stance, an effective polio vaccine is a flnite goal: sustaining a controlled nuclear reaction is another; and we could name any number of others. There is no such finite goal to desalting research. Progress in this area is measured by the extent that desalting technology is competitive with other water resource development technology in meeting society's water needs.

One has only to acknowledge the multiplicity of economic settings and alternative source available to water utility planners to realize that there is no set cost in cents per thousand gallons or dollars per acre-foot that, when achieved. will make desalting universally competitive. Indeed, there are economic settings where such is already the case, and they are becoming more prevalent as time goes on. The question then is not the cost of desalting in an absolute sense, but rather is any given cost competitive and apt to thus be selected for implementing action programs.

As our water needs increase, our conventional sources become more scarce and expensive. This fact, alone, tends to increase the number of instances where desalting is the most economical solution to a problem. As the state of the desalting art is enhanced through research and development and the absolute cost of desalting is reduced, there will be a corresponding increase in the number of applications; and this trend is being borne out every day as new plants are installed both here and abroad.

The mission of the Office of Saline Water in the Department of the Interior is to work toward that enhancement of the state of the art; not on an overpublicized crash-program basis, but on a deliberate, flexible, multifaceted basis.

It could be asked, why is the Federal Government financing this type of activity? Or, why not let the private sector put up the money for a program of this type? The answer is, of course, that industry simply cannot afford to take the risk that is inherent in this research. The return, if any, would be so long in coming that the research likely would not be undertaken. Saline water conversion research is no different in this respect than most all other publicly financed research.

In a similar vein it could also be asked how much of the enhancement of the state of the desalting art is creditable to the programs of the Office of Saline Water as distinct from the limited private and foreign research that is going on in the field? The answer to this question is difficult to determine. Indications are, however, that the vast percentage of gain in this area stems from the Federal program, as most other research in this field is proprietary either to the firm or country sponsoring it and it is thus not widely available for application generally. There is also the well-documented fact that there had been no appreciable improvement in the desalting art for ages prior to the inception of this program.

Mention of proprietary rights to desalting research suggests the subjects of patent policy, conceming which the committee gave considerable thought and

search that the OSW might require to correlate into its entire program, and we have not even bothered to make a separate accounting of this. In this year I would imagine it might be as high as $50.000, maybe more or less.

Mr. Speaker, I have taken this time to offer these thoughts about the desalting program for two reasons. The first is to explain to the House the nature of saline water conversion research as distinct from other contemporary research programs: the better to justify its seemingly excessive duration. The second reason, is to make the point that the programs authorized by H.R. 12749 do indeed have a rational objective and that such objective is being attained.

Accordingly, I endorse fully the bill, H.R. 12749, and recommend its enactment.

Mr. GROSS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. ASPINALL. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Mr. GROSS. I believe the report indicates that there has been on the part of the Federal Government an expenditure of approximately $240 million for this purpose. Does that take all expenditures into consideration?

Mr. ASPINALL. Does it take all, did the gentleman say?

Mr. GROSS. Yes, take all of the Federal expenditures into consideration throughout the years?

For instance, this does not cover all expenditures of the Federal Government. The report says:

Up to and including fiscal year 1972 there has been authorized for appropropriation, pursuant to the foregoing statutes, the aggregate amount of $239,088,000.

I said $240 million just to use a round figure.

Mr. ASPINALL. That is correct. Mr. GROSS. And that is the total? Mr. ASPINALL. That is the total since the program was enacted back in the year, if I remember correctly, 1952.

Mr. GROSS. Does that include the expenditures by the Atomic Energy Commission for this purpose?

Mír. ASPINALL. The Atomic Energy's contribution is very minor.

I will yield to my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. HOSMER), for his answer to that.

Mr. HOSMER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

In answer to the inquiry of the gentleman from Iowa, it does not. But what work the Atomic Energy Commission has done in this area has been done under contract from the OSW, and therefore the money is on the budget of the OSW, and not on the AEC.

Mr. GROSS. How much would that

bc?

Mr. HOSMER. These are small, indi

Mr. ASPINALL. Not very much more. Mr. GROSS. If the gentleman will yield further, this does not include the appropriations that have made for carrying out desalting experiments in foreign countries, is that correct?

Mr. ASPINALL. This includes whatever authority the Office of Saline Water has for carrying out any of its activities in foreign countries.

My colleague will remember that just a few years ago we cut back on this. And my colleague will also remember that in the foreign aid program that the state of Israel had secured a loan, but I can tell my colleague as far as I know, that has never been activated.

Mr. GROSS. The Israel deal started out at $40 million and was approved by the House, as I remember, at $20 million. I do not believe it was a loan. If so, it would certainly be considered as a grant because I doubt this Government would ever get anything back because they were out to do, what the gentleman from Colorado insisted a few moments ago could not be done economicallymake the desert bloom.

Mr. ASPINALL. That is right.

Mr. GROSS. That was their announced plan. Their need for the $20 million was to produce fresh water to irrigate for the purpose of growing crops.

I notice there is an increase in the administrative costs of the bill. Why would there be an increase in the administrative costs of the bill when the report also states that there will be increases in the staff?

Mr. ASPINALL. There are certain pay raises that have to be taken into consideration. This is incorporated in the new authorization.

Mr. GROSS. The gentleman has stated that there has been no real breakthroughs in the production of fresh water, in the desalting process-no breakthroughs from the economic standpoint.

Mr. ASPINALL. If my colleague will permit me, I tried to draw the difference between a spectacular breakthrough and a work through. Working on the reverse osmosis program at the present time, it looks as if we will be able to get a workthrough achievement and this is what we are trying to do.

Mr. GROSS. Does the gentleman see any end to these appropriations for this purpose?

Mr. ASPINALL. I would not suggest to my friend that I can see at this time any end to this kind of a program bccause water is so necessary for human life-and the way we are operating at the present time and in view of the requirements of environmentalists, and with the desire that we keep our waters as pure as possible, I think the saline water program will have much to offer in days to come in trying to find answers so that suitable water may be available where required.

Mr. GROSS. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. HOSMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 12749, to authorize appropriations for the saline water conversion program for fiscal year 1973.

This bill authorizes the appropriation of $20,871,000 to carry out the activities of the Office of Saline Water, of the Department of the Interior, in fiscal year 1973. The Office of Saline Water proposes to conduct its desalting research and development program for fiscal year 1973 in five major categorics.

In the research category, the request is for $5,850,000. This is an increase of $375,000 which reflects the increased cmphasis to be placed on the development of sea water membranes, geothermal brines, heat transfer and materials, and renewed research on the freezing process. In the development category, the request is for $12,131,000. This figure reficcts a $1,931,000 increase over the 1972 development program, will involve the construction of a new freezing process pilot plant, and the continuing development work and operation of existing pilot plants involving other processes constructed in fiscal 1972.

The emphasis will be on the development of the sea water and brackish water reverse osmosis systems and the total system feasibility of desalting actual geothermal brines.

The design, construction, etcetera test bed and test facilities category reflects a $2,300,000 reduction over the fiscal 1972 authorized program. The reduction is the result of the nonrecurring expense for acquisition and construction of two reverse osmosis test beds and modification of existing plants. The request for fiscal 1973 of $5,085,000 will be spent for the first year operation of the two reverse test beds, operating and maintenance cost increases, and some modification and updating of 9-year-old facilities to modern technology.

The module category is reduced by $350,000 as a result of the reduction in operating funds required for the multistage flash module at San Diego, Calif. The request for $1.085,000 in fiscal 1973 will be spent on improving operations on existing modules with no new procurements.

The increase of $190,000 reflected on the request of $2,720,000 for administration is to cover the 1971 pay increase. No additional staff is requested.

Mr. Speaker, the request of the Office of Saline Water for $26,871,000 for its fiscal 1973 program has received the careful scrutiny of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. The program for fiscal year 1973 indicates some desirable changes in the Office of Saline Water program. The proposed program for fiscal year 1973 indicates a trend toward matching research and development to on-going plant operation to obtain the maximum values, rather than multiple-stage development of processes and hardware requiring increasing program costs.

The committee, in considering the administration request to delete the present provisions of the Saline Water Conversion Act relating to patents, was of the opinion that a suficient case for the repeal of section 6id) was not made before the committee. Accordingly, the com

mittee chose to retain those provisions in the law. A more complete justification for repeal of section 6(d) in the future could achieve that end or more desirable language so as not to foreclose or deprive the program of available expertise in this field.

Along with the change in program, the saline water program is making major strides in advancing the technology of desalting water. On January 27 of this year I was privileged to participate with the Secretary of the Interior in the Fountain Valley inaugural ceremony of the joint efort by the Office of Saline Water and the Orange County Water District of Orange County, Calif., to combine an advanced Office of Water Saline VTEMSF module with the world's largest water reclamation plant. This plant represents the fine cooperation between the Office of Saline Water as a Federal interest and the local and State interests. This joint effort will be a significant development tool for the Office of Saline Water, it also will help meet the water needs of Orange County by providing water for blending wtih reclaimed waste water and injection into natural aquifers to prevent sea water intrusion.

Another area in which the Office of Saline Water program is moving toward some meaningful progress, hopefully, is in the studies and experimental investigations underway for desalting geothermal brines. The 1973 Office of Saline Water program contemplates the placement of a small scale pilot plant to an operating geothermal well in the Imperial Valley of California to demonstrate feasibility of the multipurpose use of geothermal water for combined desalting and power generation processes. This effort is being fully coordinated with the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior. If K. & D. ultimately is successful, and the necessary major investments are made, it is conceivable that there may be produced upward of 2.5 million acre-feet of water per year for the Colorado River system and possibly to 10 million kilowatts of electrical generating capacity added to the Pacific Southwest power system.

These efforts indicate that the program of the Office of Saline Water, its available processes, technology, and costs, are being related to local, State, regional and national water resources planning. And the impact of this program on the curment and future national water supply needs becomes increasingly recognized.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the rules be suspended and the House pass H.R. 12749. as reported by the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.

(Mr. HOSMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HOSMER. Mr. Speaker. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania such time as he may require.

(Mr. SAYLOR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of HR. 12749, a bill to authorize the appropriation of $26.871.000 for the saline water conservation program for fiscal year 1973 and for other purposes.

Public Law 92-60, which became law

during the last session of this Congress. expanded and extended the desalting program being conducted by the Secretary of the Interior. That act specifically requires annual legislation to authorize appropriations for the program.

The amounts authorized for appropriation by this bill are set forth in detail by category of expected expenditure and are compared with fiscal year 1972 appropriations in the report accompanying this bill. The comparison reflects a net decrease of $154,000 in total authorizations due primarily to emphasis on studying conversion of geothermal brines and corresponding deemphasis on multistage flashing distillation programs in which no new procurements are presently desirable. The latter program focuses on conversion of sea water to potable water while the conversion of geothermal brines focuses on increasing the quality of less salty waters found in relatively water-short inland areas.

Another trend that promises good results for the 1973 program is reexploration of freezing processes for treatment of geothermal brines in light of new concepts for washing ice crystals to remove surface salts. The need for procurement of pilot plant hardware for freezing processes and for the treatment of geothermal brines is the reason for increase of $1,931,000 in authorizaitons allocated to development over fiscal year 1972.

The results of the saline water conversion program are not startling. They are not generally front page newsprint. Systematic scientific research seldom is. The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the Department of the Interior. and those interested in converting chemically contaminated waters recognize that fact and do not expect sensational results. The purposes of the program can best be achieved, in this committee's opinion, by well-planned. deliberatethough short-steps subject to carefu! analysis and critical review rather than by the inauguration of crash programs.

Critical review by the program administrators and by this committee has resulted in the committee's insistence that procurement of new hardware beyond that necessary for pilot projects not be initiated until the research findings of on-going operations have been thoroughly evaluated.

The Office of Saline Water and others have expressed dissatisfaction with section 6(d) of the Saline Water Conversion Act of 1971 requiring that patents and process information developed with program funds be publicly available, subject to certain exceptions. The committee's principal reason for retaining that requirement in the law was to retain congressional oversight of the subject matter. I hope, however, that this will not be interpreted as precluding reconsideration of the matter in light of future events.

Although the saline water conversion program expenses for fiscal year 1973 will be less than for fiscal year 1972, program activity is increasing. As results are evaluated, the state of the art improves.

Mr. MYERS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HOSMER. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.

Mr. MYERS. A few weeks ago I read an article that referred to an International Conference on Water. As I recall, at that conference the statement was made that within only a few years there would be a severe shortage of fresh water for consumption. I see nothing in the report relative to that International Conference. Was any attention given to that study?

Mr. HOSMER. We have had a number of international studies in this regard. We had one in Washington 3 or 4 years ago. The committee is generally aware of those studies. I am not particularly aware of the precise one the gentleman is talking about. I know of this kind of study involving predictions of poverty, misery, and shortages of anything and everything in the future. Of course. that basically is what our efforts are designed to alleviate and overcome by the application of scientific thought and procedures, as this program provides.

Mr. MYERS. If the gentleman will yield further, I frankly do not remember what the figures were given in this report, but it seems like within 100 years they were predicting that at the present consumption, and projecting that on out, there would be a shortage or maybe even a complete lack of fresh water within 100 years, unless something such as what is proposed was done.

Mr. HOSMER. That is perfectly true. We are all familiar with a number of studies of that kind, and it will be the job of those of us today and those who will come after us in the future to conserve our resources so they will still be available for use. That will involve not only the reclamation of waters from the sea but also tremendous efforts in the conservation and use of water, and in the prevention of its pollution by some of the industrial and other processes that we have engaged upor. through not adequately tending to the needs of the environment.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself so much time as I require to speak in behalf of H.R. 12749, a bill to authorize appropriations for the saline water conversion program for fiscal year 1973. This measure, as reported from the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, authorizes appropriations of $26,871,000, a sum of $154,000 less than was authorized for fiscal year 1972.

In keeping with the procedure of previous years, the authorization is in five categories of expense, with limited latitude for transfers between the categories. The department may transfer, or reprogram, up to 10 percent into any given category provided that there is a corresponding reduction in one or more of the other categories. The one exception to this is the category for administration and coordination, where the limitation on reprograming is 2 percent.

The major trend in the program for fiscal year 1973 is a deemphasis in large scale distillation hardware procurement; there being no items of purchase author

ized for either the module or test bed categories. The bill does authorize the acquisition of two significant pilot plants and this authority is reflected in an increase in the development expense category for fiscal year 1973 over the authorzation of 1972.

In detail, this bill authorizes an increase of about 6 percent in category 1. research expense, in the amount of $375.000 to a level of $5.850,000. In this activity. there will be a continuation of basic and applied research leading to the improvement of materials and components for all processes. This is the activity where the most risk of failure is involved, while at the same time discoveries and information are forthcoming on which to base future improvements in the state of the desalting art.

Category 2. development expense, which is the source of financing of pilot plant activity, is increased by the bill by about 19 percent or $1,931,000 to the level of $12.131,000. The authorized program will allow the Office of Saline Water to acquire a pilot plant for the freezing process and also to design a pilot plant for use on geothermal brines. These two items of procurement illustrate another major trend in the program; for instance. a cooperative program with the Bureau of Reclamation for production of potable water from geothermal resources, and the renewal of activity in the freezing process.

There is considerable evidence that our geothermal resources, particularly those in the Southwestern United States may be developed as major sources of useable water. As these water resources are highly mineralized, desalting procedures will be necessary. This source of water has two principal advantages over the sea. One is a locational advantage, being inland near the point of need. The other advantage is found in the fact that the water is extremely hot in its natural condition and thus a great saving in fuel cost can be expected.

The freezing process, which has several well-known theoretical advantages over distillation processes has had an erratic history in the saline water conversion program. Less energy is required to convert cold water to ice than is necessary to convert hot water to steam. Also, cold brines are not as difficult to handle from the materials standpoint as are heated brines. Despite these two advantages, the freezing process has been restricted by difficulties in separating and rinsing the pure ice crystals. Recent developments in bench scale testing offer promise of overcoming the rinsing problem and justify a pilot plant scale operation at this time. The third category of expense in the bill is test beds. These are fairly largescale plants where technology is given what may be called the "semifinal" test before it is expanded to full-scale operational size. This category is being reduced about 30 percent from the 1972 level. The actual reduction of $2,350,000 to a level of $5,085,000. This program is for operation and maintenance and modification of existing test beds and does not involve purchase of any new facilities.

The fourth category of expense is modulcs. This is the activity where full-size

components of large-scale production units are constructed and tested. There are no new facilities of this character contemplated for fiscal year 1973, and the authorization is related solely to operation of existing facilities. This accounts for a reduction of $350,000, approximately 25 percent. in this activity. It will also be of interest to note, in this connection. that the Department testified that the large module center at San Diego, Calif., would not be maintained after fiscal year 1973. This is a most healthy trend, in that it illustrates a realistic willingness on the part of the Office of Saline Water to carry process development to a reasonable stage and then turn it over to others for commercial implementation.

The last category is for administration and coordination. Here an increase of about 6 percent-$190,000-is provided in the bill. This amount is required to fund for a full year the new positions authorized to the Office of Saline Water in fiscal year 1972. No new positions are authorized for the agency in fiscal year 1973.

Mr. Speaker, our subcommittee held full and complete hearings on H.R. 12749. Our record offers assurance that the program is being sensibly and conservatively administered. The newly appointed director gives every indication of furnishing clearheaded, business-like management to program development as well as program execution. He has given evidence of willingness to forego empire building and to make the difficult decisions. The bill we have brought to the floor today is testimony to this type of management.

As one Member, I am not disillusioned with the saline water conversion program. I am, to the contrary, optimistle that it will result inevitably in providing water utility planners a new tool for meeting our growing national water needs, and that is why we are in the business. Accordingly, I support this measure and urge all Members similarly to do likewise.

The SPEAKER. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 12749) as amended.

The question was taken; and (twothirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.

The title was amended so as to read: "A bill to authorize appropriations for the saline water conversion program for fiscal year 1973."

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

EXTENDING THE INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION

Mr. HALEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.P. 10390) to extend the life of the Indian Claims Commission, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 10390

Be it enacted by the Senate and lose of Representatives of the United States of