Fort Pulaski National Monument Lease Authorization Act

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 National Parks.

The hearing will be held on Wednesday, May 11, 2011, 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. 114, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a cooperative agreement for a park headquarters at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, to expand the boundary of the Park, to conduct a study of potential land acquisitions, and for other purposes;

S. 127, to establish the Buffalo Bayou National Heritage Area in the State of Texas, and for other purposes;

S. 140, to designate as wilderness certain land and inland water within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in the State of Michigan, and for other purposes;

S. 161, to establish Pinnacles National Park in the State of California as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes;

S. 177, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire the Gold Hill Ranch in Coloma, California;

S. 247, 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. 279, to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a study to determine the suitability and feasibility of establishing Camp Hale as a unit of the National Park System;

S. 302, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue right-of- way permits for a natural gas transmission pipeline in nonwilderness areas within the boundary of Denali National Park, and for other purposes;

S. 313, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue permits for a microhydro project in nonwilderness areas within the boundaries of Denali National Park and Preserve, to acquire land for Denali National Park and Preserve from Doyon Tourism, Inc., and for other purposes;

S. 323, to establish the First State National Historical Park in the State of Delaware, and for other purposes;

S. 403, 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. 404, to modify a land grant patent issued by the Secretary of the Interior;

S. 508, to establish the Chimney Rock National Monument in the State of Colorado;

S. 535, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands within Fort Pulaski National Monument, and for other purposes;

S. 564, to designate the Valles Caldera National Preserve as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes;

S. 599, to establish a commission to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War;

S. 713, to modify the boundary of Petersburg National Battlefield in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and for other purposes;

S. 765, to modify the boundary of the Oregon Caves National Monument, and for other purposes;

S. 779, 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;

S. 849, to establish the Waco Mammoth National Monument in the State of Texas, and for other purposes; and

S. 858, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine the suitability and feasibility of designating the Colonel Charles Young Home in Xenia, Ohio as a unit of the National Park 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 allison_seyferth@energy.senate.gov.

For further information, please contact Sara Tucker or Allison Seyferth.

committee on energy and natural resources

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, May 12, 2011, at 9:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony on carbon capture and sequestration legislation, including S. 699 and S. 757.

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 may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Abigail_Campbell@energy.senate.gov.

For further information, please contact Allyson Anderson or Abigail Campbell.

committee on energy and natural resources

Mr. President, I would like to announce for the information of the Senate and the public that a hearing has been scheduled before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The hearing will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2011, at 10:30 a.m., in room SD-366 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

The purpose of this hearing is to review S. 343, a bill to amend Title I of PL 99-658 regarding the Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Palau, to approve the results of the 15-year review of the Compact, including the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Palau following the Compact of Free Association Section 432 Review, to appropriate funds for the purposes of the amended PL 99-658 for fiscal years ending on or before September 30, 2024, and to carry out the agreements resulting from that review.

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 may do so by sending it to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510-6150, or by e-mail to Abigail_Campbell@energy.senate.gov.

For further information, please contact Al Stayman or Abigail Campbell.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support passage of S. 535, the Fort Pulaski National Monument Lease Authorization Act, which would allow the Savannah Bar Pilots 10-year leases for their operating base on Cockspur Island which they have used continuously in cooperation with the National Park Service since 1940. I also would like to thank Chairman Hastings and Chairman Bishop for holding hearings and bringing this bill to the Floor today.

The Savannah Bar Pilots were founded in 1864, making them one of the nation's oldest pilots associations. Since then, they have helped Savannah grow into the nation's fourth largest seaport and fastest growing port on the East Coast. Bar Pilots assist cargo ships navigating the Savannah River and guide them 20 miles upriver to either the Georgia Port Authority's Garden City Terminal or Ocean Terminal, both of which make up the Savannah Port.

The Bar Pilots' expertise is essential in helping ships reach the terminals. Every cargo ship above 200 gross tons--which is nearly every ship that calls on the Port of Savannah--must have a bar pilot on board. After an incoming ship contacts the pilots and a meeting is established, the pilots depart from their operating base on Cockspur Island and are ferried on one of several pilot boats up to 12 miles offshore to the ``pilotage grounds.'' There they board the cargo ship and safely guide them through the channel. Cockspur Island is the ideal location for the operating base, situated just inside the mouth of the Savannah River separating the north and south channel. Other than this location, there is no other available land near the Savannah River entrance from which the pilot boats can quickly and efficiently reach the pilotage grounds in the Atlantic. If the pilots are forced to move, they would have to move inland, leading to longer transit times and ship delays, increased safety risks in stormy weather, and increased fuel usage. The Bar Pilots' use of the Park Service land is a unique situation in which the pilots provide a crucial public service and also act as good neighbors to one of Coastal Georgia's most treasured historic sites.

S. 535 will allow the Bar Pilots to have 10-year leases with the National Park Service. Bar Pilots have been using this land since 1940 under a Special Lease Permit agreement, sometimes having to renew the permit on a year-to-year basis. The National Park Service, the Bar Pilots, and local authorities have worked together to draft this language which will save all parties involved time and paperwork. Additionally, the language protects the integrity of the park and Fort Pulaski National Monument. The language explicitly states that the rental fee paid by the Bar Pilots will be based on a fair market value and be subject to change by the Secretary of the Interior if property preservation, maintenance, or repair require increased outlays. This bill is identical to H.R. 4773, also titled the For Pulaski National Monument Lease Authorization Act, which passed the House during the 111th Congress.

I thank Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Lujan for their support of S. 535, and I urge my colleagues to pass the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 535) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands within Fort Pulaski National Monument, and for other purposes.

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.

S. 535 would allow the Savannah Bar Pilots Association to continue leasing a facility at Fort Pulaski National Monument as they have done since the 1940s.

Congressman Jack Kingston of Georgia is the author of the House version of this bill, H.R. 2687, that the Committee on Natural Resources heard in September. The National Park Service testified in support, and we are pleased that this is one piece of legislation that will not cost the taxpayers a dime.

So I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of the following items en bloc: Calendar No. 130, S. 271; Calendar No. 131, S. 278; Calendar No. 139, S. 535; Calendar No. 140, S. 683; Calendar No. 141, S. 684; Calendar No. 142, S. 808; Calendar No. 143, S. 897; and Calendar No. 145, S. 997.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that any committee- reported amendments relative to these bills be agreed to en bloc, where applicable; that the bills be read a third time and passed, as amended, if amended, en bloc; that the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table for each of these measures, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements relating to the measures be printed in the Record.

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

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

Fort Pulaski was completed in 1812. The Savannah Bar Pilots were founded in 1864, and they have had a lease to use part of the fort since 1940. It would appear that Congress is a little late in getting around to formalizing this arrangement.

The Bar Pilots provide an invaluable service by protecting the people and the cargo entering the Port of Savannah. This has been a good use of part of the fort and should continue, so we support the passage of

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.