Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Designation Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1405) to redesignate the Longfellow National Historic Site, Massachusetts, as the ``Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site''.

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.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the pending legislation would rename the Longfellow National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as the Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site to better reflect the many chapters of American history which unfolded at this historic home.

This bill is one of the last measures sponsored by the late Senator from Massachusetts, Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was instrumental in securing the funds needed to preserve this national historic site, and it is fitting that we pass his legislation renaming a site which meant so much to him.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this small, final piece of a legislative legacy left to us by one of the true giants to ever serve in this Congress.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Before I respond to that, Mr. Speaker, I am going to yield 2 minutes to my colleague from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

I do want to extend my appreciation to the gentleman from Utah for his comments.

Mr. Speaker, this may very well be the last time that our Committee on Natural Resources will have bills on the floor of the House in this 111th Congress. I wish to take just a moment of personal reflection to thank, not only the gentleman from Utah, but my ranking member--the gentleman from the State of Washington, Doc Hastings, as well.

I talked to Mr. Hastings this morning. He is not sleepless in Seattle but is snowed in in Seattle and is unable to be here today, but I did want to acknowledge his position on our committee and wish him the best next year as he assumes the reins of leadership as chairman of our committee.

It has been, I think, a good couple of terms under my chairmanship. We have worked in a nonpartisan manner as much as feasible and as much as possible. On not every bill have we seen eye to eye, but we have respectfully agreed to disagree where we have disagreed.

I want to thank the members on the majority's side. My colleagues from all over this country and from the American territories have been very helpful in drafting important legislation that has fallen in line with our vital responsibilities as stewards of our public lands.

I also want to say a word of commendation to the staffs on both sides. We have brought numerous bills--I don't even have a final tally in front of me--to the floor of this House. Many are still languishing over in that other body. I commend the work of the staffs on both the majority's and the minority's sides and the manner in which they have worked cooperatively and in a bipartisan fashion over these 4 years that I have chaired this committee. In particular, the gentleman sitting to my right, Mr. Jim Zoia, has been with me over three decades. While we will move on to another committee in the next Congress, we will always remember our years on the Natural Resources Committee and our working so well with both sides.

So, again, I wish to express my appreciation to my ranking member, Doc Hastings, and to all the members of our committee--both Republican and especially my side, the Democratic side.

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

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

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 Subcommittee on National Parks.

The hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 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. 1369, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to

designate segments of the Molalla River in the State of

Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers

System, and for other purposes;

S. 1405, to redesignate the Longfellow National Historic

Site, Massachusetts, as the ``Longfellow House-Washington's

Headquarters National Historic Site'';

S. 1413, to amend the Adams National Historical Park Act of

1998 to include the Quincy Homestead within the boundary of

the Adams National Historical Park, and for other purposes;

S. 1767 and H.R. 1121, to authorize a land exchange to

acquire land for the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Town of

Blowing Rock, North Carolina, and for other purposes;

S. Res. 275, honoring the Minute Man National Historical

Park on the occasion of its 50th anniversary;

H.R. 2802, to provide for an extension of the legislative

authority of the Adams Memorial Foundation to establish a

commemorative work in honor of former President John Adams

and his legacy, and for other purposes; and

H.R. 3113, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to

designate a segment of the Elk River in the State of West

Virginia for study for potential addition to the National

Wild and Scenic Rivers System, 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] .gov.

For further information, please contact David Brooks at (202) 224- 9863 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that the hearing before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests to receive testimony on managing Federal forests in response to climate change, including for natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration has been rescheduled.

The rescheduled hearing will be held on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, at 2:30 p.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

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] .gov.

For further information, please contact Scott Miller at (202) 224- 5488 or Allison Seyferth at (202) 224-4905.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 1405 has been adequately explained by the majority, and we support the legislation. We see no reason to oppose it.

I just want to briefly thank the chairman. I am a freshman here in this body. I appreciate the leadership that he gave and the way that he conducted the Natural Resources Committee. I understand he is going to be a ranking member or in leadership on, perhaps, a different committee. I didn't want to let this time pass and this opportunity pass without thanking him for his leadership, for his fairness and for being able to share things with young folks like myself who are new to the House. I just want to wish him all the best and thank him for his leadership.

I look forward to spending Christmas Eve here with you, unfortunately. Hopefully not.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order for the Senate to proceed en bloc to consideration of the following calendar items: Calendar No. 261, S. Res. 297; Calendar No. 262, S. Res. 275; Calendar No. 287, S. 1053; Calendar No. 291, S. 1405; Calendar No. 295, H.R. 689; Calendar No. 297, H.R. 1121; Calendar No. 300, H.R. 1442; Calendar No. 305, H.R. 2802.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to en bloc; the preambles be agreed to en bloc; that the committee- reported amendments, where applicable, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, if amended, where applicable, be read a third time and passed, as amended, if amended, where applicable, en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc; that the consideration of these items appear separately in the Record; and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to explain my absence from votes cast on December 14, 2010. My voting percentage is over 95% for the 111th Congress, and I rarely miss votes, but due to a prior commitment scheduled before we knew the House would be in session on Tuesday, I was unable to make it back to Washington in time for votes.

On the three votes I missed: to approve S. 1405, the Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Designation Act, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye;'' to approve S. 3167, the Census Oversight Efficiency and Management Reform Act of 2010, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye;'' to approve H.R. 6510, To direct the Administrator of General Services to convey a parcel of real property in Houston, Texas, to the Military Museum of Texas had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''