WASHINGTON, D.C. - Five Senate Energy and Natural Resource bills passed the Senate late last night by unanimous consent. Included in the block of bills was H.R. 3084 (Rep. Shimkus), which would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contribute funds for the establishment of an interpretative center on the life and contributions of President Abraham Lincoln. The center would be established in Springfield, Illinois and would make available to the public materials related to the life of President Abraham Lincoln. The center would also provide interpretive and educational services which communicate the meaning of Lincoln's life. The bill came from the Energy Committee with an amendment by Senator Fitzgerald that would require competitive bidding on the project, and it now moves back to the House for approval. The following Energy Committe bills also passed the Senate: ∙ H.R. 2773 (Rep. McCollum) The bill would amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Wekiva River and its tributaries of Rock Springs Run and Black Water Creek in the State of Florida as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system. The bill now moves on to the White House for the Presidents signature. ∙ HR 2752 (Rep. Gibbons) The Lincoln County Act of 1999 would grant Lincoln County, Nevada, the exclusive right to purchase specified public land in the County for a ten-year period. The bill also directs spending from the proceeds. Five percent shall be paid directly to Nevada for use in the State's general education program and ten percent shall be returned to the County for use as determined through normal county budget procedures, with emphasis given to school support. The measure will now be sent to the White House. ∙ HR 4579 (Rep. James Hansen) The Utah West Desert Land Exchange bill would provide an agreement between the State of Utah and the United States to exchange certain Federal lands and mineral interests in Utah for lands and mineral interests of approximately equal value managed by the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration within wilderness study areas in the West Desert region of Utah. The bill now moves on to the White House. ∙ HR 4583 (Rep. James Hansen) The bill would extend the authorization for the Air Force Memorial Foundation to establish a memorial in the District of Columbia to December 2, 2005. The legislation now moves on to the White House. ###