To recognize the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve as a unique and precious ecosystem.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I hereby notify the House of my intention to offer a resolution as a question of the privileges of the House.

The form of my resolution is as follows:

Whereas the gentleman from New York, Charles B. Rangel, the

fourth most senior Member of the House of Representatives,

serves as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a

position of considerable power and influence within the House

of Representatives;

Whereas clause one of Rule XXIII of the Rules of the House

of Representatives provides, ``A Member, Delegate, Resident

Commission, officer, or employee of the House shall conduct

himself at all times in a manner that shall reflect

creditably on the House.'';

Whereas The New York Times reported on September 5, 2008,

that, ``Representative Charles B. Rangel has earned more than

$75,000 in rental income from a villa he has owned in the

Dominican Republic since 1988, but never reported it on his

federal or state tax returns, according to a lawyer for the

congressman and documents from the resort'';

Whereas in an article in the September 5, 2008 edition of

The New York Times, his attorney confirmed that

Representative Rangel's annual congressional Financial

Disclosure statements failed to disclose the rental income

from his resort villa;

Whereas The New York Times reported on September 6, 2008

that, ``Representative Charles B. Rangel paid no interest for

more than a decade on a mortgage extended to him to buy a

villa at a beachfront resort in the Dominican Republic,

according to Mr. Rangel's lawyer and records from the resort.

The loan, which was extended to Mr. Rangel in 1988, was

originally to be paid back over seven years at a rate of 10.5

percent. But within two years, interest on the loan was

waived for Mr. Rangel.'';

Whereas clause 5(a)(2)(A) of House Rule 25 defines a gift

as, ``. . . a gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment,

hospitality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary

value'' and prohibits the acceptance of such gifts except in

limited circumstances;

Whereas Representative Rangel's acceptance of thousands of

dollars in interest forgiveness is a violation of the House

gift ban;

Whereas Representative Rangel's failure to disclose the

aforementioned gifts and income on his Personal Financial

Disclosure Statements violates House rules and federal law;

Whereas Representative Rangel's failure to report the

aforementioned gifts and income on federal, state and local

tax returns is a violation of the tax laws of those

jurisdictions;

Whereas the Committee on Ways and Means, which

Representative Rangel chairs, has jurisdiction over the

United States Tax Code;

Whereas the House Committee on Standards of Official

Conduct first announced on July 31, 2008 that it was

reviewing allegations of misconduct by Representative Ran-

gel;

Whereas Roll Call newspaper reported on September 15, 2008

that, ``The inconsistent reports are among myriad errors,

discrepancies and unexplained entries on Rangel's personal

disclosure forms over the past eight years that make it

almost impossible to get a clear picture of the Ways and

Means chairman's financial dealings.'';

Whereas the House Committee on Standards of Official

Conduct announced on September 24, 2008 that it had

established an investigative subcommittee in the matter of

Representative Rangel;

Whereas after the Ethics Committee probe was underway, The

New York Times reported on November 24, 2008 that,

``Congressional records and interviews show that Mr. Rangel

was instrumental in preserving a lucrative tax loophole that

benefitted Nabors Industries, an oil drilling company last

year, while at the same time its chief executive was pledging

$1 million to the Charles B. Rangel School of Public Service

at C.C.N.Y.'';

Whereas the House Committee on Standards of Official

Conduct announced on December 9, 2008 that it had expanded

the jurisdiction of the aforementioned investigative

subcommittee to examine the allegations related to

Representative Rangel's involvement with Nabors Industries;

Whereas since then, further serious allegations of improper

and potentially illegal conduct by Representative Rangel have

surfaced;

Whereas during the recently completed August district work

period, Representative Rangel acknowledged his failure to

publicly disclose at least half a million dollars in cash

assets, tens of thousands of dollars in investment income,

and his ownership of two pieces of property in New Jersey;

Whereas corrected financial disclosure statements filed by

Representative Rangel on August 12, 2009 now reveal his net

worth to be nearly twice as much as he had previously

revealed;

Whereas The New York Times newspaper reported on August 26,

2009 that, ``United States Representative Charles B. Rangel,

whose personal finances and fund raising are the subject of

two House ethics investigations, failed to report at least

$500,000 in assets on his 2007 Congressional disclosure form,

according to an amended report he filed this month. Among the

dozen newly disclosed holdings revealed in the amended ,forms

are a checking account at a federal credit union with a

balance between $250,000 and $500,000; three vacant lots in

Glassboro, N.J., valued at a total of $1,000 to $15,000; and

stock in PepsiCo worth between $15,000 and $50,000.'';

Whereas Roll Call newspaper reported on August 25, 2009

that Representative Rangel's corrected filings also revealed

``at least $250,001 in a fund called ML Allianz Global

Investors Consults Diversified Port III.'';

Whereas the aforementioned Roll Call story reported that

``Rangel also originally misreported that his investments in

2007 netted him $6,511-$17,950 in dividends, capital gains

and rental income. In his revised filing, that range jumped

to between $29,220 and $81,200.'';

Whereas these most recent revelations by Representative

Rangel have resulted in heightened national news media

coverage of alleged impropriety and potentially criminal

conduct by one of the most senior Members of the House;

Whereas an editorial in The Washington Times newspaper on

September 1, 2009 noted, ``Charlie Rangel is one lucky guy.

The Democratic congressman from Harlem, N.Y., just discovered

that his net wealth is twice what he thought. That's a pretty

good day at the office for a public servant. Mr. Rangel also

realized that he made tens of thousands of dollars more than

he reported in many different years over the past decade.

This is the most recent string in a series of financial

bonanzas for Mr. Rangel, who last year admitted he had

forgotten about $75,000 in rental income on his Caribbean

resort property.'';

Whereas the same editorial also noted, ``The congressman

has failed to pay property taxes on two lots in New Jersey,

according to the New York Post. That's not all. In order to

avoid taxes and get lower mortgage rates, Mr. Rangel

simultaneously claimed three `primary residences'.'';

Whereas an editorial in the September 17, 2009 edition of

the New Haven Register stated, ``The ethics and

tax complaints keep piling up against U.S. Rep. Charles B.

Rangel, who as chairman of the House Ways and Means

Committee controls writing of the nation's tax laws. The

New York Democrat may write those laws, but he apparently

feels no obligation to obey them. The investigation

appears to have a long way to go. The man who is in charge

of writing the nation's tax laws doesn't pay his federal

income or local property taxes. He has such a poor grasp

of his own finances that he neglects to list half his

assets on a disclosure form intended to keep members of

Congress accountable and honest. We can already hear the

defense of the next tax deadbeat called into court. ``If

Charlie Rangel doesn't have to pay his taxes, why should

The form of the remainder of my resolution is as follows:

Whereas the New York Post newspaper reported on September

2, 2009 that, ``A review of property records for the borough

of Glassboro revealed at least six tax liens levied against

Rangel's property during the past 16 years. Just last year,

two separate liens were levied against both properties owned

by Rangel.'';

Whereas on May 24, 2006, then Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

cited ``high ethical standards'' in a letter to former

Representative William Jefferson asking that he resign his

seat on the Committee on Ways and Means in light of ongoing

investigations into alleged financial impropriety by

Representative Jefferson;

Whereas Speaker Pelosi took the aforementioned action while

Representative Jefferson was under investigation and the

subject of considerable controversy in the news media, but

prior to any indictment;

Whereas in April of 2007, Republican Leader John Boehner

successfully urged several Republican Members to relinquish

their committee assignments after learning that each had

become the subject of investigations into possible criminal

activity;

Whereas Leader Boehner took the aforementioned actions

while the Members in question were under investigation and

the subjects of widespread media controversy, but prior to

any indictments; and

Whereas in the wake of the most recent allegations against

Representative Rangel various editorials and articles in

major national newspapers criticizing Speaker Pelosi's

continued refusal to remove Representative Rangel as chairman

of the Committee on Ways and Means after promising she would

preside over ``the most ethical Congress in history'' have

held the House up to public ridicule: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution and pending

completion of the investigation into his affairs by the

Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, Representative

Rangel is hereby removed as chairman of the Committee on Ways

and Means.

I offer the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

I thank my friend and colleague very much.

Madam Speaker, this resolution recognizes Dyke Marsh. It has been around for 5,000 to 7,000 years. It is a unique freshwater tidal marsh. But it also recognizes someone who may not have been around for 5,000 years, but has been around for 50 years, and that is our very distinguished colleague, John Dingell, who introduced the resolution 50 years ago to preserve Dyke Marsh as a habitat for wildlife and fish and the ecosystem in the Washington metropolitan area.

I want to note that my colleague in the United States Senate, Senator Jim Webb, last week introduced a companion piece, Senate Resolution 297, which also recognizes this significant milestone.

In 1959, this body passed legislation that designated Fairfax County's Dyke Marsh as a protected ecosystem for the purpose of promoting fish and wildlife development and preserving their natural habitat. Now, at the time, Dyke Marsh was being dredged for commercial purposes. They were going deeper and deeper to get gravel. They were ruining the ecosystem.

For those who live in the Washington metropolitan area or may be visiting the Washington metropolitan area, if you go down the George Washington Parkway toward Mount Vernon, right after the city of Alexandria, you will see Dyke Marsh. Belle Haven Marina is there.

Dyke Marsh is about 500 acres. It's preserved. It's a beautiful area. You can see bald eagles; you can see great blue herons. You can see snapping turtles; a whole lot of bullfrogs. There aren't a lot of places left in the Washington area where you can see this unless you go to the zoo.

But these creatures--the fish, the wildlife, and even the plants, some of which are rare, are in their natural habitat because of Chairman Dingell's efforts. He got together with John Saylor from Pennsylvania--my friend

Mr. Shuster knows him, as did Mr. Shuster's father--and the late Chairman Henry Reuss of Wisconsin. The three of them got together and they got this legislation through that stopped the dredging of Dyke Marsh, and it has been preserved to this day. Whether we can expand it and even restore it more to its natural habitat, I don't know. But I know because of this legislation we're at least going to be able to preserve what we have.

As the gentlelady suggested, it has over 6,500 species of plants and animals, some of which are threatened or endangered. It enhances water quality, stems shoreline erosion, and creates an aesthetic and recreational escape for people of all ages.

I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the significance of Dyke Marsh, in reaffirming our commitment generally to protecting our Nation's ecosystems, and in honoring three giants of the Congress--John Dingell, John Saylor, and Henry Reuss--whose leadership and commitment to environmental stewardship were instrumental in the Dyke Marsh's preservation.

I also want to recognize Ann Toohey, who has done the research and staff support on this. I want to express appreciation to my colleague, Congressman Gerry Connolly, whose district is just to the south of Dyke Marsh, but who was the Chair of the Fairfax County Board when Fairfax County made the especially important efforts to preserve Dyke Marsh.

Again, I urge passage of this bill.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 701, honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.

Fifty years ago, commercial dredging and dumping operations threatened the very existence of Dyke Marsh. In 1959, Congress designated Dyke Marsh as a protected wetland habitat, allowing it today to provide a vital habitat for over 6,500 species of animals and plants, and serve as one of the national capital area's most cherished wetland and wildlife preserves.

I am proud to have taken part in the designation of Dyke Marsh. The best times of my life were hunting and fishing with my dad and, later in life, with my children. I want to ensure others are able to enjoy the outdoors in that same meaningful way.

This anniversary reminds me of the great times John Saylor, Henry Reuss and I shared while working on environmental and conservation legislation together. They were great friends and legislators, and I am proud of what we were able to accomplish. John was wise to have once said: `We are a great people because we have been successful in developing and using our marvelous natural resources; but, also, we Americans are the people we are largely because we have had the influence of the wilderness on our lives.'

I am also reminded of a quote by another great leader, Winston Churchill. Churchill, as you know, enjoyed the occasional drink. One day he was meeting with a group of women who were offended by his consumption of alcohol. They said `Mr. Churchill, if you lined the walls of your office with the alcohol you have consumed, it would be up to here.' Churchill looked up, thought for a moment, looked at the ladies and said, 'So much to do, so little time.' We should be proud of the good our work towards conservation has done, but remember we have more to do

The Gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Moran, is to be commended for his hard work in protecting Dyke Marsh and for the good work he has done from his perch in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior. Important conservation programs are better off because of his wisdom and diligence.

I also want to take a moment to recognize the hard work of the Friends of Dyke Marsh. This organization, currently under the leadership of Glenda Booth, has done a great job of protecting this beautiful space and getting the story of Dyke Marsh out. Friends of Dyke Marsh is an outstanding advocacy organization and they have much of which to be proud.

I urge all my colleagues to rise and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.

Madam Speaker, I rise to salute my colleagues Congressman John Dingell and Congressman Jim Moran for their support of a rare natural and national treasure in Northern Virginia, the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.

In 1959 Congress passed legislation to make this wetland ecosystem a National Park unit, which was introduced by Congressmen Dingell, John Saylor and Henry Reuss. Congressman Moran has introduced H. Res. 701, of which I am a proud cosponsor, to recognize their efforts and the 50th anniversary of Dyke Marsh.

The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, just south of Alexandria on the Virginia shoreline of the Potomac River, is a rare, 485-acre freshwater, tidal wetland in suburban northern Virginia, just north and east of my district. I was proud to represent this Wildlife Preserve during my tenure as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The marsh is 5,000 to 7,000 years old and is one of the most significant temperate, tidal, freshwater, riverine marshes in the National Park system. It is a remnant of the tidal wetlands that once lined the Potomac River.

Congress designated Dyke Marsh as a nature preserve ``so that fish and wildlife development and their preservation as wetland wildlife habitat shall be paramount.'' Today it has 360 known species of plants, 6,000 arthropods, 38 fish, 16 reptiles, 14 amphibians and over 300 birds.

``Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a wonderfully complex ecosystem,'' says Georgetown Biology Professor Dr. Edd Barrows. ``It may have as many as 18,000 species, from bacteria through bald eagles.'' Depending on the time and season, visitors can see bullfrogs, snapping turtles, great blue herons, black rat snakes, wood ducks, red-winged blackbirds and plants like pickerelweed, spatter-pond lily and wild rice. It is an important outdoor classroom for students of all ages and a laboratory for many area scientists.

Like all wetlands, Dyke Marsh provides ecological services including flood control, water quality enhancement, habitat, fish nursery, and shoreline stabilization.

I commend Congressman Dingell for his vision, and Congressman Moran for his commitment to preserving this ecological gem. I have been and will continue to be a proud supporter of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 701) to recognize the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve as a unique and precious ecosystem.

Madam 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 resolution under consideration.

Madam Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, one of the largest remaining freshwater tidal marshes in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Established in 1959 under the leadership of Representatives Dingell, Saylor, and Reuss, this preserve provides habitat for more than 6,500 species of plants and animals along the Potomac River.

Freshwater tidal marshes are rare ecosystems providing ecological services and serving as an outdoor laboratory for scientists, educators, students, artists, birdwatchers, and many others to enjoy this unique and valuable environment.

I commend Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia for introducing this resolution, and I urge its passage.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Madam Speaker, I, again, urge Members to support this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.