To remove the sunset provision of section 203 of Public Law 105-384, and for other purposes.

At 12:02 p.m., a message from the House of Representatives, delivered by Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, announced that the House has passed the following bills, in which it requests the concurrence of the Senate:

H.R. 46. An act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior

to conduct a special resource study of Fort Ontario in the

State of New York.

H.R. 339. An act to amend Public Law 94-241 with respect to

the Northern Mariana Islands.

H.R. 374. An act to remove the sunset provision of section

203 of Public Law 105-384, and for other purposes.

H.R. 381. An act to designate a mountain in the John Muir

Wilderness of the Sierra National Forest as ``Sky Point''.

H.R. 538. An act to redesignate Ocmulgee National Monument

in the State of Georgia and revise its boundary, and for

other purposes.

H.R. 558. An act to adjust the boundary of the Kennesaw

Mountain National Battlefield Park to include the Wallis

House and Harriston Hill, and for other purposes.

H.R. 560. An act to amend the Delaware Water Gap National

Recreation Area Improvement Act to provide access to certain

vehicles serving residents of municipalities adjacent to the

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and for other

purposes.

The message further announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 1928a, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Members of the House of Representatives to the United States Group of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly: Mr. Connolly of Virginia and Ms. Frankel of Florida.

The message also announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2903, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Member of the House of Representatives to the Japan-United States Friendship Commission: Mr. Takano of California.

The message further announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2761, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Member of the House of Representatives to the British- American Interparliamentary Group: Mr. Cicilline of Rhode Island.

The message also announced that pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 3003, and the order of the House of January 3, 2017, the Speaker appoints the following Members of the House of Representatives to the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe: Mr. Hastings of Florida and Mr. Cohen of Tennessee.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 374) to remove the sunset provision of section 203 of Public Law 105-384, 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.

Mr. Speaker, the House has before it H.R. 374, sponsored by our colleague, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington.

This bipartisan, consensus-based legislation would permanently reauthorize the successful management of the Dungeness crab fisheries of Washington, Oregon, and California by these respective States. They have been doing so since 1980, and doing it well.

This permanent reauthorization is broadly supported by commercial and recreational fishing organizations. It is an example of the maxim: ``If it ain't broke, don't try and fix it.''

I might add that these three States manage these fisheries in both Federal and State waters, and the management is funded by the participating States--a relief to the Federal Treasury.

In the last Congress, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that an identical bill would save up to $1 million in discretionary Federal spending since State management would continue under this act. This bill is a win for the American taxpayer, a win for the seafood consumer, and a win for the three States involved.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Beutler), the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the sponsor and the cosponsors of this bill, Congressman DeFazio, Congressman Kilmer, Congressman Huffman, and many others that are supporting this legislation.

This is important in that it promotes regional management. Today, this pertains to the Dungeness crab, a species that is largely native to the West Coast. In this case, what this legislation does is provide for regional management. It provides for an opportunity for the States of Washington, Oregon, and California to manage this species.

The States are closer to the ground. They have closer, more intimate relationships with their fishers, and they can ensure that what is being done is in the best interests of those folks, the best interests of the public that they are closer to, and the best interests of the recreational and commercial fishers that fish this species.

I think it is fantastic. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, I think this exact model should be expanded. I think this exact model should be replicated not just in Washington, Oregon, and California; it should be replicated elsewhere, similar to how it is replicated for the Atlantic striped bass on the East Coast and the salmon in Alaska. This should be replicated to allow for States to be able to work together for regional management strategies to manage the species and to allow for more intimate, better public input to make sure that you have the appropriate balance between recreational and commercial fishers.

I, again, want to commend the sponsor of this bill, Ms. Herrera Beutler, and all the cosponsors. This is exactly what we need to be doing. We need to be expanding upon this model around the coastal States of this country.

I urge adoption of this bill, I urge aggressive passage of this bill, and I urge the Senate to pass it as well.

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

H.R. 374 would reward the States of California, Oregon, and Washington for their long legacy of successful cooperative management of the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery in Federal waters. These States have, with oversight from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, managed this fishery sustainably, and this bill would make that management arrangement permanent.

The specifics of the Dungeness crab fishery, including robust stock assessments, accurate catch reporting, and little conflict between commercial and recreational crabbers, make regional management a good choice. This is basically the opposite of a fishery like Gulf of Mexico red snapper, where there is a lack of cooperation among States and fishing sectors.

I agree with the goals of this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to stand with me in support.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 374, and I have no further speakers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today regarding missed votes on Monday, January 30, 2017. Had I been present for roll call vote number 66, H.R. 374, To remove the sunset provision of section 203 of Public Law 105-384, and for other purposes, I would have voted ``yea.'' Had I been present for roll call vote number 67, H.R. 538, the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act of 2017, I would have voted ``yea.''