North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2351) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to continue stocking fish in certain lakes in the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.

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

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

I am the author of H.R. 2351, the North Cascades National Park Service Complex Fish Stocking Act.

This bill has enjoyed broad bipartisan support for some time. It passed the House under suspension of the rules in the last Congress and was favorably reported from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by voice vote.

H.R. 2351 is necessary to ensure the National Park Service, in coordination with the State of Washington, has the authority to continue stocking fish in certain alpine lakes in the North Cascades National Park Complex. This complex includes the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.

In 2008, the park service prepared an environmental impact statement regarding the management of the fisheries in these mountain lakes. The preferred alternative was to allow continued fish stocking in 42 of those lakes. The park service also requested explicit authority to allow fish stocking to continue within the park complex. And this is exactly what H.R. 2351 does.

Many tourists visit the park for its scenic beauty as well as fishing opportunities, making fish stocking an important component of the central Washington economy.

I urge support of this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I, again, urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the chairman as well and his work on this legislation and the importance of it. And as a general matter, the introduction of nonnative species into wilderness designated within a national park should be prohibited.

But in this instance, however, the National Park Service has found that fish stocking can continue within the Mather Wilderness without harm to other national park resources. Importantly, the legislation contains significant protections for those resources.

We worked closely with Chairman Hastings last Congress to secure House passage of this legislation and are pleased to do so again today. The chairman is to be commended for his efforts on behalf of the North Cascades National Park Complex.

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

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.