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Appropriation, fiscal year 2001 1  $16,700,000 

Budget request, fiscal year 2002    16,927,000 

Recommended in the bill             16,927,000 

Bill compared with:                            

  Appropriation, fiscal year 2001     +227,000 

  Budget request, fiscal year 2002             

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This appropriation assists in bringing Coast Guard facilities into compliance with applicable federal, state and environmental regulations; conducting facilities response plans; developing pollution and hazardous waste minimization strategies; conducting environmental assessments; and conducting necessary program support. These funds permit the continuation of a service-wide program to correct environmental problems, such as major improvements of storage tanks containing petroleum and regulated substances. The program focuses mainly on Coast Guard facilities, but also includes third party sites where Coast Guard activities have contributed to environmental problems.

The recommended funding level of $16,927,000 is the same as the budget estimate and $227,000 (1.4 percent) above the fiscal year 2001 enacted level.

ALTERATION OF BRIDGES

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Appropriation, fiscal year 2001 1  $15,500,000 

Budget request, fiscal year 2002    15,466,000 

Recommended in the bill             15,466,000 

Bill compared with:                            

  Appropriation, fiscal year 2001      -34,000 

  Budget request, fiscal year 2002             

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The bill includes funding for alteration of bridges deemed a hazard to marine navigation pursuant to the Truman-Hobbs Act. The Committee does not agree with the approach of the administration that obstructive highway bridges and combination rail/highway bridges should be funded out of the Federal Highway Administration's discretionary bridge account, and notes that this proposal was not included in the TEA-21 conference report. The purpose of altering these bridges is to improve the safety of marine navigation under the bridge, not to improve surface transportation on the bridge itself. Since in some cases, there are unsafe conditions on the waterway beneath a bridge which has an adequate surface or structural condition, Federal-aid highways funding is not appropriate to address the purpose of the Truman-Hobbs program.

The Committee recommends $15,466,000 for five bridges. The Committee directs that, of the funds provided, $3,000,000 shall be allocated to the Sidney Lanier highway bridge in Brunswick, Georgia; $5,716,000 shall be allocated to the Fourteen Mile Bridge over the Mobile River in Mobile, Alabama; $1,250,000 shall be allocated to the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Bridge in Morris, Illinois; $1,000,000 shall be allocated to widening the Galveston Causeway railroad bridge in Galveston, Texas; $1,500,000 shall be allocated to the Chelsea Street Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts; and $3,000,000 shall be allocated to the Florida Avenue railroad/highway combination bridge in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Millenium Port selection.--In an effort to expand United States trade with Latin America and South America, the State of Louisiana has developed the Millenium Port Commission. Funds were provided in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 for federal support of this commission's activities. The Committee encourages the Millenium Port Commission to complete its analysis and release its final site selection study, with recommendations for a Millenium Port, by January 1, 2002.

RETIRED PAY

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Appropriation, fiscal year 2001    $778,000,000 

Budget request, fiscal year 2002    876,346,000 

Recommended in the bill             876,346,000 

Bill compared with:                             

  Appropriation, fiscal year 2001   +98,346,000 

  Budget request, fiscal year 2002           -- 

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This appropriation provides for the retired pay of military personnel of the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Reserve. Also included are payments to members of the former Lighthouse Service and beneficiaries pursuant to the retired serviceman's family protection plan and survivor benefit plan, as well as payments for medical care of retired personnel and their dependents under the Dependents Medical Care Act.

The bill provides $876,346,000, the same as the budget estimate and $98,346,000 above the fiscal year 2001 enacted level. This is scored as a mandatory appropriation in the Congressional budget process.

15-year career status bonus payments.--The bill does not include funds for 15 year career status bonus payments, which were authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2001. Such funding is inappropriate for inclusion in this mandatory appropriation, as it involves discretionary payments to active duty personnel, not entitlements for retired personnel and their families. The Committee has no objection to the use of `Operating expenses' funds for these bonuses.

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