96th Congress - Report No. 31 - Adjournment, Energy Legislation, Harris Confirmed, and Interior Appropriations

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

This report summarizes congressional actions and status updates from the 96th Congress, First Session, covering planned adjournment around December 21 and the start of the second session on January 22, 1980. It reviews stalled progress on major energy legislation, explains expectations for conference negotiations, and notes carryover of unfinished bills. It also records the Senate’s November 14 confirmation of Dr. Robert H. Harris to the President’s Council on Environmental Quality and details Interior appropriations, including energy-driven funding allocations and specific program provisions affecting wildlife and conservation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

ADJOURNMENT

ENERGY

HARRIS CONFIRMED

INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS

Some special provisions:

FISH AND WILDLIFE

96th Congress Report No.31 1st Session ## ADJOURNMENT The leaderships in both the Senate and the House have agreed that the currentsession of the 96th Congress will be adjourned on or about December 21. The secondSession will begin on January 22,1980. ## FNERGY During the last several weeks,three pleces of major energy legislation underconsideration by Congress have made only minimal progress. The Senate approached the end of its third week of debate on the windfall profitstax with a number of difficult issues unresolved,and with the possibility of afilibuster delaying final action even 1onger. Most observers agreed that there wasneg1igible chance _for conferees to get a bi11 to the President before the anticipatedDecember 21st conclusion of the session even without a filibuster. The House and Senateversions differ considerably on the amount of tax raised and varfous exemptions allowed.The Senate bill also provides for various tax expenditures to encourage solar and otheralternatives and energy conservation not included in the House version.Therefore,a1ong conference is considered 1ikely. Conferees from both houses have finally been named for the Energy Mobilization Boardconference,and its first meeting was expected late in the week of December 3rd.Whilethe bills are complex and differ in a number of critical areas,such as waiver of federallaw,there seemed to be a good chance that Congress would send the President an EMB bi1lbefore the end of the session.However,due to the large number of conferees,theconference was expected to be especially difficult.For example,the entire SenateEnergy Committee will represent the Senate. While conferees have also been named for the omnibus synthetic fuels demonstrationand solar conservation and renewable energy incentives b111,there seemed 1ittle chancethat there would be any bil1 sent to the President before the session ended.The Houseleadership was anxfous to pass b111s on solar and conservation to conference with theSenate titles,and floor action was not expected unti1 the week of December 10th at theearllest.Also,many of the conferees on the omnibus bi11,especially in the Senate,were involved in what was expected to be a very time consuming conference on the EMB. A11 bills not finished this session carry over automatically to the second session. ## HARRIS CONFIRMED On November 14,the Senate confirmed the nomination of Dr.Robert H.Harris,38,ofFairview,w.Va.,as a member of the President's Counc11 on Environmental Quality.Hejoins Chairman Gus Speth and Jane Yarn,bringing the Council back to ful1 membership. December 7,1979 Dr.Harris has been associate director of the toxic chemicals program at theEnvironmental Defense Fund since 1973. He holds degrees in civil engineering.environmental health engineering,and environmental sciences and engineering.He taughtat both the University of Maryland and the University of California at Berkeley,and isregarded as an authority on environmental carcinogens. ## INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS Both bodies of Congress on November 9 cleared a conference committee report and sentto the President H.R.4930,which makes appropriations for the Department of the Interiorand related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30,1980(Report No.26,p.1)。Appropriations totalled $30.3 bi1lon,$18 billion more than FY 1979 and $273 m1111onover the budget. Most of the increase,however,was due to energy proposals.Congress allowed $20bi1lon for alternative fuel development,including $2.2 b11lion for site feasibilitystudies for potentia1 synthetic fuel plants and for purchase of agreements and pricesupports for alternate fuel production. $1.35 billion was alloted to help 1ow incomefamilies meet fuel b111s. The measure also provided funds for construction of twosolvent refined coal plants. While Interior's allotment was over $200 million less than last year's,the agencywas granted more money than the Administration had sought.Cuts were distribut

FAQs

When will the 96th Congress be adjourned, and when does the second session begin?

The session is expected to be adjourned on or about December 21, and the second session is scheduled to begin on January 22, 1980.

What is the report’s assessment of progress on major energy legislation?

Progress is described as minimal over the last several weeks, with unresolved issues on windfall profits tax and uncertainty about sending omnibus energy-related bills to the President before the session ends.

What actions and funding changes are highlighted in the Interior appropriations section?

A conference committee report was cleared and sent to the President for fiscal year ending September 30, 1980. The report details total appropriations and notes energy proposals as a major driver of increases, along with distribution of cuts and grants across multiple agencies.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Levi