Floor Statements

I want to thank my good friend, the distinguished gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands, for her hard work on this legislation and for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 3079. The bill represents a very important opportunity for this Congress to advance the political relationship between the United States and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and its U.S. citizens, to strengthen homeland security in the Western Pacific region, and to bring about needed economic and labor reforms for the benefit of both the people of Guam and the CNMI.

Mr. Speaker, I especially thank the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Mrs. Christensen, and the ranking member, Mr. Fortuno, as well as Chairman Nick Rahall and Ranking Member Don Young of the full committee, for working with me throughout this process to address concerns important to my constituents and my district. I also thank the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, Mr. Conyers, and the Immigration Subcommittee chairwoman, Zoe Lofgren, for the assistance that they have provided in addressing the bill's immigration provisions. I also want to thank my dear friend Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa for his assistance.

Guam is geographically a part of the Mariana Islands chain, and we share, Mr. Speaker, a common Chamorro heritage and culture. The Northern Marianas is comprised of the 14 islands north of Guam, and Guam is the southernmost of the Mariana Islands. I have traveled to the Northern Marianas many times over the years and have witnessed our communities on Guam and the CNMI advance both politically and economically. I listened intently to the concerns and the views of the community during the subcommittee's hearing held on Saipan in August. Revisions were made to this bill based upon the input the subcommittee received at the hearings on Guam and Saipan this summer and from stakeholders in the weeks since those hearings.

I want to highlight a few provisions important to Guam.

First is the establishment of a unified, regional visa waiver program for both Guam and the CNMI. This program is to be modeled off of the highly successful Guam-only visa waiver program which Congress authorized in 1986. Our islands are marketed together in Asia as a regional destination, and a unified program makes sense from a homeland security and marketing viewpoint. Additionally, the bill allows for sufficient flexibility to expand participation under the program in future years.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, the bill provides for important relief in terms of ability to authorize entry of temporary skilled and unskilled workers to Guam and the CNMI to meet the demands associated with the military buildup and economic growth in the civilian sector in the years ahead.

And finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to underscore my emphatic and strong support for title II of this bill, which would provide for representation for the people of the CNMI in this House of Congress. A delegate from the CNMI would help Congress respond to the needs and concerns of the people of the CNMI. A delegate or representative from the CNMI is in keeping with the traditions of this House of Congress and our American democratic form of government. A delegate from the CNMI would aid us in our work to legislate on matters affecting the CNMI and the insular areas. Up to this point, Mr. Speaker, I have been representing the CNMI. This is long overdue, and it's unfair. We have U.S. citizens living in a U.S. commonwealth without a voice in Congress.

So, I urge my colleagues to right this wrong, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 147) recognizing 200 years of research, service to the people of the United States, and stewardship of the marine environment by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its predecessor agencies, and for other purposes.

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 concurrent resolution under consideration.

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

House Concurrent Resolution 147 recognizes the contributions that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the agencies which preceded it, together with their employees, have made in improving our understanding of the oceans and the marine environment. The resolution also recognizes the vision of Thomas Jefferson when he recognized that the survey of our Nation's coast is critical to our welfare and commercial success.

This month represents the culmination of ceremonies and commemorative events that have occurred across the country during 2007 recognizing 200 years of invaluable research, service, and stewardship of the marine environment provided by NOAA and its predecessor agencies.

As the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, I too recognize the work of NOAA's dedicated civil servants, the NOAA Corps, and NOAA's partners in fulfilling the NOAA mission. The agency benefits from the strong and able leadership of Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, the current NOAA Administrator.

Lastly, I want to thank my colleague and good friend from South Carolina, the ranking member of the committee (Mr. Brown), for his work in sponsoring this resolution. I am honored to join him in recognizing NOAA on this occasion, and I have enjoyed working with him this past year and am looking forward to our work together on the subcommittee in the next session.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 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. 3998) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct special resources studies of certain lands and structures to determine the appropriate means for preservation, use, and management of the resources associated with such lands and structures, 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.

H.R. 3998 was introduced by our colleague from Arizona, the chairman of the National Parks, Forests and Public

Land Subcommittee, Representative Raul Grijalva.

This bill, America's Historical and National Legacy Study Act, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to study nine sites to determine the best way to preserve and interpret them, including an evaluation of whether they merit inclusion in the National Park System or the National Trails System.

Special resource studies are an important tool in preserving and interpreting the Nation's natural and cultural history. Even if a study concludes that involvement of the Federal Government is not recommended, these studies provide important information and options for the local, the State, or the private landowners charged with managing these resources.

Mr. Speaker, hearings have been held on eight of the measures included in this legislation over the course of this year. The ninth study passed the House in the last Congress. These study proposals have been sponsored or cosponsored by more than 50 of our colleagues, both Democrats and Republicans. The studies range geographically from California to Puerto Rico and from President Truman's birthplace to Lewis and Clark's expedition of discovery.

Mr. Speaker, special resource studies are some of the most common and popular types of legislation that our colleagues ask the Natural Resources Committee to consider. So we are happy to recommend these worthy study proposals to the House.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 3998.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina, the Honorable John Spratt.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2246) to validate certain conveyances made by the Union Pacific Railroad Company of lands located in Reno, Nevada, that were originally conveyed by the United States to facilitate construction of transcontinental railroads, 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, the Union Pacific Railroad operates a rail line through downtown Reno, Nevada. Like similar corridors across the West, the rail line was created on Federal land in the 19th century to facilitate development of a transcontinental rail system. The grant to the railroad includes a requirement that the land revert back to Federal ownership should it ever be abandoned by the railroad.

The City of Reno has undertaken a massive project to move approximately two miles of the rail line into a concrete trench constructed alongside the existing track to improve safety and traffic flow through downtown. As part of the project, the railroad apparently conveyed portions of the right-of-way to the city for construction of the trench. It is not clear whether Union Pacific had authority to make such a conveyance given the Federal reversionary interest. H.R. 2246, as amended, would simply release any Federal reversionary interest in the specific parcels involved in the project. So given the City's enormous investment in this project and that the parcels in question will continue to be used for purposes related to the operation of the rail line, clearing title to these parcels is appropriate. So I urge all of our colleagues to support H.R. 2246.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I want to thank the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers) for co-managing our bills today from the Resources Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2627) to establish the Thomas Edison National Historic Park in the State of New Jersey as the successor to the Edison National Historic Site.

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

Mr. Speaker, Thomas Edison is a towering figure in American history, a man whose genius continues to impact our world more than 75 years after his death.

Thanks to Mr. Edison's generosity, both his laboratory and his home in West Orange, New Jersey, are included within the National Park System and open to the public.

H.R. 2627 simply changes the name of this unit from the Edison National Historic Site to the Thomas Edison National Historic Park. The new name is more appropriate for a unit that includes multiple properties. Nearly identical legislation passed the House by a vote of 399-1 in February 2006, but, Mr. Speaker, it was never considered by the Senate.

The sponsor of H.R. 2627, the Representative from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), is to be commended for his outstanding work on this legislation, along with other cosponsors from the New Jersey delegation.

I urge all our colleagues to support H.R. 2627.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) for such time as he may consume.

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. 229) expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States should seek a review of compliance by all nations with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas' conservation and management recommendations for Atlantic bluefin tuna and other species, and should pursue strengthened conservation and management measures to facilitate the recovery of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, and for other purposes, 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.

House Concurrent Resolution 229 sends a message encouraging the 42 member nations attending the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to take actions to stop the overfishing of bluefin tuna.

Since 1981, fishermen in the United States and other nations in the Western Atlantic have curtailed fishing to help the bluefin recover. At the same time, other nations in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean have continued to fish at levels exceeding limits recommended by the scientists. If serious conservation actions are not taken, we will lose the bluefin tuna.

House Concurrent Resolution 229 demonstrates our support for the U.S. delegation and other nations attending the meeting in Turkey to act decisively to conserve bluefin tuna.

I commend Congressman Frank Pallone for introducing this resolution, and I urge all Members to support it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I request that my colleagues support this House Concurrent Resolution 229, as amended.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2614) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in certain water projects in California.

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.

H.R. 2614, as introduced by our colleague, Representative Ken Calvert, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial and technical assistance for new water recycling projects in Southern California. Funding these and other water recycling projects may be the only way that Southern California can protect itself from future droughts.

Similar legislation passed the House in the two previous Congresses.

Mr. Speaker, we fully support this noncontroversial bill, and I ask that my colleagues join me in support of H.R. 2614.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I urge our colleagues to support this very important piece of legislation, and I yield back.

Madam Speaker, in honor of Veterans Day I rise to recognize a special group of veterans whose story and service this Congress must honor.

During World War II, thousands of Filipino soldiers were inducted into the United States Armed Forces by President Roosevelt following the invasion of their country by Imperial Japanese Forces. These Filipino soldiers fought valiantly with us in the name of freedom. They were to be entitled to full veterans benefits, but such promises were reneged by Congress with the passage of the 1946 Rescission Act.

Ironically, the very democracy that these veterans fought to defend was used to take away the recognition of their service. We have a duty to fulfill what President Truman called a ``moral obligation'' to take care of these veterans.

There are 18,000 still with us today. Let us make this right. Support the Filipino Veterans Equity Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the life of Ms. Eloise R. Baza, the first woman to serve as the president of the Guam Chamber of Commerce and whose service to the community extended beyond her duties and responsibilities to the private sector. Eloise started her Chamber career as the assistant to the president in 1981. When then-president James McDonald stepped down in 1985, Ms. Baza was named to the position to fill the unexpired term. She was then elected in her own right and held it successfully until her untimely death on October 29, 2007.

Eloise will be missed not only by the members of the Chamber of Commerce and Guam's business community, but also by our island community. She contributed significantly to the improvement of our island, both in her capacity as Chamber president and as a devoted daughter of Guam. Eloise believed in our youth and supported programs to keep Guam's children drug free and to help them as future prospects in education, athletics and business careers in Guam. She promoted and advocated entrepreneurship among Guam's young people through regular participation and support for Guam's Junior Achievement Program; scholarships for business students attending the University of Guam, and as a speaker at many public and private Career Day activities. She was an active member of the Islandwide Beautification Task Force, the Summer Youth Swimming and Water Safety Program, and was especially proud of the Guam Juvenile Drug Court Program, which she started with former high school classmate and lifelong friend, Judge Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson.

Eloise was a member of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce, APCAC, and its committees on Trade & Investment/Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, Tax & Finance, and Intellectual Property Rights Protection; and the American Council of Chamber of Commerce Executives and its Small Business Council. She was also a member of Andersen Air Force Bases' Civilian Advisory Council, the Guam Territorial Aquarium Council, and the Guam Police Department's Community Assisted Policing Effort, CAPE, Program, in which she was named Honorary Deputy Chief of Police and proudly displayed the badge she had been given.

Eloise was a strong advocate of women in business and, by example, proved the value and insight of women's business acumen. She managed her family-owned apartment building, and handled the financial reporting, securing tenants and overseeing the maintenance of the units. Her unassailable integrity, her leadership, and her commitment to the field of commerce and free enterprise in general and to the Guam business community in particular made her truly a driving force behind the Guam Chamber of Commerce. She gave the Chamber an important and respected voice in our community. She also served as the Chamber's chief operating officer in charge of administration and management of all of the Chamber's operations and direction of all its projects, programs and activities. She played a central role in the Chamber's advocacy of sound economic policy, government reform, and community service.

Eloise R. Baza graduated from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam, AOLG, in 1971. She maintained close relationships with her classmates over the years and spearheaded the committee that created AOLG's Hall of Fame to inspire young ladies and promote ``values, vision, and voice'' in measuring success of family, civic and professional life. In 1974, Eloise earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, California. She then came home and worked for the Guam Department of Commerce from 1975 until 1981. In 1979, she became an associate economist in the Commerce Department's Economic Research Center, where she prepared an action plan to centralize all economic development planning functions of the Government of Guam within the Department of Commerce. She also initiated Guam's participation in various federal economic development financing programs which funded infrastructure improvements island- wide. Her action plan was implemented as Commerce Department's Economic Development & Planning Division. Having initiated the establishment of the division, Eloise was named its chief in 1981. During her tenure, Eloise oversaw the preparation of the ``Overall Economic Development Plan for Guam,'' the ``Tumon Bay Master Plan,'' the ``Ten Year Tourism Master Plan,'' and the ``Aquaculture Development Plan for Guam.'' Additionally, she supervised all economic development federal program funds and directed their use to finance infrastructure to support industry expansion. Also in 1981, Eloise undertook graduate coursework toward an MBA in International Business Management from Babson College in Wellesley, MA.

My sympathies and prayers go out to Eloise's family: her parents, Rosa Rivera Baza

and the late Jose Camacho Baza and Luis Camacho Baza; her loved one, Joseph Barrtoe; her siblings and their spouses, Evelyn Baza and Joseph F. Soriano, Leonard Rivera and Margaret Salas Baza, Rosa Duenas and Fred Manglona, Lucille Baza and Geronimo Castro, Luis Rivera and Marcia Woolley Baza, Barbara Baza and Daniel Ninete, Felisa Rivera Baza and Carisa San Agustin, Carmen Rivera Baza and Mark Timcoe, and her many relatives and friends.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service to our community provided by Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Camacho, his wife Erika and their children to wounded United States servicemen and women receiving medical care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany.

The Camacho family resides on Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany and has assumed the task of welcoming the servicemen and women from Guam who are receiving medical care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. They extend their care to the families of the injured servicemembers and have become a focal point for our Guam community's efforts to provide assistance to our men and women who have been wounded. The Camachos are volunteers at Landstuhl and at Fisher House. They also open their home to the servicemembers and their families. Many times, the families of injured soldiers need a place to feel normal, to share dinner, and to enjoy Chamorro hospitality. Sometimes it is the simplest gestures, such as making kadu or sharing a disc of the latest Chamorro songs that make recuperation easier for the soldiers and their families. The Camacho family, through their gracious hospitality, has touched the lives of so many people from Guam and we want them to know that we appreciate their efforts.

I met with Jeffrey and Erika Camacho last month during a Congressional Delegation visit to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Germany. I was honored to visit with them and to hear their story of their care and compassion for injured servicemembers and their families. Jeffrey and Erika are performing a great service for our country. Recently, they opened their home and provided comfort to the parents of a soldier who was evacuated from Iraq to Germany. I commend them for their care and concern for their fellow Guamanians.

Jeffrey Camacho was born in Agana Heights, Guam and is a 1999 graduate of George Washington High School in Mangilao. He is assigned to the Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Division of the 603rd Air and Space Operations Center at Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany. His wife, Erika Arceo Camacho was born in Tamuning, Guam and graduated from George Washington High School in Mangilao in 1995. The Camachos have two children, Kalena Arceo Camacho, age 9, and Kaleb Camacho, age 3.

Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Camacho and his wife Erika are great Americans whose concern for their fellow citizens and their home island of Guam has led them to open their hearts and their home to the families of our wounded soldiers. The families who have been touched by their graciousness are grateful for their warm hospitality. For our families from Guam, they have provided a home away from home. I commend them for all that they have done and for the sacrifices that they make to help others. They are an inspiration to us all.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3867, the Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act. Enjoying broad based and bi-partisan support, this bill will help modernize the contacting programs run by the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA, raise the profile of veteran, minority and women entrepreneurs, and help combat fraud, waste and abuse in government contracting.

Of particular note, Section 402 of H.R. 3867 strengthens the Historically Underutilized Business Zone, HUBZone, program and promotes community economic development. That is, HUBZone registered small businesses cannot obtain a construction contract by means of a HUBZone set-aside unless the construction project is located in or near the HUBZone in which the small business concern maintains its principal place of business.

Guam, my district, will be home to a significant amount of federally funded construction and other work associated with the planned increase in the presence of U.S. Armed Forces on our military bases. The provisions of H.R. 3867 will help ensure small businesses on Guam can successfully compete for the contracts associated with the military build-up. I support H.R. 3867.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the life of Antonio Reyes Unpingco, a Guam leader whose service as a fourteen term Senator of the Guam Legislature will live in the Hearts of the people of Guam and the people of the Western Pacific region who knew him well. Sadly, Senator Unpingco passed away unexpectedly on October 18, 2007 at the age of 65 years. He leaves behind his wife, Emily Cruz Borja, his children Lisa, Christine, Raymond, Nicole, Noel, Meriza, Carlo, Aaron, Jerome, Daniel, and Paul. He also leaves behind several foster children and 16 grandchildren.

Tony Unpingco was born on April 22, 1942, five months after Guam was invaded by enemy forces on December 8, 1941. He grew up aware of the atrocities endured by his people during the occupation of Guam in World War II and he fought for justice for the suffering of the Chamorro people. As a founding member and Co-Chairman of the Mannengon Memorial Foundation and Chairman of the Fena Massacre Memorial Committee, Tony's record of public service reflects his strong commitment to the pursuit of justice for the Chamorro people. In 2003, he was appointed by Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton to the Guam War Claims Review Commission, a federal commission which examined the historical record of the occupation and reported to Congress on whether the people of Guam were treated with parity for purposes of war claims. His input and advocacy was vital in the formulation of the Commission's Final Report and its recommendations to Congress.

Tony graduated from Father Duenas Memorial School and attended the University of Guam and the University of Portland before graduating from Portland State University. He began his public service career in 1969 as the head of a Special Task Force charged by the Governor of Guam to automate the Government of Guam payroll system. In 1970, he served as Deputy Director of the Department of Administration of the Government of Guam. Then, in 1971, Tony served as the first Administrator of the Government of Guam Liaison Office in San Francisco.

Tony ran for the office of senator in 1976 and was elected. He served as Chairman of the Committee on General Governmental Operations and Military and Veterans Affairs of the 14th Guam Legislature. His election to the Guam Legislature in 1976 commenced an impressive record of winning election to every subsequent Legislature until his passing. His continuous service in the Legislature was interrupted only by his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor in 1986 and for Governor in 2002.

As a distinguished legislator, Senator Unpingco was selected by his colleagues to serve as Speaker for the 24th, 25th, and 26th Guam Legislatures. During his lengthy career he served as chairman and as a member of numerous committees. Most recently, during the 29th Guam Legislature, he served as the Chairman of the Committee on Tourism, Maritime, Military and Veterans' Affairs. Senator Unpingco also served in the leadership positions of Republican Co-Leader, Minority Leader, Assistant Minority Leader, and the Minority Whip for the Legislature.

Antonio Reyes Unpingco epitomized the noblest meaning of public service. He was a true public servant whose sense of duty and commitment to his people and his community transcended his loyalty to his political party. Among his legislative colleagues and contemporaries, Tony was a respected conciliator, constantly working to bridge contentious issues and to find common ground. Among all who have had the honor to serve with him, he will be remembered as a peacemaker. On the floor of the Guam Legislature, Tony maintained a demeanor of dignity and his statesmanship served as an example to his colleagues when controversial legislation was being considered. He reminded his colleagues that their noblest purpose as elected leaders was to serve the people. For this, he was appreciated and respected in all political circles. For his ability to bring peace and harmony to the halls of the Legislature, Tony Unpingco will be greatly missed by all the people of Guam.

Understanding the extraordinary commitment to public service of our veterans, Tony Unpingco wholeheartedly supported the needs of those who served our nation in defense of freedom. He worked with the many veterans' service organizations on Guam to ensure that those who served in our Armed Forces received the benefits they deserved. Working directly with these organizations, Tony Unpingco fought to ensure that their voices were heard.

Even above his political zeal, Tony Unpingco was dedicated to his community. A devout Catholic, he was an active member of the Santa Rita Parish Council, its ``Mom and Pop'' Choir, and the Knights of Columbus. He eagerly supported and participated in church activities and was instrumental in the rebuilding of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. As a devoted family man, Tony dedicated much of his time to his children's school activities. Even after his children had grown and graduated, Tony and Emily continued to commit time and resources to the children of Guam. A loving husband of 42 years, Tony's devotion to his wife, Emily, and her devotion to Tony, made them inseparable. They represented the finest traditions of Chamorro graciousness and hospitality.

I am deeply saddened by the passing of my friend. As my colleague during my years as a Senator in the Guam Legislature, I learned to respect Tony and I valued his opinion and advice on many issues. I found him to be a man of integrity and honesty and, most of all, he was always sincere and always ready with an understanding, warm and friendly smile. Tony will be greatly missed by his family and friends, but his legacy of service and his devotion to public service will live on in our people and community forever.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 767) to protect, conserve, and restore native fish, wildlife, and their natural habitats at national wildlife refuges through cooperative, incentive-based grants to control, mitigate, and eradicate harmful nonnative species, 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 to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

H.R. 767, as amended, would give the Secretary of the Interior additional tools to combat harmful nonnative species that are hurting native wildlife and plants on our national wildlife refuges. I commend the author of this bill, Representative Ron Kind, for his leadership and on other matters affecting the National Wildlife Refuge System.

H.R. 767, as amended, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue grants to States to assess the extent of invasive species affecting refuges. The Secretary may also provide matching grants to entities for the control, mitigation, and eradication of invasive species on refuges and adjoining non-Federal lands.

The bill, as amended, includes a provision authorizing the Secretary to give States financial assistance to address invasive species outbreaks in emergency situations.

H.R. 767, as amended, will encourage the development of partnerships to address the threat of invasive species on a cooperative landscape basis. I urge adoption of the bill, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my dear friend across the aisle, Mr. Gohmert, the gentleman from Texas, for his very kind words.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman, my colleague from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) for 1 minute.

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

I thank the gentleman from Texas for his very supportive words on this particular measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1205) to reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, and for other purposes, 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.

H.R. 1205, as amended, would reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act through fiscal year 2012 and give the Federal Government, States and territories additional tools to protect and conserve coral reefs. I commend the gentleman from American Samoa, the Honorable Eni Faleomavaega, for sponsoring this legislation and for his hard work to move it forward.

H.R. 1205 was referred to the Natural Resources Committee and the Science and Technology Committee. I'm including in the Congressional Record an exchange of letters between Chairmen Nick Rahall and Bart Gordon asserting both committees jurisdiction in H.R. 1205. Science Committee Chairman Bart Gordon gracefully agreed to allow this bill to come to the floor today.

H.R. 1205, as amended, broadens and improves the definition of ``coral reef ecosystem'' to include mangroves and sea grass habitats. Additionally, the bill gives the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior the authority to cover related costs for damages to coral reefs in U.S. waters located outside national marine sanctuaries.

Mr. Speaker, more than 70 percent of the coral reefs under the jurisdiction of the United States are found in the Pacific, including Guam. Regrettably, coral reefs worldwide remain imperiled and deserving of greater protection. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill, as amended.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC, September 26, 2007.

Hon. Bart Gordon,

Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I now recognize my colleague from Florida, the Honorable Mr. Klein, for 3 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to recognize the sponsor of this bill, the Honorable Mr. Faleomavaega from American Samoa, for 4 minutes.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a new chairman of this subcommittee, I want to go on record to thank my colleagues for their input, their expertise on this particular subject. They have all spoken in support of this legislation, and I want to thank them for their bipartisan support.

I yield to the gentleman from American Samoa.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1462) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the implementation of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Species in the Central and Lower Platte River Basin and to modify the Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir, 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. 1462, as introduced by our colleague Congressman Mark Udall of Colorado and amended by the Committee on Natural Resources, is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the implementation of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Species in the Central and Lower Platte River Basin and to modify the Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir.

H.R. 1462, as amended, would secure benefits for four target species and their associated habitats while also providing Endangered Species Act compliance for existing and certain new water-related activities in the Platte River basin.

H.R. 1462, as amended, also authorizes the modification of Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir as is required by a legal settlement and is the key part of the water devoted to recovery implementation.

Mr. Speaker, this program is the result of years and years of negotiation and compromise between water users and environmentalists and should be seen as a model for dealing with endangered species conflicts. I congratulate my Democratic colleague from Colorado, the Honorable Representative Mark Udall, for his hard work on this legislation. And I strongly urge my colleagues to stand in support of this noncontroversial bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.