H.R. 4930. The vote is on whether Senator Byrd's amendment to set up an Energy Security Reserve and give it $20 billion to spend on synthetic fuels development was germane and could be added to an Appropriations bill. This kind of crash program to develop synthetic fuels would be environmentally devastating. It would require huge amounts of scarce Western water and could end up leaching toxic substances into groundwater. It also means extensive strip mining, and would put more carbon dioxide into the global atmosphere than would comparable amounts of other fossil fuels, thus possibly altering the earth's climate. The fuels would not be commercially available for ten years and would cost at least $38 a barrel. The Carter Administration supported this program. October 15, 1979. Ruled germane 56-34. NO is the correct vote.