inquire of Senator Exon, is it fair for me to assume that in order for the Energy and Natural Resource Committee to meet its reconciliation instructions this year, the Republican majority is planning to include drilling in…