Southern Oregon Bureau of Reclamation Repayment Act of 2005

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4195) to authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within Rogue River Valley Irrigation District or within Medford Irrigation District.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4195, sponsored by our colleague from Oregon (Mr. Walden) allows for the early capital repayment costs of a Federal water project.

Under current law, two of the three irrigation districts receiving water from the Federal Rogue River project cannot repay the capital costs that they owe to the Federal Government. This bill gives the Bureau of Reclamation the ability to accept prepayment from these two water districts. This legislation benefits the American taxpayer because it allows early revenue to flow to the U.S. Treasury and helps the local landholders by reducing their debt and onerous paperwork requirements.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4195 will allow any landowner within the Rogue River Valley Irrigation District or the Medford Irrigation District to repay at any time the construction costs of the Federal Bureau of Reclamation project, from which the landholder receives irrigation water.

By prepaying their share of the remaining repayment obligation, landowners will be exempted from the acreage limitation and reporting requirements of reclamation law.

We on this side of the aisle have no objection to enactment of H.R. 4195.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate en bloc consideration of the following bills reported out by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee: Calendar Nos. 307, 308, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, and 314; that the Energy and Natural Resources Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4195, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent the amendments at the desk be agreed to; the committee-reported amendments, as amended, be agreed to; the bills, as amended, if amended, be read the third time and passed; and the title amendment be agreed to, all en bloc.