mr. chairman , i strongly support the cubin-rahall-udall amendment that seeks to increase funding to the payment in lieu of taxes ( pilt ) program by $ 12 million . 
this would increase pilt payments to local government by redirecting funds from interior department administrative and overhead accounts . 
this amendment would bring the federal government 's payments for pilt closer to the authorized funding level , helping local governments in 49 states , while still allowing the interior department to spend $ 10 million more for administrative costs than in fiscal year 2005 . 
had the house of representatives held a recorded vote on this amendment , i would have voted to support it . 
as it is , the propriety of this amendment was so clear to my colleagues and me that no member of the house of representatives sought a recorded vote on this issue and it passed by voice vote . 
along with interior appropriations subcommittee chairman taylor of north carolina , i oppose the amendment by mr. hefley of colorado that pertains to pilt funding . 
as i mentioned above , i strongly support increased pilt funding , but i am opposed to the offset that mr. hefley would use to pay for his amendment . 
he would pay for those increased pilt funds by reducing the allocation for the national endowment for the arts by $ 15 million . 
the cubin-rahall-cannon-udall uses a much preferable offset and that is why i voted to oppose the hefley amendment and why i voice my strong support for the cubin-rahall-cannon-udall amendment . 
