56 



State and local governments would be significant enhanced if the 

 Peavine addition is made. 



Second, I believe the current water language is unnecessary and 

 restrictive. I would, however, be glad to discuss compromise lan- 

 guage on this issue. 



Except for these two points, I fully support the Enhancement Act 

 and urge quick and favorable action. 



Thank you for allowing me this time to testify before the Com- 

 mittee on these two bills that are important to the State of 

 Nevada. 



Senator Hecht. Thank you very much. 



When is your hearing in Nevada? 



Senator Reid. August 13. 



Senator Hecht. Then we will hold up any movement of this leg- 

 islation until such time as you have had a hearing on it. 



Senator Reid. I appreciate that. We will be happy, for any wit- 

 nesses that weren't able to come here, if you would inform me or 

 have someone do so, we will work those in. We would be happy to 

 work with you any way we can on that. 



Senator Hecht. Okay. 



Thank you very much. I know you have a busy schedule. 



Now we have our senior Congressman from Nevada, who is, be- 

 sides my wife, my favorite person, Barbara Vucanovich. 



STATEMENT OF HON. BARBARA F. VUCANOVICH, A U.S. 

 REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF NEVADA 



Mrs. Vucanovich. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I appreciate Senator Bumpers holding this hearing, and I cer- 

 tainly am glad that you are here today to take his place temporari- 

 ly. And I would like to thank you for the opportunity to testify 

 before you today on these two bills that are so important to our 

 State. 



I think we also would like to welcome the many Nevadans who 

 have travelled to Washington to testify at this hearing. 



Both these issues are very important to people in Nevada. 



Mr. Chairman, I'd like to begin with S. 59. 



As you know, and as has been stated, this bill will exchange 

 lands between the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 

 Management in Nevada. It was introduced in the 99th Congress as 

 a result of the BLM's 1985 Omnibus Interchange Proposal, that 

 would virtually have eliminated the national forests in Nevada. 



The citizens of Nevada felt an urgent need to protect and pre- 

 serve their national forests and created a bipartisan task force, of 

 which I am a member, to develop an alternative to the proposal. 



Legislation was introduced by the entire delegation in the 99th 

 Congress that would add to, rather than eliminate, forest lands in 

 the State. 



This legislation passed the House, but failed to come to a vote in 

 the Senate before the session adjourned. 



The major stumbling block during the last Congress dealt with 

 water language. The House version was passed without reference 

 to water; but, unfortunately, that was not acceptable to the Senate. 



