Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2643, the proposed Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations for the Department of Interior, Environment, and other related agencies. I commend Chairman Norman Dicks, and his Appropriations Subcommittee for the work he has done in responding to the needs of the Department of Interior in carrying out its mission to protect our Nation's resources.

As Chairwoman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Insular Affairs which has jurisdiction over all U.S. territories, I want to especially acknowledge the work of Chairman Dicks to increase funding to Interior's Office of Insular Affairs so it can respond to the changing needs and priorities of our U.S. Insular areas and the relationships we have with the freely associated states in Micronesia.

The Subcommittee on Insular Affairs convened an oversight hearing in February over that portion of the President's proposed Fiscal Year 2008 Interior budget which had a direct effect on the Department's ability to assist our U.S. territories and freely associated states. In addition to the Department officials, the governors of American Samoa and Guam, and the Resident Representative of the CNMI provided testimony in support of the work of the Office of Insular Affairs with a caveat that more resources should be given to them to enhance the work it does for U.S. territories.

I am pleased that the Appropriations Committee was able to increase such resources for the Department to expand its efforts in assisting economic development. I also point out that the increases in this budget will respond to specific requests, such as strengthening the judicial systems in the Pacific, addressing the needs of Marshall Islanders adversely affected by our nuclear testing program carried out in the 1950s.

Notwithstanding the above, I would be remiss if I did not express my strong disappointment that my requests for funding for critical infrastructure needs in my own Congressional District was not included in the bill. While I recognize that the subcommittee had difficult choices to make, I look forward to continuing to work with the Chairman and Ranking Member should there be opportunities to fund additional priority projects as the bill moves forward.

The Department of Interior's budget meant to benefit development and accountability in our U.S. territories is a small portion of what is being considered today. However, the increases carry out the mandate of the Interior Department is significant to improving the lives of our fellow Americans in those outlying jurisdictions. Again, I applaud the work of the Appropriations Committee and urge passage of H.R. 2643.

Mr. Speaker, today we members of the Congressional Black Caucus, under the leadership of our chairwoman, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, are taking time to commemorate Juneteenth and reflect on this historical event in 1865 when the news of their emancipation was finally received by 250,000 enslaved in Texas, 2 years late. And as we do so, it seems appropriate that we reflect on the inequities that continue to plague the African American community, the remedies for which are also too late.

And so, as we take the floor of the seat of government in our country, we say the time is now. Again, better later than never for this 110th Congress to bring another message of freedom to African Americans, freedom from economic blight, from lack of access to quality and comprehensive health care, from substandard housing, and from the issue that is the subject of our discussion tonight: rundown, poorly equipped, and understaffed schools and the overall inequities in our Nation's educational system.

June also marks the celebration of graduation season across the Nation. And as we cheer millions of high school graduates, we must not forget the 1.2 million students who left school this year without a high school diploma.

Dropouts are twice as likely to be unemployed. Even those who work, for those who work the pay is low. Opportunity for advancement is limited, and health insurance is essentially unavailable.

This is a particular problem in communities of color. For African Americans and Latinos, the dropout rate approaches an astonishing and alarming 50 percent and affects all communities, large or small, rural or urban, including our territories. This high rate of high school dropout and the consequent unemployment disproportionately affect African American males. According to the last U.S. Census, the fraction of black men with a high school education or less is about 50 percent, nearly half of the black male population.

A report published by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation last year indicated that the employment for what they call less educated black men has been in decline during the last decade, and this, despite the fact that opportunities exist to reverse this because of discrimination in hiring.

The racial difference in the labor force participation rates are sharpest for those without a high school degree. Only half of prime-age black men without a high school degree are in the labor force.

Mr. Speaker, education is everyone's issue. However, the current administration seems to have an opposing view as they propose to completely cut funding for the Dropout Prevention Program. The Youth Activities Program, under their fiscal year 2008 budget proposal, would lose $100 million of funding compared to 2006, and Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities grant program would almost be cut by $150 million. This funding needs to be restored. These programs are part of the solution to the dropout problem.

So we in the Congressional Black Caucus are issuing a call to action across our Nation to reduce the dropout rate and raise the graduation rate above its current level of 70 percent. Keeping our people in improved schools must be a part of the debate and be addressed as we move to reauthorize and fund an amended and improved No Child Left Behind.

Today the Campaign for High School Equity met on the Hill to address and

help us address this very issue. Among the reasons cited as causes of the persistent dropout rates are lack of parental involvement and one I heard in focus groups of young men in my own district: poorly devised and presented curricula that don't keep or stimulate our students' interests.

We urge the appropriators to include incentives to address this issue, to improve graduation rates and to ensure an increase in funding for key programs like Upward Bound in the 2008 appropriation. This program also helps to reverse our Nation's dropout rate.

Another factor that is indirectly related is one that was the subject of Bob Herbert's column last Saturday, lack of employment for teens during the high school year and in the summer. We are at the lowest national teen employment rate in the past 60 years at 33.1 percent, according to one study from Northeastern University. Again, this bleak outlook is primarily affecting Black teens.

As Mr. Herbert said: ``This is the flip side of the American dream. Kids who grow up poor and never work at a regular job tend not to think in terms of post-graduate degrees, marriages, careers, and the cost of educating the next generation. A steady job could make all the difference. Along with the paycheck comes a sense of the possibilities. Kids develop a clearer understanding of the value of education and are more likely to stay in school.''

No Child Left Behind created widespread pressure to improve academic achievement. While many districts have struggled to meet benchmarks set by this legislation, far too many of our children, especially African American children, are still being left behind.

We need to apply the same pressure, focus, and funding to improve the educational environment and experience and to provide the tools that are needed for education success in all of our schools.

The enslaved Africans in Texas waited 2 years to finally hear the word that they were free. Let us not have our young children and people wait one minute longer for the education they need and the future they deserve.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis for their leadership in bringing the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill to the House floor. I would also like to commend Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member King for their unyielding efforts to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security receives adequate funding to carryout its mission--to help prevent, protect against and respond to acts of terrorism on U.S. soil.

I am pleased that for fiscal year 2007-2008, the Committee recommends $2,065,387,000 above the amount requested for discretionary resources. On February 5th, President Bush delivered the fiscal year 2008 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security and it failed to address our Nation's most pressing security needs. It left gaps in our Nation's border, port, mass transit, rail, aviation, cyber and critical infrastructure security. Essentially, the administration's proposed budget failed to aggressively promote the necessity of protection, prevention, and preparation.

With the recently foiled JFK terrorist plot and the issues of coordination surrounding the TB case, it is clearly evident that we need to put more resources into the DHS. While we passed supplemental funding for the war in Iraq, protecting our Nation's security must remain a priority. Homeland terrorism is still a prevalent threat.

H.R. 2683 makes key investments in areas such as first responder and port security by appropriating $1.97 billion above the President's request. These grants were funded at $4.92 billion in 2004 and have been cut every year since. I am also pleased that the bill appropriation includes $50 million above the administration's request and $797 million above 2007. This will allow DHS to strengthen our Nation's borders beyond our Mexican border and include areas in the Caribbean such as my district--the U.S. Virgin Islands.

H.R. 2683 also addresses lessons learned from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. This includes increase funding for improvements to FEMA's management operation called for after Katrina. The bill also provides $200 million above 2007 for assistance to State and local governments.

Overall, this appropriation bill reflects numerous hours of oversight hearings on every aspect of security and terrorism issues affecting our Nation's borders and infrastructure. H.R. 2683 demonstrates to our Nation this Congress is serious about protecting our citizens and I urge its passage.

Once again, I would like to thank the Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and the Homeland Security for their hard work to increase funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. Chairman, I am so proud of what we are doing on behalf of our veterans today and so I rise in strong support of the Military Construction & Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill.

In addition to the increase in funding--the largest increase in the entire 77-year history of the Veterans Administration--there are many provisions here that will help the over 6,000 veterans of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Just last week as I was traveling back to Washington, one veteran complained that he was getting no response on his disability claim. I have many other open cases in my office. This bill will reduce the backlog and make good on the promise to take care of any injury related to their military service.

There is a major increase in health care funding, and I will work to ensure that some of it is sued to make health care more accessible to Virgin Islands veterans. I also hope we can address the increased reimbursement for travel to and from care. Our veterans have to travel over water and by airplane to get VA provided care. The costs to them and the family member who may have to accompany them is a great burden they should not have to bear.

This bill has many other important provisions, but I only want to highlight one other which is of great concern to me as a physician, and that is the funding for programs to address Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the other mental health needs of returning men and women of our Armed forces. This is a vital need.

We in the Virgin Islands were able to help our first responders after 9/11 and we want to do more to help our soldiers transition safely and fully from the din and stress of war back to peacetime. This bill will help us do that.

I want to commend our Speaker for her determination to lead this House and to keep our promise to the men and women who have kept theirs to us--our veterans. I also applaud Chairman Chet Edwards on shepherding this landmark bill to final passage, and Chairmen David Obey and John Spratt for setting the stage to make this victory for all Americans possible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 65, the Lumbee Recognition Act, and I commend my esteemed colleague from North Carolina, Mr. McIntyre, for his leadership on behalf of the Lumbee Tribe to gain Federal recognition which I believe is long overdue for the Lumbees.

More than a century ago, the State of North Carolina had come to terms with a tribe of Native Americans descended by the historic Cheraw and related Siouan-speaking tribe located on Drowning Creek in North Carolina. In 1885, along with State recognition of the Lumbee Tribe came the establishment of a separate school system for Lumbee children to help preserve and respect both tribal ancestry and cultural practices. Shortly after State recognition, the Lumbee Tribe sought to attain Federal Recognition.

The issue of Lumbee recognition before this Congress, which began in the late 1800's, is both voluminous and lengthy. What has been made explicitly clear, however, is that the Lumbee Tribe is a distinct self- governing Indian community. Yet for reasons that have been either fiscal in nature or contrary to Federal Indian policy Congress has failed to act. Again, however, the Congressional record is abundantly and overwhelmingly clear that the Lumbee Tribe meet a threshold for Congress to bestow it Federal recognition without prohibitions.

I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 65.

Mr. Speaker, as a daughter of the Caribbean and the only member of the House from the English-speaking Caribbean, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 418, which recognizes and welcomes the delegation of Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Foreign Ministers from the Caribbean to Washington, DC, and commends the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, for holding their Conference on the Caribbean.

It is with great pride that I join my colleagues in applauding the heads of Government of the CARICOM Caribbean Community of nations for convening their conference on the Caribbean--A 20/20 Vision--here in Washington. The theme of the conference is: CARICOM DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21st Century: Economic Growth with Social Equity.

I want to thank and commend my colleague and friend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Representative Engel for introducing H. Res. 418 and for shepherding it on to the floor of the House today.

Mr. Speaker, the nations of the Caribbean, some of the longest and most stable democracies in the region, have long been among our closest friends and staunchest allies. In recent years, the region was described as America's ``third border'' because events there have a direct impact on the security of the United States. However, while we have made statements about bolstering political and economic stability in the region, the reality is that our friends to the south have been suffering from our benign neglect.

Whether it has been our position on Caribbean bananas at the WTO, or our insistence that our Caribbean neighbors make costly upgrades to their air and seaports to comply with our post-September 11th security concerns, to the recently instituted Western Hemisphere Initiative, our Caribbean neighbors have been taking it on the chin economically as a result of policy decisions we have made to address our domestic and foreign policy agendas.

I also hope that the recently uncovered plot to blow up a fuel supply line at the JFK Airport in NY, allegedly involving four men from Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will not lead to the belief that the Caribbean is becoming a ``hotbed of terrorism''.

In holding their conference in Washington, our Caribbean neighbors hope to strengthen the relationship between the United States and CARICOM by addressing priority areas for future Caribbean growth and development, including issues related to trade, competitiveness and investment, in mutually beneficial and reinforcing ways.

They also hope to deepen and broaden the dialogue between the Governments and people of CARICOM and the Government and people of the United States of America that should result in the renewed appreciation of the Caribbean.

We--the Congress and the Bush Administration--owe it to these small and vulnerable friends to seriously consider the issues they will raise with us during the conference. These include, trade and competitiveness, immigration, cooperation on security issues including the return of criminal deportees, disaster preparedness and mitigation and health-care including HIV/AIDS.

The Caribbean and its peoples have deep and historic ties with the United States and its peoples. It is my fervent hope that through this conference and the meetings that will take place with President Bush and the Members of Congress, including the Congressional Black Caucus, that relations between the United States and the Caribbean will continue to grow closer in the future.

I urge my colleagues to support adoption of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act--a smart, thoughtful and, more important, ethical piece of legislation that already has passed in the House. This bill will expand needed Federal funding to ensure that the promises of embryonic stem cell research finally become reality in this nation.

For the millions of Americans who suffer from the very conditions for which stem cell research could hold a cure, the time has come for us to do more than just offer hope. The time is now for us to find and offer cures to some of the most devastating conditions and diseases that detrimentally affect more than 100 million Americans and their families.

Mr. Speaker, this bill also will send a long overdue message to our friends in the global community: that we are re-assuming our place at the helm of the world's forward-thinking, inspirational and smart health lawmakers.

As a physician, I have seen what happens to people afflicted with diseases and conditions, like Alzheimer's, sickle cell anemia and Parkinson's, and I have seen the impact it has on their families, friends and loved ones. And, it sickens me to know that a promising public health advancement is being tainted by some of my colleagues who wrongfully and unethically applying a theological argument to this issue. Mr. Speaker, this is not a faith issue; this should not be a partisan issue; it's a public health issue and an American issue.

Imagine an America free of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, sickle cell anemia and multiple sclerosis; spinal cord injuries, cancer and diabetes. I call on the President to sign the bill into law and to be a part of the solution--and not the problem. The time simply is now.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 401) supporting the goals and ideals of National Trails Day.

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 resolution under consideration.

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

House Resolution 401 was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson). It expresses the support of the House of Representatives of the goals and ideals of National Trails Day.

I want to commend Representative Thompson for his efforts to bring congressional recognition to this important annual event. This resolution is timely, given that the 15th anniversary celebration of National Trails Day was this past Saturday.

National Trails Day is a long-standing event that is dedicated to celebrating, promoting, and protecting America's magnificent trail system. It was started by the American Hiking Society in 1993. Its goals are to raise awareness of trail, to celebrate our incredible national network of trails, and to honor and thank trail volunteers and partners.

National Trails Day events take place in local, State, and Federal public lands from coast to coast. Activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, trail dedications, workshops, park clean-ups, trail work projects, and much, much more.

Last year, more than 100,000 trail enthusiasts across the country participated in over 1,000 National Trails Day events. At those events, volunteers contributed nearly 150,000 hours of labor to establishing, maintaining, and cleaning up trails across the country. Trail events take place in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands. Many Federal agencies, non-profits, local groups, and corporate sponsors are all proud partners in supporting this annual event.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 401 honors the contributions that National Trails Day has made to inspire the public to discover, learn about, maintain and celebrate trails. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to

the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 116) expressing the sense of Congress that the National Museum of Wildlife Art, located in Jackson, Wyoming, shall be designated as the ``National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States''.

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 measure under consideration.

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

House Concurrent Resolution 116, introduced by the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), expresses the sense of Congress that the National Museum of Wildlife Art located in Jackson, Wyoming, shall be designated as the National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States.

The National Museum of Wildlife Art is a private museum located on non-Federal land. The museum is housed at a facility that overlooks the 25,000 acre National Elk Refuge and is adjacent to Grand Teton National Park.

The National Museum of Wildlife Art was founded in 1987 with a private gift of a collection of art. Today, the museum features a collection of over 2,000 pieces of art portraying wildlife dating back to 2000 B.C.

Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 116 will help the National Museum of Wildlife Art receive greater public awareness. I commend Representative Cubin for her work on this matter. We support the concurrent resolution and urge its adoption by the House today.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 94) encouraging the elimination of harmful fishing subsidies that contribute to overcapacity in commercial fishing fleets worldwide and that lead to the overfishing of global fish stocks, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 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.

I commend the chairwoman of the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 94. This resolution will encourage the United States to support the elimination of foreign fishing subsidies that lead to overcapacity and overfishing in global fisheries.

House Concurrent Resolution 94, as amended, resolves that the United States will continue to support efforts to eliminate harmful subsidies issued by foreign governments to their fishing fleets. These subsidies reduce the cost of fishing to foreign fishermen, making fishing a profitable enterprise where it otherwise would not be, and leading to overcapitalization, overfishing and illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. The end result is that foreign fishing subsidies hurt American fishermen who have to compete against subsidized foreign fishing.

We support this noncontroversial resolution, as amended, and commend Ms. Bordallo for her leadership on this issue.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 341) supporting the goals and ideals of ``American Eagle Day'', and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the American bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 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, House Resolution 341 celebrates the recovery of the American bald eagle, the symbol of our country displayed on American currency and government agency seals, including that of the United States Congress. The bald eagle's recovery is a huge success story for the Endangered Species Act and the conservation laws which preceded it. In 1963, there were 417 pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 States. Today, there are an estimated 9,789 breeding pairs.

Later this month, the Secretary of the Interior is expected to remove the bald eagle from the list of threatened species. Several Indian tribes, who consider the eagle extremely important to their culture and even sacred, have raised concerns that the eagle will lose all protections upon delisting. However, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act will continue to protect the bald eagle.

I commend Representative David Davis for introducing this resolution which encourages organizations and government agencies working on the conservation of endangered species to collaborate on education information for use in our schools. The resolution also asks the American people to observe American Eagle Day with appropriate ceremonies.

This resolution merits our support.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 54) expressing the support of Congress for the creation of a National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in Southwest Louisiana.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 days with which 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.

I want to begin by commending Representative Boustany of Louisiana for introducing H. Con. Res. 54, supporting and encouraging the creation of a National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in southwest Louisiana.

House Concurrent Resolution 54 expresses Congress' support of the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road District Board of Commissioners in creating and developing a National Hurricane Museum and Science Center in the southwest Louisiana area. Such a center will educate visitors about the devastating effects and rebuilding efforts surrounding the region's recent hurricanes and will preserve history so that future generations may learn from it. We support this bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 390) recognizing the importance of the Ouachita National Forest on its 100th anniversary.

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, House Resolution 390 was introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from Arkansas, Representative Mike Ross.

The bill would express recognition by the House of Representatives of the importance of the Ouachita National Forest on its centennial.

The Ouachita is the largest and the oldest national forest in the southern region of the United States.

On December 18, 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the establishment of what he called Arkansas National Forest. Nineteen years later, by Executive order, President Calvin Coolidge changed the name of the forest to the Ouachita National Forest, reflecting the name of both the local mountains and the main river running through the forest.

The forest encompasses six wilderness areas, seven scenic areas and 11 shooting ranges, as well as 35 recreational areas, including the 26,445-acre Winding Stair National Recreation Area.

Mr. Speaker, Ouachita is a noteworthy unit of our National Forest System, and it is appropriate that we take this action today to celebrate the forest's centennial.

I want to commend and congratulate my colleague, Representative Ross, for his commitment and leadership on this matter. We support the passage of House Resolution 390 and urge its adoption by the House today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mike Ross.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1139) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to plan, design and construct facilities to provide water for irrigation, municipal, domestic, and other uses from the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin, Santa Ana River, California, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 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.

The purpose of H.R. 1139, as amended, is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to plan, design and construct water facilities for municipal, domestic irrigation and other uses in the Bunker Hill Groundwater Basin, Santa Ana River in California.

H.R. 1139, as amended, would authorize limited Federal financial assistance for the design and construction of 20 groundwater wells, groundwater treatment facilities, water storage and pumping facilities and 28 miles of pipeline in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties of California.

The West, now more than ever, must explore and identify new ways of providing a reliable water supply to meet the current and future water demands of a rapidly growing population. H.R. 1139, as amended, seeks to accomplish this by building new pipelines and infrastructure that would allow for the storage of conserved water in groundwater basins.

This project would also serve to provide a critical emergency supply, aid in groundwater cleanup, and reduce dependence on the Colorado River and the very sensitive Bay-Delta.

I thank Mr. Calvert for his efforts on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1139, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1736) to amend the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 to provide for conjunctive use of surface and groundwater in Juab County, Utah.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 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.

The purpose of H.R. 1736, as introduced by our distinguished colleague from Utah (Mr. Cannon), is to amend the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 to provide for conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater in Juab County, Utah.

H.R. 1736, when enacted, would authorize a water resources feasibility study for the city of Juab, Utah. This study includes groundwater recharge and management, as well as a review of the joint use of surface water and groundwater.

The assessment and evaluation of current water resources is essential to understanding the needs of the community and the environment. H.R. 1736 seeks to provide the technical information needed by the city of Juab.

I thank Mr. Cannon for his hard work on this legislation and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1736.

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

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