59 



year, including the Corps of Engineers and all those involved in the 

 salmon recovery, and that, to me, is absurd. 



Hundreds of millions have already been spent, and I do not know 

 precisely what the solution is, but I am working with Senator Gor- 

 ton to see if we cannot solve this, and, generally speaking, I will 

 be following your lead on this as I do on most everything, Mr. 

 Chairman. I mean I just think this thing has gone all out of rhyme 

 and reason. 



Mr. Chairman, if I may, I just want to ask one question that very 

 much deals with this jurisdiction. It does not deal with this issue, 

 but since Ms. Rivlin is here, I want to talk about nuclear waste for 

 just a moment. 



As you know, the budget calls for $631 million this year, but only 

 $200 million in new budget authority appropriations is provided. 

 That is, there is a shortfall of $431 million in the energy and water 

 appropriation budget, because it depends on legislation of the other 

 $431 million which would never be passed. 



Now, I want to make the administration fully aware that we are 

 headed for a train wreck of very major proportions. I want the 

 word to go out. I hear that there is a letter coming down from the 

 administration against the legislation I introduced, and you are 

 under funding this program by $431 million. 



If that happens, mark my words well, it will be my recommenda- 

 tion that we repeal the nuclear waste tax, give it to the utilities 

 to build 80-something sites around the country, 34 States, I think, 

 which you can imagine will be highly popular with 34 States. 



Now, it seems that everybody has treated this nuclear waste 

 problem as Bennett's problem, my problem, and it is not the ad- 

 ministration's problem, or it is the utilities problem. I can tell you 

 it is the administration's problem, and it is a big train wreck. 



I mean if the administration thinks that they can just say, well, 

 we are not for your legislation, that we are going to underfund this 

 thing $431 million, we are going to walk away, and Nevada is 

 going to be happy, and everything is going to be OK, it is not going 

 to happen. It is going to be an awful Vesuvius eruption all around 

 this country. 



Mark my words well, I say, certainly as your friend, and admirer, 

 and supporter, and certainly a friend of this administration, on this 

 issue there will be no quarter given. Incompetence will be called in- 

 competence, if that is the way it comes out, and it will be — as I say, 

 there will be 34 States that will be very unhappy, because there 

 is no solution offered. All we have is some legislation coming down. 



Do you think we can find $431 million in this budget? This budg- 

 et having been cut, it cannot be done. You can respond if you would 

 like. 



I really just put that out as a word to the wise, and you are very 

 wise, and Mr. T.J. Glauthier is very wise as well, and good friends 

 all, but I really want you to carry the message back, or act on the 

 message. 



Ms. Rivlin. I will carry it. Senator. I hear you. 



Senator JOHNSTON. My legislation provides for a budget treat- 

 ment which solves the problem, as did legislation in the last Con- 

 gress. You all did not like that. We could have solved the problem 

 easily, as part of reconciliation. 



