Water, Cosmetics, and Unwanted Pharmaceuticals Study Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5875) to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, to provide parity for United States territories and the District of Columbia, to make technical corrections to such Acts and related laws, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5875, introduced by my colleague from Guam (Ms. Bordallo), addresses the existing disparity between the 50 States and the U.S. territories with regard to the formulas within the Pittman- Robertson and Dingell-Johnson conservation programs. While the territories are included in the statutory definition as States, they are not afforded an opportunity to receive an equal share of Pittman- Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding.

The legislation provides the Secretary of the Interior with greater flexibility in apportioning conservation funds and requires parity between the States and the territories with respect to funding for basic hunter education programs.

Under current law, each State is guaranteed at least a 1 percent share of yearly Pittman-Robertson apportionment. However, the current statute caps Puerto Rico's share at one-fourth of 1 percent and the four other U.S. territory shares at just one-sixth of 1 percent. In other words, they pay the fees and the taxes, but they don't get equal access to the funds.

H.R. 5875 specifically removes the existing caps on funds for basic hunter education programs and would mandate that each territory and State receive not less than 1 percent in any given year. The bill also removes additional restrictions on apportionments for wildlife and sport fishing restoration projects.

The absence of caps will allow the Secretary of the Interior to exercise discretion in apportioning Pittman-Robertson and Dingell- Johnson funds to the five U.S. territories in proportion to their populations, as it is done currently for each of the 50 States.

The user-pays approach facilitated by Pittman-Robertson and Dingell- Johnson has consistently delivered significant benefits to hunters, recreational shooters, and all citizens through the delivery of on-the- ground wildlife and habitat conservation activities.

It is time we make the apportionment of these important funds fair to all 50 States and the territories. I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for bringing this bill to the House. This really is an injustice to think that the people of the territories pay the full amount of the fees and yet only get a fraction of the benefits that are afforded to the States that are paying the same fees. This corrects that injustice.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the full House will soon vote on my bill, H.R. 5875, supported by all six Members of Congress representing the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. My bipartisan bill will ensure that Guam, the other U.S. territories, and D.C. receive their fair share of annual funding under the Pittman- Robertson and Dingell-Johnson acts.

This Federal funding supports fish and wildlife conservation and enhances hunting, sport fishing, boating, and other outdoor recreational opportunities at no cost to taxpayers.

Each State and territorial fish and wildlife agency receives a yearly allocation of this Federal funding. However, current Federal law places arbitrary caps on how much funding the five territories and D.C. may receive, forcing us to split the smallest State's share six ways. My bipartisan bill will fix this by providing each territory and D.C. the same funding percentage guaranteed for each State.

My bill will also allow the Secretary of the Interior to exercise his or her full discretion in allocating this funding based on the same criteria applied to the States.

Lastly, H.R. 5875 will make technical changes in the U.S. Code to correct errors in these two Federal laws.

I thank our Natural Resources Committee chairman, Mr. Rob Bishop, for his partnership in bringing my bill to the floor.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Representative McClintock from California, for his very favorable comments on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.