Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility Transfer Act

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights be authorized to meet on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 to conduct a hearing on ``SBC/ATT and Verizon/MCI Mergers: Remaking the Telecommunications Industry, Part II--Another View'', at 2:30 p.m. in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Witness List: Mr. Carl Grivner, CEO, XO Communications, Reston, VA.; Mr. Jeffrey Citron, CEO, Vonage, Edison, NJ.; Mr. Scott Cleland, CEO, Precursor Group, Washington, DC; and Mr. Gene Kimmelman, Director, Washington, DC. Office, Consumers Union, Washington, DC.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Subcommittee on Seapower be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on April 19, 2005, at 3 p.m., in open session to receive testimony on United States Marine Corps Ground and Rotary Wing Program and Seabasing, in review of the defense authorization request for fiscal year 2006.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the subcommittee on Water and Power be authorized to meet during the session of the Senate on Tuesday, April 19 a 2:30 p.m.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 166, to amend the Oregon Resource Conservation Act of

1996 to reauthorize the participation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the Deschutes River Conservancy, and for other purposes; S. 251, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a water resource feasibility study for the Little Butte/Bear Creek subbasins in Oregon; S. 310, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Protect headquarters and maintenance yard facility to the Truckee- Carson Irrigation District in the State of Nevada; S. 519, to amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional projects and activities under that act, and for other purposes; and S. 592, to extend the contract for the Glendo Unit of the Missouri River Basin Project in the State of Wyoming.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on S. 166, to amend the Oregon Resource Conservation Act of 1996 to reauthorize the participation of the Bureau of Reclamation in the Deschutes River Conservancy, and for other purposes; S. 251, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a

water resource feasibility study for the Little Butte/Bear Creek Subbasins in Oregon; S. 310, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District in the State of Nevada; S. 519, to amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional projects and activities under that Act, and for other purposes; and S. 592, to extend the contract for the Glendo Unit of the Missouri Basin Project in the State of Wyoming.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their testimony to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150.

For further information, please contact Kellie Donnelly 202-224-9360 or Shane Perkins at 202-224-7555.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 310) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District in the State of Nevada.

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.

Senate 310, introduced by Senator John Ensign, transfers 35 acres of Federal land to the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District. This transfer, which includes the Newlands Project Headquarters and Maintenance Yard Facility, will allow the irrigation district to make permanent improvements on the property for the continued operations and maintenance of the facility. The bill also stipulates that environmental analyses, including those under the National Environmental Policy Act, must be completed prior to transfer.

Congressman Jim Gibbons is the author of the House companion measure, H.R. 540, which passed the House of Representatives in May of 2005. He should be commended for his work and leadership on this issue. This legislation is a win for the local water users and a win for the American taxpayers.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, despite the overwhelming enthusiastic support for this legislation, we have no other speakers at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the following hearing has been scheduled before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, April 19, at 10 a.m. in room 366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony concerning offshore hydrocarbon production and the future of alternate energy resources on the outer Continental Shelf. Issues to be discussed include: recent technological advancements made in the offshore exploration and production of traditional forms of energy, and the future of deep shelf and deepwater production; enhancements in worker safety, and steps taken by the offshore oil and gas industry to meet environmental challenges. Participants in the hearing will also address ways that the Federal Government can facilitate increased exploration and production offshore while protecting the environment. New approaches to help diversify the offshore energy mix will also be discussed.

Because of the limited time available for the hearing, witnesses may testify by invitation only. However, those wishing to submit written testimony for the hearing record should send two copies of their testimony to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, SD-364 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510-6150.

For further information, please contact: Shane Perkins at 202-224- 7555.

subcommittee on water and power

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

(Ms. BORDALLO asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the aisle have no objection to passage of S. 310. This simple and noncontroversial transfer of a small amount of real property has been adequately explained by the majority, and, in fact, this is the second time this measure has come before the House.

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