To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program from fiscal year 2005 to 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 4470. In 2000, Congress passed the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Act by an overwhelming margin. The purpose of the legislation was to give Lake Pontchartrain the same status as the Great Lakes and the Florida Everglades in their restoration efforts.

In addition, this legislation also created a real and innovative partnership between the Federal Government and local Louisiana stakeholders to further efforts to clean up the lake. This was the first step in achieving the ultimate goal of fully restoring the lake.

The basin is a 5,000 square mile watershed encompassing 16 parishes in the State of Louisiana as well as four counties in the State of Mississippi. It is the second largest lake in the United States after the Great Lakes, and its 1.5 million residents in the whole basin make it the most populated part of Louisiana.

Since we first passed this legislation in 2000, a great deal has been done. There has been real and clearly monitored improvement in water clarity in Lake Pontchartrain. ``No swimming'' signs are coming down as water quality improves and beaches are reopened. But more work remains to be done.

We have come so far. Various water quality studies have been conducted. These studies provide keys to solutions, pointing us in the right direction in the future. But now we must continue that work and also move on to the next stage of that vital work, which includes actual construction of key projects.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation would move on to that next phase with the reauthorization of the program for fiscal years 2005 to 2010. It was reported unanimously from both the subcommittee and the committee with bipartisan support. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank all of the Members of the committee, particularly the chairman, the ranking member, and also the chair and ranking member of the relevant subcommittee, for all of their work in passing this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4470) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program from fiscal year 2005 to 2010, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4470, to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Program. Working with the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker) and other Members, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Vitter) developed legislation during his very first year in the Congress to authorize EPA to help people in Louisiana and Mississippi address pollution problems affecting Lake Pontchartrain.

Their legislation, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Act, was enacted into law as title V of the Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000. Now, 4 years later, it is now time to reauthorize Lake Pontchartrain Basin Program.

H.R. 4470, introduced by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Vitter), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson) the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), would reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program for an addition will 5 years.

I want to commend all of the sponsors for their efforts to restore the ecological health of Lake Pontchartrain, and I urge all Members to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Vitter), the author and champion of the legislation and, again, in his very first year in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4470, a bill that would reauthorize appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program.

Since its authorization in 2000, this program has been helpful in coordinating restoration work for Lake Pontchartrain, located in Southeastern Louisiana. This legislation would extend the authorization of $20 million annually through 2010 for restoration projects and studies recommended by the Lake Pontchartrain Management Conference, as well as public education projects to inform the local community of public health concerns and

practical ways to help clean up the lake.

Mr. Speaker, I support the efforts to clean up Lake Pontchartrain and urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4470. The bill extends the authorization of appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program. Since its establishment in 2000, this program has helped coordinate restoration work for Lake Pontchartrain, in southeastern Louisiana.

This legislation authorizes $99 million through 2010 for restoration projects and studies recommended by the Lake Pontchartrain Management Conference, public education projects to inform the local community of public health concerns, and practical ways to help clean up the Lake. It also clarifies the status of the Management Conference so that protection of Lake Pontchartrain can proceed expeditiously.

I support the bill, and urge all Members to join me in that support.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4470, H.R. 4794, H.R. 5163, and