Jim Sensenbrenner: “H.R. 4193, the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999, includes funding for…”

“H.R. 4193, the Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999, includes funding for the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Clean Coal Technology, Fossil Energy and the Energy Conservation Research and Development programs. Without the benefit of the increased revenues from a non-existent tobacco settlement, and notwithstanding the very tight budget caps, the Appropriations Committee has maintained or increased spending on important energy research and development programs. I am particularly pleased that the Committee has included report language directing the DOE to address in its FY 2000 budget, the House Science Committee's recommendation in H.R. 1277, the Civilian Energy Research and Development Act of 1997, with respect to peer-reviewed, cost-shared research. I also want to express my strong support for the bill's report language prohibiting any funds from being used to implement the Kyoto Protocol. This language is consistent with the Administration's assurances that Senate ratification must precede actions to implement the Kyoto Protocol. Given the obvious problems with this unfunded, unsigned, and unratified Protocol, such a limitation is essential and timely.”