Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2062) to amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to provide for penalties and enforcement for intentionally taking protected avian species, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2062 would amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish new penalties and fines for instances when migratory birds are deliberately killed or wounded in an aggravated manner.

In 2007, a 14-month, multi-State undercover investigation initiated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revealed that thousands of protected species of hawks and falcons had been killed illegally. Worse, despite the fact that those who had done the killing had used horrific methods, including trapping, poisoning, suffocating, clubbing, and baiting birds with pigeons rigged with fishing hooks, many of the defendants who pleaded guilty to the only applicable charge under the MBTA, a class B misdemeanor, escaped with minor fines or were merely granted probation.

These events confirm that the Congress should amend the MBTA to authorize new felony penalties to deter future offenses and to allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to recommend charges appropriate for the brutal nature of these actions when they do occur.

I commend our colleague from Oregon, Representative Peter DeFazio, for his leadership in developing this narrowly tailored legislation that does not diminish in any way the MBTA's existing ``strict liability'' standard.

So, Mr. Speaker, I urge Members on both sides to support the passage of this important bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support this resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3940) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to extend grants and other assistance to facilitate a political status public education program for the people of Guam, as amended.

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

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3940 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to assist the Governments of Guam, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands in developing and implementing political status public education programs.

Such programs would aid the people of these territories in understanding the various and viable political status options available to them. With such information, they could, in turn, express informed opinions about their future in any political status plebiscite or convention.

Today, Guam, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands are the three United States territories recognized by the international community as nonself-governing. The Federal Government is obligated to advance their self-government, taking into account the political aspirations of their peoples. The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for these efforts under U.S. law, and the resolution of status for these territories is a matter for Congress to ultimately resolve under article IV of the United States Constitution. Although efforts have been made in the past in each territory toward improving its status consistent with the right of self-determination, status remains ultimately unresolved for them.

In Guam, a local law has authorized a plebiscite to be held that is to involve a public education program. In American Samoa, the work of a locally established commission to assess status options, the third such commission in the history of the territory, was recently concluded. A plebiscite on status was also held previously in the Virgin Islands.

Each circumstance, however, demonstrates the importance of a public education program for resolving status in each territory and for preparing for future plebiscites or other processes by which their people can collectively express their political aspirations.

This bill, Mr. Speaker, simply clarifies in law that the Secretary of the Interior can exercise existing authority to provide general technical assistance to these territories for the purpose of facilitating political status public education.

So I ask my colleagues to support the passage of this bill.

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. 3603) to rename the Ocmulgee National Monument, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3603 is sponsored by my friend and colleague Representative Marshall of Georgia.

The bill is very simple. It changes the name of the Ocmulgee National Monument to the Ocmulgee Mounds National Monument.

The new name will more accurately portray the resources at the monument, which is located in Macon, Georgia, and which was established in 1934 to protect a collection of Native American mounds, including a large ceremonial center, that encompassed burial and residential mounds, a large earthen temple, and political meeting chambers.

H.R. 3603 has wide support in the community, and those supporters believe the name change will help the public better understand the nature of the monument and encourage increased visitation.

I urge all Members to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Marshall), for as much time as he may consume.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 86) to eliminate an unused lighthouse reservation, provide management consistency by bringing the rocks and small islands along the coast of Orange County, California, and meet the original Congressional intent of preserving Orange County's rocks and small islands, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 86, introduced by our colleague from California Representative Campbell, would correct a situation in which two acts from the 1930s are inadvertently preventing certain rocks, pinnacles, reefs, small islands, and lighthouses off the coast of Orange County from being included in the California Coastal National Monument.

President Clinton, in 2000, created the California Coastal National Monument, which spans the entire 1,100 miles of the California coast and encompasses more than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles; however, the act designating the monument included only unreserved and unappropriated rocks and islands. Under the 1930s acts, these natural and cultural sites off the coast of Orange County were already reserved.

H.R. 86 would strike the reservation language in one act and repeal another act to provide that these areas finally be permanently protected as part of the California Coastal National Monument.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 86.

I reserve the balance of time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1454) to provide for the issuance of a Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill has been authored by my colleague and my friend Mr. Brown of South Carolina. The Multinational Species Conservation Funds support conservation activities in a wide range of countries to protect, recover, or restore threatened and endangered species, specifically, tigers, rhinoceroses, African elephants, Asian elephants, great apes and sea turtles.

H.R. 1454 would require the U.S. Postal Service to issue a Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp to generate additional funding to support the wildlife grant programs under these funds. Considering the high demand for grants under these programs and the fact that they commonly leverage three or four times as much funding from non-Federal contributions, this additional funding, Mr. Speaker, will be put to good use to protect these keystone species.

With that, I ask Members on both sides to support the bill's passage.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, and I congratulate my colleague for authoring this fine piece of legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 118) to authorize the addition of 100 acres to Morristown National Historical Park, as amended.

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

H.R. 118 is sponsored by our colleague, Representative Frelinghuysen of New Jersey. The bill would expand the authorized acquisition ceiling for Morristown National Historic Park, which was the first unit of its kind in our national park system.

The park is currently limited to a maximum of 615 acres and is under severe pressure from surrounding residential development. H.R. 118 would allow the National Park Service to acquire up to an additional 100 acres as land or easements become available from willing sellers.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill and I urge Members to support it.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3804) to make technical corrections to various Acts affecting the National Park Service, to extend, amend, or establish certain National Park Service authorities, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

H.R. 3804 is a package of reauthorizations and technical corrections introduced at the request of the National Park Service by Representative Paul Tonko.

The bill includes 10-year reauthorizations for the National Park System Advisory Board and the National Park Service Concession Management Advisory Board.

H.R. 3804 also increases the authorization for the popular Volunteers in Parks program, which provides reimbursement for travel costs and other small expenses to volunteers whose contributions to our parks are enormous.

Among other provisions, H.R. 3804 also changes the designation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, makes several minor boundary adjustments, and allows park staff at the USS Arizona Memorial to work with other organizations to ease visitors' admission to the many historic sites at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Mr. Speaker, Representative Tonko is to be commended for helping the National Park System with this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and

Government Reform,

Washington, DC, December 2, 2009.

Hon. Nick Rahall,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Longworth House

Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Rahall: I am writing about H.R. 3804, the

``National Park Service Authorities and Corrections Act of

2009'', which the Committee on Natural Resources ordered

reported to the House on November 10, 2009.

I appreciate your effort to consult with the Committee on

Oversight and Government Reform regarding those provisions of

H.R. 3804 that fall within the Oversight Committee's

jurisdiction. These provisions include matters related to

snow and ice removal within the District of Columbia.

In the interest of expediting consideration of H.R. 3804,

the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will not

object to the consideration of this bill in the House. I

would, however, request your support for the appointment of

conferees from the Committee on Oversight and Government

Reform should H.R. 3804 or a similar Senate bill be

considered in conference with the Senate.

This letter should not be construed as a waiver of the

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's legislative

jurisdiction over subjects addressed in H.R. 3804 that fall

within the jurisdiction of the Oversight Committee.

Finally, I request that you include our exchange of letters

on this matter in the Committee on Natural Resources report

on H.R. 3804 and in the Congressional Record during

consideration of this legislation on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Edolphus Towns,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3388) to modify the boundary of Petersburg National Battlefield in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3388 is sponsored by our colleague, Representative Forbes of Virginia. The 9-month campaign by the Union Army to capture the town of Petersburg, Virginia, was the longest of the Civil War. Today, only a fraction of the sites associated with the siege are protected within Petersburg National Battlefield. The Civil War Preservation Trust has consistently listed this area among the Nation's most endangered Civil War battlefields. Mr. Speaker, this legislation authorizes the expansion of the park to preserve approximately 7,000 acres that retain their historic significance. It was the subject of an extensive public planning process and has strong support within the local community.

I commend Mr. Forbes for sponsoring this legislation to improve the preservation of such an important historic resource, and I ask my colleagues to support passage of this measure.

December 3, 2009.

Hon. Nick J. Rahall II,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Longworth House

Office Building Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: On November 18, 2009, the Committee on

Natural Resources ordered H.R. 3388, the Petersburg National

Battlefield Boundary Modification Act, to be reported. As you

know, this measure contains certain provisions that are

within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services.

Our Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 3388 and

the need for the legislation to move expeditiously.

Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over

this legislation, the Committee on Armed Services will waive

further consideration of H.R. 3388. I do so with the

understanding that by waiving further consideration of the

bill, the Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional

claims over similar measures. In the event of a conference

with the Senate on H.R. 3388, the Committee on Armed Services

reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees.

I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy

of your response in your Committee's report on H.R. 3388 and

the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure

on the House floor.

Very truly yours,

Ike Skelton,

Chairman,

House Committee on Armed Services.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, and I want to thank my colleague from South Carolina for managing the bills on the floor today.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Shirley Lai for her lifetime of community service to the people of Guam. Shirley passed away on November 28, 2009. Shirley was born in a small village in Canton, China on September 5, 1931 and later moved with her parents and four siblings to Hong Kong.

Shirley and her husband, Kwong Choy Lai, and her eight young children, moved to Guam in the late 1970s. Shirley started the Estimewa Restaurant, one of Guam's first restaurants specializing in Chinese cuisine. In 1983, after renting a vacant barbershop in an old hotel in Hagatna, the capital of Guam, she opened her first coffee shop with only two employees. Shirley blended flavors of American, Chinese, Filipino and local Chamorro cuisine, and a short time later Shirley's Coffee Shop quickly grew from a nine table coffee shop into a chain of six restaurants, four in Guam and two in Saipan.

Throughout her life, Shirley continually gave back to her community. Just as she contributed much to the community of Guam, she taught her children to be generous and that success is best measured by the community's reciprocity in trust and respect. She and her family provided assistance to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Make-a-Wish Foundation as well as several sports leagues for children. She also assisted in disaster relief efforts during times of recovery in our region.

Like many who knew her as a close friend and community leader, I will miss Shirley. My thoughts and prayers are with her sons and their families; her daughter and husband; her fifteen grandchildren; and her great granddaughter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Stupak- Ellsworth-Pitts-Smith-Kaptur-Dahlkemper Amendment to H.R. 3962 the ``Affordable Health Care for America Act.'' This amendment, supported by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is important because it ensures that current federal law on abortion funding will apply to the public health care option created by H.R. 3962.

This amendment codifies the Hyde Amendment in H.R. 3962. It will prevent public funds from being used to pay for or subsidize elective abortions, either through the public option or heath care affordability tax credits, except in the case of rape, incest, physical injury or physical illness to the women. The Hyde Amendment is already in place in current federal health programs like Medicaid and Medicare and this amendment will make sure that H.R. 3962 is governed in a consistent manner.

I have received numerous letters from my constituents expressing both support for health care reform, but also grave concerns that federal funds would be used to pay for elective abortion under the new law. I am very supportive of the overall goals of H.R. 3962 and particularly its provisions that address the health disparity issues in the territories. The addition of the Stupak-Ellsworth-Pitts-Smith-Kaptur- Dahlkemper amendment will further strengthen this legislation and ensure that no one will need to choose between their conscientious objections to abortion and their desire to work toward more affordable quality health care in America.

I commend Congressman Stupak for his leadership on this important issue and urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3548, the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. The bill contains an important provision extending and expanding the successful First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit to homes purchased through April 30, 2010. Under current law, the tax credit would expire on December 1, 2009, and would not apply to homes closed on or after that date. The extension allows for homebuyers to claim the credit if they enter into a binding contract before May 1, 2010 and close within 60 days of that date. In addition to the extension of the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit worth up to $8,000, the legislation expands the credit to homebuyers who have been in their current residence for at least the past five years. The expanded credit is worth up to $6,500.

There is strong evidence that suggests this program has greatly aided in stabilizing our nation's housing market, and it has also helped to improve Guam's housing market. The extension of the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit will allow this program to complete its designed purpose and provide a longer term stimulus to the recovering, but still lagging housing market. This legislation further expands the tax credit to current homeowners who have been in their homes for at least five years but wish to move to a new residence. This expansion will provide an additional incentive for responsible homeowners to participate in this program. The tax credit will further stimulate the housing market to a point where more potential buyers will enter the market, in turn helping to stabilize and eventually increase housing prices. The passage of this legislation marks an important step toward the full recovery of our nation's housing market and our economy overall.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res 780, legislation introduced by my colleague, Congressman Bob Filner of California. H. Res 780 recognizes the celebration of Filipino-American History Month and the important contributions made by the Filipino- American community throughout our Nation's history. Filipino-Americans have contributed to all facets of American society and have enriched our Nation with their lives and achievements.

Guam is home to a large population of Filipino-Americans who are active in all sectors of our community. Filipino-Americans have contributed to the economic, cultural and social success of Guam and have long played a part in the development of our island. The Philippines are culturally and historically linked to our community on Guam.

I would like to recognize the Filipino Community of Guam, an umbrella organization representing over fifty groups, working together for the benefit of our island. I also commend the Filipino Community of Guam for mobilizing and organizing relief efforts for the Filipino flood victims affected by this past year's natural disasters. Numerous members of the Guam Filipino community maintain close ties to their relatives in the Philippines and were eager to help those in need.

As a member of the U.S.-Philippines Friendship Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus I join my colleagues in urging a ``yes'' vote on H. Res 780.

I rise today in support of the passage of H.R. 3632, The Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2009. The passage of this bill in the House marks an important step towards addressing administrative disparities between federal judges serving under the authority of Article IV of the Constitution and Article III federal judges. Specifically, section 4 of H.R. 3632 addresses disparities in disability retirement and cost of living adjustments of annuities for territorial judges. While this bill takes a positive step in addressing these disparities, there is still work to be done on this issue. The House has previously passed this important legislation and I hope the Senate will take up this bill to improve the administration of our nation's federal court system.

I support legislation that addresses these disparities and have introduced legislation that calls for more equal treatment of territorial federal judges. H.R. 910 addresses one of the disparities in treatment of federal judges regarding the specific case of Judge John S. Unpingco, who served as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court of Guam but due to the ten year term limit of Article IV judges, did not fulfill the service requirement to receive a full annuity. Article III judges serve for life.

I commend Congressman Hank Johnson, as well as Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith for their work and leadership on improving our nation's federal judiciary and I look forward to working with them in the future to further address the issue of disparities of territorial federal judges.

Madam Speaker, today I have introduced a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to award grants and extend assistance to the Government of Guam for the purpose of helping to facilitate a political status public education program for the people of Guam.

This bill is introduced in recognition of the Secretary of the Interior's administrative responsibility for the economic, social and political development of the territory of Guam. Executive Order 10077 signed in 1949 transferred the administration of Guam from the Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of the Interior, and Congress has provided certain levels of self-government for the people of Guam since the enactment of the Organic Act of Guam in 1950.

However, the political status of the territory of Guam remains unresolved. The Guam Legislature has passed local laws authorizing the holding of a political status plebiscite. Any plebiscite requires a public education program to inform the people of Guam of various political status options.

This bill specifically authorizes federal assistance for such a public education program. Federal funding for political status public education programs is not without precedent. U.S. Public Law 101-45 provided $3,500,000 to the Territory of Puerto Rico to ``participate in the legislative process involving the future political status of Puerto Rico.'' Additionally, the now independent Republic of Palau was appropriated by U.S. Public Law 101-219, ``such sums as may be necessary for a further referendum on approval of the Compact, if one is required, or other appropriate costs associated with the approval process in Palau.''

The people of Guam have expressed their desire for a new political status in the past, however, such political status aspirations were not realized, despite past efforts by Guam's representatives, the administration and Congress. As a result, a commission of the Government of Guam has been established to prepare for a new plebiscite.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to review this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2489) to authorize a comprehensive national cooperative geospatial imagery mapping program through the United States Geological Survey, to promote use of the program for education, workforce training and development, and applied research, and to support Federal, State, tribal, and local government programs, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2489 would authorize a nationwide program sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey to help States, communities, and universities use satellite imagery for research and education.

I would like to commend the sponsor of this legislation, Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, for championing valuable uses of satellite imagery and for her work with the minority to improve the pending measure.

So I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2489, which will facilitate remote sensing outreach partnerships in all 50 States and territories.

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

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.