To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Bordallo for those kind words and for yielding me time.

I rise, of course, in strong support of H.R. 714, legislation that I introduced to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a lease with the owners of Caneel Bay Resort in my congressional district. I want to begin by thanking Chairman Rahall, as well as Chairman Grijalva, for their strong and steadfast support of this bill. Chairman Grijalva actually traveled to my district to see for himself how important the resort is to the island and the people of St. John and to meet with not only the management, but the employees, because it is important to the entire Virgin Islands.

Mr. Speaker, Caneel Bay traces its roots to Lawrence Rockefeller's coming to the Island of St. John in 1952. He purchased the then- existing resort facilities and also acquired more than 5,000 surrounding acres to protect the area. In 1956, he donated the additional land to create the Virgin Islands National Park. At the same time, he created Caneel Bay Resort, comprising 170 acres, which continues to complement and be environmentally consistent with the natural beauty of the park's setting.

Mr. Rockefeller subsequently decided to transfer the land underlying Caneel Bay to the National Park Service while retaining the improvements and continuing the Caneel Bay operations. He accomplished this through the execution of a series of unique agreements generally known as a retained use estate, or RUE.

The bill before us is necessary because the RUE is slated to expire in 2023 and its current owners require more than the remaining 15 years to provide the capital and long-term financing necessary to reverse the decline of the facilities over the years and to return it to the grandeur and stature that it deserves. It has been impossible for them to get that financing with just 15 years remaining in the RUE.

Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last 4 years meeting with the National Park Service officials, representatives of the Rockefeller group, and various public officials and business partners to work out an equitable framework for the long-term lease with the National Park Service which will ensure the viability of the Caneel Bay Resort, the largest employer on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In return for a long-term lease needed to ensure the infusion of capital funds, the owners have agreed to pay consideration to the government based on independent appraisals commissioned by the parties, which will include valuable land and buildings held by them outside the park but which are necessary for resort operations. No consideration is currently being paid to the government under the existing retained use estate which expires in 2023.

Mr. Speaker, Caneel Bay, along with virtually every business in the Virgin Islands, and I would say across the country, has suffered a dramatic decline in revenue and, in our case, future bookings. The company is being forced to make some very difficult decisions in an attempt to preserve its solvency so that it may survive this economic downturn. They are currently reducing employees' hours, have been forced to eliminate some positions and are laying off employees. They are making every effort to minimize losses due to the deepening economic recession as well as alleviate the impact on our long-term employees who are also struggling in this economic environment.

The bill was supported by the administration at hearings both in the House and Senate as the best means of conclusively addressing this issue.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Natural Resources staff director, Jim Zoia, and the staff of the National Parks, Forest and Public Lands Subcommittee, in particular former staff director Rick Healy and current staff director Dave Watkins, for their hard work in making it possible for H.R. 714 to be on the floor today. I also want to thank the full committee ranking member, Doc Hastings, and subcommittee ranking member, Rob Bishop, and their staffs for their support as well.

I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this bill, which is very important to the economy of my district and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Mr. BISHOP Of Utah. Mr. Speaker, 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 a hearing has been scheduled before Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks.

The hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 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 the following bills:

S. 227, to establish the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, New York, and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties, Maryland, and for other purposes;

S. 625, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Waco Mammoth National Monument in the State of Texas;

S. 853, to designate additional segments and tributaries of White Clay Creek, in the States of Delaware and Pennsylvania, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System;

S. 1053, to amend the National Law Enforcement Museum Act to extend the termination date;

S. 1117, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance in implementing cultural heritage, conservation, and recreational activities in the Connecticut River watershed of the States of New Hampshire and Vermont;

S. 1168 and H.R. 1694, to authorize the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 under the American Battlefield Protection Program; and

H.R. 714, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes.

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 it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by email to [email protected].

For further information, please contact David Brooks at (202) 224- 9863 or Anna Fox at (202) 224-1219.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

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

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 21, 2008, at 10 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to consider the preparedness of Federal land management agencies for the 2009 wildfire season and to receive testimony on S. 561 and H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act.

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 it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by e-mail to [email protected].

For further information, please contact Anna Fox at (202) 224-1219 or Scott Miller at 202-2245488.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 714) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes.

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which 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, I rise in strong support of H.R. 417, legislation that I introduced to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a lease with the owners of Caneel Bay Resort in my congressional district.

I have a longer statement which I will submit for the Record, but I want to begin by thanking Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall and Subcommittee Chairman Raul Grijalva for their strong and steadfast support of this bill. I also want to thank Ranking Member Hastings and Subcommittee Ranking Member Bishop for their support as well.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 714 passed the House in February of 2009 and was approved by the other body, with an amendment, on May 14 of this year. We have been working to secure the enactment of this or a similar bill for more than 4 years, which will mean that the largest employer on the island of St. John in my district will be able to make badly needed upgrades to its facilities and keep operating and save jobs of over 400 employees during these challenging economic times.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Natural Resources Committee Chief of Staff Jim Zoia, Chief Counsel Rick Healy, and National Parks, Forest and Public Land Subcommittee Staff Director David Watkins for all their hard work and assistance on this bill. H.R. 714 is an example of an effective public-private partnership, and I urge my colleagues to support its adoption.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 714) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which 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, I would like to commend our distinguished colleague from the Virgin Islands, a valuable member of the Committee on Natural Resources, Donna Christensen, for sponsoring H.R. 714. This legislation would authorize the National Park Service to continue its successful relationship with Caneel Bay Resort, ensure that park resources are protected, and allow the resort to undertake needed maintenance and improvement programs that will benefit visitors to the Virgin Islands National Park and the Caneel Bay Resort well into the future.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation was approved by the House in the previous Congress, but was not considered in the other body. It should be noted, however, that H.R. 714 includes some technical changes suggested by our colleagues in the Senate after hearings were conducted on the bill last year.

Congresswoman Christensen deserves our thanks for her work in ensuring that visitor services at the Virgin Islands National Park are available and that the park's stunning natural resources are always protected.

I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 714.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support H.R. 714, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 296, H.R. 714, the Virgin Islands National Park.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee- reported amendments be considered and agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read three times, passed, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.