1998 Ron Paul 111:1
Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Chairman, moments ago, HR
4570 was described as a “delicate balance”
not to be disturbed by votes against either the
resolution or the rule. In fact, the primary justification
presented for passage of the bill was
the “brilliance” with which a compromise securing
the necessary number of votes was
“engineered.” Statements such as these are
an unfortunate commentary on the state of affairs
in the nation’s capital insofar as they represent
not advancement of sound policy principles
but rather a seriously flawed process by
which federal government “favors” are distributed
in a means which assures everyone gets
a little something if they vote to give enough
other districts a little something too. This is not
the procedure by which Congress should be
deciding matters of federal land disposition
and acquisition. In fact, there appears to be no
Constitutional authority for most of what HR
4570 proposes to do.
1998 Ron Paul 111:2
Particularly frustrating is that in my attempt
to return authority to the State of Texas for a
water project located in the 14th District, I introduced
HR 2161, The Palmetto Bend Title
Transfer Project. Return of such authority
comports with my Constitutional notion that
local control is preferred to unlimited federal
authority to dictate from Washington, the
means by which a water project in Edna,
Texas will be managed. I understand that certain
Members of Congress may disagree with
the notion of the proper and limited role of the
federal government. The point here, however,
is that the “political process” embracing the
so-called “high virtue of compromise” means
that in order for one to vote for less federal
authority one must, at the same time, in this
bill, vote for more. Political schizophrenia was
never more rampant. One would have to vote
to authorize the transfer of 377,000 acres of
public land in Utah to the federal government
(at taxpayer expense of $50 million for Utah’s
public schools) in order to return Lake Texana
to the State of Texas. Two unrelated issues;
two opposite philosophies as to the proper
role of the federal government — a policy at
odds with itself (unless, of course, compromise
is one’s ultimate end).
1998 Ron Paul 111:3
HR 2161 merely facilitates the early payment
of the construction costs (discounted, of
course, by the amount of interest no longer
due as a consequence of early payment) and
transfers title of the Palmetto Bend Project to
the Texas state authorities. Both the LNRA
and TWDB concur that an early buy-out and
title transfer is extremely beneficial to the economical
and operational well-being of the
project as well as the Lake Texana water
users. The Texas Legislature and Governor
George W. Bush have both formally supported
the early payment and title transfer. In fact,
even the residents of Highland Lakes in Travis
County who initially expressed a concern as to
the effects of the title transfer on the Colorado
River Basin, came to support the legislation. This bill will save Lake Texana water users as
much as one million dollars per year as well
as providing an immediate infusion of $43 million
dollars to the national treasury. Additionally,
all liability associated with this water
project are, under my legislation, assumed by
the state of Texas thus further relieving the financial
burden of the federal government.
1998 Ron Paul 111:4
Texas has already demonstrated sound
management of this resource. Recreational
use of the lake has been well-provided under
Texas state management to include provision
of a marina, pavilion, playground, and boating
docks, all funded without federal money. Additionally,
a woodland bird sanctuary and wildlife
viewing area will also be established upon
transfer with the assistance of the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department and several environmental
organizations.
1998 Ron Paul 111:5
Members of Congress must not be put in
the position of having to support a massive
federal land grab to secure for the residents of
Texas more local control over their water supply. For these reasons, while I remain committed
to the return of Lake Texana to Texas
State authorities, I must reluctantly and necessarily
oppose HR 4570.
