White House Pushing Land Grab
Funds In Budget Negotiations

WASHINGTON — President Bill Clinton is putting land and water acquisition near the top of his list of wants going into final budget negotiations on Capitol Hill.

According to Congressional Daily-National Journal reporters Keith Koffler and Brody Mullins, that sets the stage for a replay of last year's budget face-off with the Republican Congress over environmental funding.

Koffler and Mullins report that the issue will be one of the administration's most pressing priorities. Meetings with environmental leaders are scheduled at the White House.

The keystone of the administration's proposed legislation is the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, which would authorize almost $3 billion a year for 15 years to acquire private land and supposedly restore damaged areas. Short of that, administration budget negotiators will insist on money for Clinton's "Land Legacy" initiative and demand the program be made permanent.

Proposed funding was brought up late last year but failed. This year, the administration thinks it is in a stronger position.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, could face problems. The CARA bill would funnel $83 million to Mississippi and $163 million to Alaska each year, but conservative GOP legislators oppose the bill, fearing it would create an entitlement program for conservation spending.

Majority Whip Don Nickles, R-Okla., and Budget Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M., oppose CARA.

The President raised the issue with GOP leaders during a White House meeting earlier this month.

The CARA bill passed the House of Representatives by a large margin.

Senate Energy and Natural Resources and House Resources Committee staff members met last week to iron out a compromise bill.

A Lott spokesman says he is skeptical that the bill would be added to an FY2001 appropriations measure.

Still, the American Land Rights Association and Land Rights Network are encouraging their members to contact their senators to register disapproval.