Barbara Cubin: “I am the lead sponsor of H.R. 3153, the identical House measure to S.1578 under consideration today. This bill is quite…”

“I am the lead sponsor of H.R. 3153, the identical House measure to S.1578 under consideration today. This bill is quite simple. It will reauthorize the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin endangered fish recovery programs for 2 additional years. This action is necessary to complete the capital construction of these two successful efforts. The program's existing authorization is set to expire in fiscal year 2008. However, construction costs have increased faster than the consumer price index over the past several years due to factors such as an improved economy and increased energy costs. This measure's two-year extension of the programs' existing authorization will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to continue providing cost-sharing for these programs. More specifically, S.1578 would authorize the Bureau to expend an additional $15 million in cost- sharing funds for the Upper Basin programs, while recognizing an additional $11 million in non-federal cost-sharing. It is important to note that this bill maintains both a cap on expenditures and a sunset provision on the time frame for those expenditures, as intended in the original authorization. I would also like to draw attention to the bipartisan support this bill has garnered. The House bill, H.R. 3153, was introduced with 12 original cosponsors, comprised of the entire Utah and New Mexico delegations and all but one of the Colorado delegation--all of the states affected by these two programs.…”