Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 529) condemning the violent attack on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on June 10, 2009 and honoring the bravery and dedication of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum employees and security personnel.

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution places this body on record as condemning yesterday's violent attack on the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, while also praising the bravery and sacrifice of those who defended against this attack. The resolution further recognizes the powerful and vital role that the memorial museum plays in the world and rededicates this Congress to assisting wherever possible in helping the museum to accomplish its mission of education and enlightenment.

First and foremost, let me join my colleagues in expressing our deep sadness and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Security Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns. It is our hope that, despite what must be nearly unbearable grief, those who loved Officer Johns are also filled with enormous pride at the service he rendered during his distinguished career and the sacrifice he has now made.

Everyone involved in the tragic events of yesterday proved something about themselves. Officer Johns, along with the security and other emergency personnel who responded, proved that training, dedication and bravery in the face of life-threatening events can save lives.

Officer Johns in particular reminds us that there are those among us who volunteer to stand watch over us, even knowing that they are risking their own lives.

The perpetrator of yesterday's attack proved something as well. His actions demonstrate that ignorance and hatred still exist and too often lead to violence. By his actions, this man demonstrated that the very evil which led to the Holocaust, the very evil he had sought in the past to deny, still exists and still must be resisted vigilantly.

And going forward, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum will prove something as well. There was a time when people with hatred in their hearts were powerful, a time when those who devalued others based on race or religion held in their hands the levers of power. Those days are over.

The museum has suffered a great loss, but the museum will continue in its important work. This attack has no power over the museum, its supporters or its mission.

Hatred can no longer beat back the forces of justice and equality. Whatever the dark aims of the attacker may have been, there is no question that he has failed, and those like him will always fail as long as organizations like the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum are standing.

I ask my colleagues to support this important resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to yield 2 minutes to the main sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from the District of Columbia, in whose district this terrible attack occurred, Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Mr. Speaker, Officer Johns resided in the district of our next speaker, to whom I'm going to yield 2 minutes, the gentlelady from Maryland, Ms. Donna Edwards.

I thank the distinguished gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings).

I now yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. Dahlkemper).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California, Ms. Barbara Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California, Ms. Susan Davis.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Hank Johnson.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Driehaus).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada, Ms. Shelley Berkley.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Mary Jo Kilroy.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to a valued member of our Committee on Natural Resources, the gentleman from American Samoa, Mr. Eni Faleomavaega.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Jesse Jackson.

(Mr. JACKSON of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Jane Harman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Steve Cohen.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Gary Peters.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Schwartz).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. Keith Ellison.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Diane Watson.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York, Mr. Eliot Engel.

Mr. Speaker, I would advise Mr. Hastings that I am prepared to close with one final speaker if he wishes to use the balance of his time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the remainder of my time to the sponsor of this resolution and commend him for the quickness with which he has brought this to the floor, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Klein).

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

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

Madam Speaker, the 14th of June is an important day for all Americans, the day we celebrate the American Flag. The American Flag is a proud and prominent symbol of our great Nation and celebrating this important icon shows respect for the millions of Americans who consider the flag a representation of our nation's most fundamental traditions and beliefs.

As a member of Congress, I feel great pride when I see our striking stars and stripes flying over the majestic United States Capitol. Whether the Flag is flying among the mountains of southern West Virginia or above our nation's capitol, it is a sign of our nation's commitment to working together across our vast and diverse land to create one great nation. Our flag flies in every state and around the World at our embassies in foreign lands.

Today, the flag consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, seven red, alternating with six white, reminding us always of our Nation's humble beginnings as just thirteen colonies. The stars illustrate our one country with 50 independent and unique states each with a separate state government. Together, the stars and stripes reflect our efforts to create a unified nation with united principles joined together under one Flag for over 200 years.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed legislation requesting National Flag Day become an annual event, and since that day we have been celebrating our stately Flag every year.

On Capitol Hill, the United States Flag is celebrated everyday. Flags are flown over the Capitol each day of the year in honor of birthdays, retirements, and, as well as in the memory of loved ones lost. These flags are then shipped directly from congressional offices with an official certificate from the Architect of the Capitol, declaring the date and occasion for which the flag was flown.

I ask that you join me in supporting House Resolution 420, thereby celebrating this American symbol, honoring our country, our men and women who have served and are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces, our veterans who bravely fought beneath flag, and all citizens who proudly fly the American Flag to show their support for our great country, and the ideals this great Flag represents.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1385.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, we are here today, over 400 years after the first English settlers landed in what became Jamestown, Virginia, to finally acknowledge a government-to-government relationship with some of the Indian tribes who met those early settlers.

While the House passed a prior version of this legislation last Congress, the bill was not considered in the Senate, so we are here again.

H.R. 1385, the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2009, extends Federal recognition to the Virginia tribes that have lived in Virginia since before the settlers of Jamestown first arrived.

This bill is sponsored by our colleague, Representative Jim Moran of Virginia, and enjoys bipartisan support, including from other Virginia colleagues, Congressman Rob Wittman, Bobby Scott, Thomas Perriello, and Gerry Connolly. I, too, am a cosponsor of H.R. 1385.

The bill is named for Thomasina ``Red Hawk Woman'' Jordan, whose lifelong pursuit of advancing Native American rights encompassed the promise of education for all Indians and securing Federal recognition of Virginia Indian tribes. Ms. Jordan also served as chairperson of the Virginia Council of Indians.

H.R. 1385 would extend Federal recognition status to six Indian tribes of Virginia. All six tribes have obtained State recognition by the State of Virginia. Former Virginia Governors George Allen and Mark Warner, as well as current Governor Tim Kaine have endorsed the tribes' recognition as sovereign governments.

During his recent trip to England, President Obama presented Queen Elizabeth with an iPod. Included on the iPod was a copy of the 400th anniversary ceremony commemorating the establishment of Jamestown, Virginia, that she attended last year. The highlight of this ceremony included the Queen and the Virginia Indian tribes.

These six Virginia tribes have faced hundreds of years of discrimination, abuse, and outright attempts to extinguish their existence and rob them of their heritage.

From 1912 to 1947, Dr. Walter Plecker, a white supremacist, set out to rid the Commonwealth of Virginia of any documents that recorded the existence of Indians or Indian tribes living therein. He was instrumental in ensuring passage of the Racial Integrity Act in 1924, making it illegal for individuals to classify themselves or their newborn children as Indian.

But he went further than that and spent decades changing the race designation on birth certificates and on other legal documents from ``Indian'' to ``Colored,'' ``Negro'' or ``Free Issue.'' Throughout it all, the Virginia Indians did not break but held firm to their culture and to their identity.

To address claims that tribes are only interested in Federal recognition so they may conduct gaming, all six tribes supported an outright gaming prohibition to be included in this bill. This gaming prohibition precludes the Virginia tribes from engaging in, licensing or regulating gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act on their lands.

Congressman Moran has spent several years tirelessly working to achieve Federal recognition for Virginia's First Americans. It is because of his tireless dedication to this issue that this legislation is before us today. It is time to put this issue to rest and to do the right thing by extending Federal recognition to these tribes. I urge all of my colleagues to join me today in creating a government-to- government relationship with these Virginia tribes.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I recognize for 3 minutes the gentleman from Virginia, one of the cosponsors of the legislation, Mr. Bobby Scott.

Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), the main sponsor of this legislation and without whose leadership we would not be considering it today.

I yield the gentleman 2 additional minutes.

Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 2 minutes to the very valued member of our Committee on Natural Resources, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

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

Mr. Chairman, how much time remains on both sides?

Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

I yield the gentleman 3 additional minutes.

If I might ask the ranking member, do you have further speakers?

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Just to respond to my dear friend, the gentleman from Washington, the Carcieri decision did not impact Congress' power to place land into trust for an Indian tribe directly or Congress' power to authorize the Secretary to place land in a trust for a specific tribe beyond the general authority found in the Indian Reorganization Act.

There is much precedent for this legislation. Congress has recognized other Indian tribes and placed land into trust and/or authorized the Secretary to place land into trust for those tribes on numerous occasions. So I just conclude by saying that this legislation, again, is not affected by the Carcieri decision, nor does this legislation overturn said decision.

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

Would the gentleman yield?

I appreciate the gentleman yielding.

Under existing law, as the gentleman knows, and under this legislation, the Interior Secretary may place land owned by an Indian tribe into trust as part of a tribe's reservation. Eminent domain does not enter the picture.

Indeed, the pending legislation states for each of the six tribes involved that the Secretary may take into trust ``any land held in fee by the tribe that was acquired by the tribe.'' Considering that neither the Interior Secretary or, for that matter, these tribes, made eminent domain authority, the gentleman's amendment is chasing a problem that does not exist. But having said that, if it makes the gentleman from Virginia feel better, and if it makes him more comfortable with this bill, and since it does pose no harm, I will accept the amendment.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 31.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 490, I call up the bill (H.R. 31) to provide for the recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, let me begin by saying that this measure, which would extend Federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, is more than a century overdue. When 240 of us voted for Federal recognition during the 102nd Congress, that should have resolved the question of Lumbee status. When we voted again in favor of similar legislation in the 103rd Congress, that certainly should have meant that the United States had finally taken a stand and done the right

thing by acknowledging a trust relationship with the Lumbee Tribe, but it was not to be. Last Congress, the Lumbee Tribe Recognition Act passed the House of Representatives with 256 votes but, unfortunately, this legislation stalled in the Senate.

So here we are again today, over 115 years after the Lumbee first sought Federal recognition, still attempting to clarify their status.

The history and struggle of the Lumbee Tribe to obtain Federal acknowledgment has been well documented. When Congress passed the Lumbee Act of 1956, it simultaneously recognized and terminated the Lumbee Tribe by acknowledging their status as an Indian tribe by denying them Federal service. That act was passed during the era of Federal Indian policy known as the Termination Era. If you examine the results of the Termination Acts of the 1950s, you would see how detrimental that misguided policy was to the terminated tribes. Through it all, the Lumbee Tribe has managed to maintain their sense of community and provide some services to their citizens.

This is a testament to the fact that the Lumbees have a functioning government worthy of Federal acknowledgment. Yet the Lumbee people still do not have the government-to-government relationship they deserve. At no time has the Department of the Interior ever opposed Federal recognition for this tribe based on the belief that the Lumbees are not entitled to such status. Indeed, the Department has repeatedly concluded that the Lumbee Tribe descends from similar speaking tribes.

Several studies undertaken by the Department have consistently concluded that the Lumbees are a distinct, self-governing Indian community which has been historically located on the Lumbee River in North Carolina.

During President Obama's campaign, he pledged his full support for recognition of the Lumbee people. At the Natural Resources hearing this year, the administration testified in support of H.R. 31 stating: ``There are rare circumstances when Congress should intervene and recognize a tribal group. And the case of Lumbee Indians is one such case.''

During this debate, we may hear a number of canards against Lumbee recognition but not one will be a legitimate reason to deny recognition. One such relates to the different names given the Lumbee Tribe. Although the State of North Carolina has recognized the tribe for over 100 years, it has done so under various names. Other than the Lumbee Tribe, North Carolina is responsible for the various names that it imposed upon the tribe. It was not until the tribe pressured the State that the tribe was authorized to conduct a referendum to choose their own name. When it did so in 1951, it chose the name Lumbee Indians of North Carolina. This is the only name ever selected by the tribe, and it is this name by which Congress, in 1956, recognized the Lumbees.

Some have expressed concern about the cost of this bill, and I want to note that the cost of this bill is for discretionary programs only. There is no mandatory spending. Any actual costs to this bill are subject to appropriations.

To address claims that the tribe was only interested in Federal recognition so that they may conduct gaming, the tribe supported an outright gaming prohibition which has been included in this bill. The gaming prohibition precludes the Lumbee Tribe from engaging in, licensing, or regulating gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or any other Federal law.

Finally, some may argue that the Lumbees should not be allowed to bypass administrative process established by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and should be allowed to go through the administrative process. I can assure you extending Federal recognition to a tribe at this time is not something new, nor does it bypass administrative process. If a tribe has been terminated by the Federal Government, they are ineligible for the administrative process.

Because we, the Congress, terminated the Lumbees in 1956, it is solely our responsibility to restore their status.

In closing, I would like to commend the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Mike McIntyre, for his dedication to this issue. Over the years, he has acted in a professional and respectful manner in his tireless efforts, his superb leadership. This bill has garnered 185 cosponsors. Mr. McIntyre's dedication to the Lumbee people is most admirable, and I'm sure they recognize and salute him for that dedication.

I would also like to commend the Lumbee Tribe for being extremely patient with Congress as we have failed to clarify their status for far too long.

In the face of adversity, their determination and sheer stamina has served as testament to their belief in who they are as a people. They have endured rejection by Congress, hostility by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and have even been snubbed in their quest by neighboring Indian tribes unwilling to have the Lumbee recognized the Congress as they were.

All the Lumbee want is the respect of being acknowledged for who they are--an American Indian tribe.

Let us join this effort to grant the Lumbee the recognition they have so long deserved. It is up to us to do the right thing by extending Federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 31.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I'm most delighted to yield 10 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre), lead sponsor of this legislation, and, again, commend him for his tremendous leadership.

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

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

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

I yield back the balance of my time.

I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Wow. Madam Speaker, it certainly has been a torturous and long path for the Lumbee Indian Tribe. This is but yet another stake that is attempted to be driven in their heart.

It is long established policy in this country for Indian tribes to determine their own membership, their own roll. This motion to recommit would single out the Lumbee Tribe as the only tribe in America that would be subject to this new requirement. It's discriminatory. It's ugly. It deserves to be defeated.

I want to make something very clear before yielding to the gentleman from North Carolina. This is not something new that we're doing today, granting Federal recognition to an Indian tribe. There are 561 federally recognized Indian tribes according to the GAO. Of those, 530 were recognized by the Congress of the United States. That would be this body. That's 530 of 561. And none were recognized under the criteria that's being offered in this motion to recommit.

I yield the balance of my time in opposition to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre).

Madam Speaker, if I have time left, I yield to the gentleman from American Samoa.

I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from American Samoa.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor a great West Virginian, Sharon Walden who will be inducted into the West Virginia Affordable Housing Hall of Fame on Thursday, May 7th, 2009. Her lifelong commitment to affordable housing, coupled with her tremendous career of leadership, has forever changed the McDowell county community where she was raised and where she continues to make her home.

Sharon's leadership has led to housing and safety for many domestic violence victims, homeless women and their children in West Virginia. Since 1990, she has served as the Executive Director of Stop Abusive Family Environments, Inc. (SAFE). Under her leadership, SAFE went from a small Domestic Violence program with two employees to the first transitional housing facility in my home state of West Virginia that serves victims of domestic violence.

Sharon has truly battled Goliath as David did in 1 Samuel Chapter 17. She worked tirelessly to raise over two million dollars in grants and forgivable loans in order to renovate a former school building into SAFE's facility. Her perseverance to improve her community did not end there. Next, she established the SAFE permanent housing program which would help first-time, low-income homebuyers in her county. Since then, SAFE has completed 40 rental townhouses with a community center that has been noted as the best rental housing in all of McDowell county.

Under Sharon's leadership, SAFE has formed a non-profit section called SAFE Housing and Economic Development (SHED) which focuses on permanent housing development. In these times of economic uncertainty, when becoming a homeowner can seem like an impossible dream, SHED has helped more than 35 community members reach that goal and become first time homeowners.

Sharon's community work doesn't stop with helping those in need of housing. She helps further economic development as the Executive Director of Travel Beautiful Appalachia. Linking tourism from the rail system to local entrepreneurs, she helps spread local West Virginia treasures across the country.

Sharon's lifetime commitment to helping her neighbors has made a permanent impression on West Virginia. I bring her extraordinary efforts to the attention of the U.S. Congress and urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Sharon Walden, a hero to her community and the countless families she has helped.

Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor a great West Virginian, Melvin Goins. Like Jimmy Stewart's character in ``It's a Wonderful Life,'' this Friday, surrounded by friends and family and the love and admiration of his community, Melvin Goins will be the richest man in Bramwell--a town noted for the millionaire coal barons who called it home at the turn of the 20th Century.

A phenomenally talented bluegrass musician, Melvin Goins has spent a lifetime making music and gaining fame throughout all of bluegrass country. His photo once graced the cover of Smithsonian Magazine. He was named an ``Appalachian Treasure'' by Morehead State University in 2000, and he was inducted into the ``Bluegrass Hall of Fame.'' But I suspect that the recognition by his hometown of a local boy done well is, to him, the most sublime of all possible honors.

As a youngster, Melvin, along with his brother Ray who passed away in 2007, worked and

scraped to buy their first instrument--a banjo--a treasure they were afraid to reveal to their father, Glen. Fortunately for all of us, having received Glen Goins' approval of their fine purchase, the two sons soon embarked on a path that would take them to the heights of bluegrass renown.

Over the decades of their careers, the pair brought the sounds of a finely tuned string band to countless men and women throughout the world, who found delight in such tunes as ``Mouse Tracks in the Bacon Grease.'' Likewise, gospel tunes as ``I'll Fly Away'' and ``The Wayfarer Stranger'' have touched many a heart and soul.

They played as part of the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and the Clinch Mountain Boys, before going on their own to play as the Goins Brothers. But eventually Ray hung up his banjo and Melvin carried on, establishing the Windy Mountain Boys.

Over the years, Melvin's generosity, exemplified by the guidance and encouragement he gave so freely to younger musicians, earned him lifelong respect and gratitude. And despite his success, the once-dirt poor boy has never lost his sense of those basic values honed in the hills of his West Virginia home at the knee of his mother Pearl.

If it means keeping our feet firmly planted on Good Mother Earth and our head out of the clouds like Melvin Goins, then growing up ``dirt poor'' is a luxury more Americans should enjoy.

Melvin Goins life has spanned the days of the battery operated radio that provided the family's only entertainment to the age of the Internet, MP3 players, and IPods. Having spent the better part of his nearly 60 years on the road, performing live concerts at venues from the renowned to the unlikely, Melvin Goins now reaches his multitude of fans worldwide, in their own living rooms, through a virtual visit to YouTube.

Even in his 70's, Melvin continues a successful and busy musical career, remaining much in demand by all who enjoy a little pickin', singin' and a good story to boot.

That he has earned this continuous following throughout those decades of change is testament to the depth of Melvin's talent and the breadth of his musical appeal.

This Friday, I will join the people of Bramwell, West Virginia in celebrating ``Melvin Goins Day.'' But today, I bring his extraordinary life and musical talent to the attention of the U.S. Congress and urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Melvin Goins, an American treasure.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment made in order under the rule.

Mr. Chairman, the pending measure contains a sense of the Congress resolution regarding the budgetary treatment of the FLAME fund. We've been working with the Budget Committee on this matter and appreciate their interest in this legislation, and as such, I no longer see a need for the sense of Congress provision. My amendment simply strikes it from the bill, and I ask for adoption of the amendment.

I reserve my time.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I appreciate the gentleman from Colorado yielding. I'm happy to accept his amendment and appreciate his work on this legislation.

I appreciate the gentleman from Colorado yielding, and congratulate him for his superb leadership and work on this bill, and we accept the amendment.

Will the gentleman yield?

I appreciate the gentleman's amendment, and thank him for it. We would be glad to accept it on this side.

Will the gentleman yield?

We accept the amendment on this side.

Will the gentleman yield?

I thank the gentleman for yielding. We accept the amendment on this side.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. I want to thank him for his amendment, and we accept it.

Will the gentleman yield?

I appreciate the gentleman's amendment, thank him for his work, and we accept the amendment.

On behalf of Mr. Matheson of Utah, Mr. Chairman, I offer his amendment No. 10.

This is a simple amendment, Mr. Chairman. It would allow the National Guard to participate in the fighting of wildfires.

I yield to the gentleman from Washington.

I yield back.

Will the gentlewoman yield?

I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona and commend her on her excellent amendment and rise in support of it.

Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Goodlatte amendment. The amendment would provide expansive new contracting authority to State foresters to perform so called ``good neighbor projects'' on national forest system lands. My concern here is not with these types of projects in and of themselves, but rather the way the amendment would allow these type of projects to proceed.

In effect, the amendment represents an unwarranted authority which could undermine current protections in the law that protect taxpayer interests, forest worker rights and which ensure adequate environmental review for activities occurring on forest lands.

Some supporters of this proposal are seeking to use the pending legislation to make wholesale changes in Federal forest management. Specifically, the amendment would eliminate existing requirements on public notification and advertising of timber sales. It would eliminate requirements separating the planning of projects from those with a financial interest in the project.

The transfer of contracting authority from the Federal Government to the States also has impacts on Federal worker-protection laws. Under existing law, the Forest Service must ensure that contracts adhere to Federal labor standards. These contract labor laws provide fair wage rates and compensation for overtime.

These Federal labor standards do not apply to contracts issued by individual States. As such, wage standards and overtime requirements that are required for any Federal contract would not apply under this amendment, since a State would be the contracting agent.

The Obama administration has highlighted the risk to the taxpayer of the reliance of Federal agencies on sole-source contracting, for which this amendment provides. A March 4 memorandum on government contracting states clearly that it is the policy of the Federal Government that executive agencies shall not engage in noncompetitive contracts, except where appropriate safeguards have been put in place to protect the taxpayer. We have seen what happens when the government turns over contracting to a sole-source entity.

The underlying measure before the House today is about ensuring firefighters have the resources they need to combat wildfires. We have had our fire drills on forest management battles in the past.

This is not the time or place to have another.

I would note that this amendment is opposed by the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades. It's opposed by the Carpenters' Union as well. I have those communications in front of me.

And I would note that, while the gentleman from Virginia, as well- intentioned as he is in his efforts, and has noted that the Forest Service does not oppose the amendment, of course they don't. They cannot. And they are not for the amendment either. Of course they cannot be.

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

Mr. Chairman, I am the last speaker. I am ready to close on my side.

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

Mr. Chairman, I want to quote from the building and construction trades letter to me in opposition to the pending amendment. They state their opposition to the Goodlatte amendment to H.R. 1404, the FLAME Act, because it will deprive employees of private contractors of Federal labor standards protection otherwise applicable to them while working on Federal land. The protective labor standards in the McNamara-O'Hare Service Contract Act and the Davis-Bacon Act, which would otherwise apply if these contracts are awarded by the U.S. Forest Service or the BLM, will not be applied to this work, even though it will be performed on national forest system land for the benefit of the Federal Government. For this reason, we urge the House to reject the Goodlatte amendment.

A similar telecommunication this morning to our office from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America states that they are absolutely opposed to the Goodlatte amendment. Turning this work over to State governments deprives the workers on these projects of Federal labor law protections, and this is something we would never support.

That, again, is from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. So, for these reasons and the reasons I stated in my previous statement, Mr. Chairman, I would urge our colleagues to reject this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Yes, we will continue to work on these, I would respond to the gentleman from Virginia, work on these issues, including, as I said yesterday, preventive measures that are so necessary to getting at the root of the problem.

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

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 1404, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, section numbering and cross-referencing, and the insertion of appropriate headings.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 280, I move to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 146) to establish a battlefield acquisition grant program for the acquisition and protection of nationally significant battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendments thereto, and I have a motion at the desk.

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 matter under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, the road leading us here today has been a long one and it has contained a few twists and turns along the way. As my colleagues are well aware, a series of procedural hurdles in both the House and the Senate has delayed enactment of this legislation. It would truly be a shame, however, to allow those difficulties to overshadow just how important this bill is.

The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 is landmark legislation. It combines measures that will strengthen the National Park System, restore our national forests, preserve our Wild and Scenic Rivers, protect our sacred battlefields, and restore balance to the management of our public lands.

After nearly a decade during which our parks were taken for granted and our rangelands were scarred by a spider web of roads and well pads--after nearly a decade during which responsible stewardship was abandoned--this omnibus package represents a new dawn. A new dawn for America's heritage and America's values.

It will preserve pristine wilderness, such as in my home State of West Virginia, protect our national monuments and conservation areas, conserve our free-flowing rivers, establish new park units, guarantee abundant clean water for thousands of families, and more.

At a time when so much of the news is bad, when so much about our future seems uncertain, enactment of this public lands bill will serve as a reminder that our Nation is truly blessed; and that, no matter what happens, if we pass those blessings on to our children, our Nation will survive and endure.

One advantage of having considered this package before is that we have heard all the arguments. We have heard all the arguments against it, and we know that they have been proven wrong.

For example, we were told that this package costs a great deal of money. The Congressional Budget Office has made it clear; it does not. We were told that this is a big Federal land grab; but Members now understand that this package contains no condemnation nor taking of land of any kind. We were told this package contained a provision that would put children in jail for collecting fossils. We know now that only large commercial companies who take public resources and sell them for private profit will be penalized.

The truth is, this package of bills will make small but meaningful improvements in the quality of life for millions of Americans across our great country. The arguments made by opponents are petty by comparison. That is why an overwhelming and bipartisan majority of 77 members of the other body and 282 Members of this House have already voted for this bill.

We have all heard the saying: That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Attempts to kill this important package have failed, making our commitment to getting it enacted that much stronger.

The road leading us here has indeed had some twists and turns, but today we arrive at the end. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 146 and, finally, send this bill to the President for his signature.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Altmire) who has helped us craft some language in the bill that is supported by the National Rifle Association.

Mr. Speaker, I am forced to yield myself 30 seconds to respond to the total inaccuracies just stated by the gentleman.

First of all, the fossil collection measure in this bill applies only to public lands, no private lands whatsoever. And if the gentleman had heard my opening statement or even seen what the Senate passed, he would recognize--that the other body passed--he would recognize that the casual collector of fossils is exempt from this legislation. It only applies to those who are in the professional collection of fossils on public lands once again.

In regard to the locking away of land from oil and gas developments, what you are going to keep hearing throughout today from the other side is that old mantra ``drill, baby, drill'' that we are hearing over and over and again, and they just don't get it anymore.

I am glad to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds.

Mr. Speaker, many Members on the minority side have been helping us with this legislation. I now am pleased to recognize one such Member, the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), for 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar), who has been very instrumental in crafting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), who has been very helpful to us as well on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to yield now to the gentleman from Arizona, the chairman of our Parks Subcommittee, who has undergone this tortuous path with us all the way, the gentleman from Arizona, the Park Subcommittee Chair, Mr. Grijalva, 3 minutes.

You forgot ``drill, baby, drill.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) for a colloquy.

Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Washington for recognizing the scientific contributions made by Aquarius, and I thank them for supporting the provisions in the underlying legislation that will promote the development of future innovations in undersea research technologies.

I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt).

Will the gentleman yield?

I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his patience and willingness to work with us, and I pledge to work with him to move H.R. 1694 quickly and to work towards its passage in the other body in the near future.

Mr. Speaker, I am very honored to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished subcommittee chair on our Committee on Natural Resources, the Chair of the Water Resources Subcommittee, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano).

Mr. Speaker, I am very honored to yield 1 minute to a new member of our committee who is from the State of New Mexico (Mr. Heinrich).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Mrs. Dahlkemper).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. Speaker, I am very honored to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished dean of the House of Representatives, the gentleman from Michigan, my dear friend and an individual who has helped us tremendously in not only crafting this legislation but so much of the legislation that passes through the Congress, the Honorable John Dingell.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close on our side. I am our last speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as we close this debate, to some of the gentlemen on the other side of the aisle who are expressing opposition to this measure--some rather vociferously--I would quote William Shakespeare: Me thinks ye doth protest too much.

The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, which the gentleman from Washington--my ranking member who I respect--has been working on for many years will now become a reality. And the Park City and Bountiful land exchanges, which the gentleman from Utah has been advocating for some time, will also become a reality.

The Santa Margarita River and Elsinore Valley Water projects, which the gentleman from California wants, will now become a reality. And the Chisholm-Great Western Trail study, advanced by the gentlemen from Oklahoma, will now become a reality.

Many of you are in the enviable position, I guess, of protesting against this bill--perhaps voting against it--yet still getting what you want. I guess being in the minority sometimes has its advantages.

The fact of the matter is that the pending matter has twice been approved by the Senate by overwhelming majorities, and 2 weeks ago in this body, it received 282 votes in favor and 144 opposed.

It is now time, my colleagues, for the will of the Congress to be made final on this measure. We have heard repeatedly from the malcontents, but they do

not represent the majority view. The famous photographer Ansel Adams once said, ``Let us leave a splendid legacy for our children. Let us turn to them and say, this you inherit: guard it well, for it is far more precious than money, and once destroyed, nature's beauty cannot be repurchased at any price.''

That, my friends, is what this legislation is all about.

From the Wild Mon wilderness in my home State of West Virginia, to the Copper Salmon Wilderness in Oregon; the Virginia Ridge and Valley Wilderness in Virginia, to the Mount Hood Wilderness also in Oregon; from the Eastern Sierra Wilderness in California, to the Trail of Tears in Tennessee; the establishment of the Taunton Wild and Scenic River in Massachusetts, to the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail in Washington State, to the Paterson National Historic Park in New Jersey, my friends, this is America the beautiful, of spacious skies and purple mountain majesties.

This is what our great land is all about. This is what we, who have a responsibility to steward and guard our public resources, have a responsibility as well to pass on to generations to come after us.

My colleagues, in these trying economic times, let us today give assurances to the American people that this Nation does remain great and that we have something to celebrate, a heritage of which we can all be proud. The open skies, the public wilderness, the heritage areas, the wild and scenic trails, the beautiful, open-flowing and clean rivers, let us all think about those majesties that we have in this country as we move toward final passage of this legislation and indeed turn it to where it belongs, in the heavens above.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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 H.R. 1404.

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

I am pleased to bring before this body proactive legislation which would establish a new arsenal to provide the necessary resources to combat catastrophic wildfires.

We are all aware of the raging fires which annually sweep across parts of America. Over the last decade, wildfires have become increasingly dangerous and destructive, burning more acreage and more property more often. Yet, financially, the Federal Government continues to be ill-prepared to respond to these fires.

Every year the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the other Federal agencies are forced to dramatically shift spending priorities, rapidly increasing funding for fire fighting at the expense of other vital programs.

This ``Rob Peter to Pay Paul'' approach requires these agencies to borrow funds from other accounts, causing everything from basic maintenance to visitor services to suffer. In fact, as it stands, nearly half of the Forest Service's annual budget is spent putting out fires, causing some to point out that the agency is no longer the U.S. Forest Service, but rather, the U.S. Fire Service.

The legislation before us, the Federal Land Assistance Management Enhancement Act, or FLAME Act, is a bipartisan effort to correct course by getting out in front of these tragic fire seasons. The legislation would address the funding problem by establishing a dedicated fund for catastrophic, emergency wildland fire suppression activities, separate from appropriated, fire-fighting funding. This pot of money would be available when appropriated funds run out, saving the agencies from having to cut into nonfire programs.

The Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior would be authorized to use money from the FLAME fund only after making a specific declaration that a fire was large enough and dangerous enough to warrant such action.

The bill would also require the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to present to Congress a long-overdue, comprehensive strategy for combating wildland fire, a strategy that would address the troubling shortcomings in the agencies' response to fires identified by the Government Accountability Office and the Agriculture Department's Inspector General.

I would note that this legislation complements proposals in President Obama's proposed budget to establish a dedicated fund for catastrophic wildfires.

This legislation also enjoys the support of the five former chiefs of the Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, the National Association of Counties, the National Federation of Federal Employees, the Western Governors' Association, and nearly 40 other organizations.

I am honored to be joined by our subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva); our Interior Appropriations chairman Norm Dicks; Interior Appropriations ranking member Simpson; and Congressman Greg Walden as original cosponsors of H.R. 1404. Agriculture chairman Collin Peterson is also a cosponsor of the bill.

Each of these Members understands that fire, and the cost of fighting it, is among the most serious issues facing our Federal land management agencies. If not addressed, this issue will continue to cost homes, businesses, communities, public lands, and lives.

The FLAME Act will allow the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to respond to these dangerous fires while also accomplishing other important aspects of their missions, including those that will prevent fires from devastating our communities in the future.

I ask my colleagues to support passage of the FLAME Act.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I'm very happy to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California (Mrs. Capps), a very valued member of our Committee on Natural Resources that was so instrumental in bringing this legislation, as well as many other pieces of legislation out of our committee, to the floor.

I yield the gentlelady another 30 seconds.

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

The Congress, under the previous majority, in 2003 enacted the Healthy Forests Restoration Act under the guise that it was the solution to preventing wildland fires on Federal lands. Today, nearly 6 years later, fires are still raging across the country and the Federal land managers are breaking the bank trying to pay for them. Clearly, it's time to try something new--and that's what we are attempting to do in this legislation.

I would certainly note that in passing the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, Congress authorized $760 million annually for hazardous fuels treatments on Federal lands. Sadly, the Bush administration continuously underfunded hazardous fuels treatments at only 65 percent of the level authorized by Congress.

The skyrocketing cost of fighting fires forced drastic reductions in other Forest Service accounts under the Bush administration. This included cuts to fire preparedness, State fire assistance, cooperative fire assistance, and hazardous fuels treatments.

The lack of investment in fire prevention under the Bush administration led to a situation where communities around the country have NEPA-approved hazardous fuels projects waiting for Federal funding.

In western States last year, there were over 1 million acres of NEPA- approved hazardous fuels projects that were awaiting funding from the Bush administration.

The FLAME Act will relieve the drain on the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior budgets to ensure that funding is not swept away from vital fire prevention activities. This is why the FLAME Act has received support from those organizations I mentioned in my opening statement--a rather broad-based list of organizations, well over 40, that are in support of the pending legislation.

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

I yield 2 minutes to someone who knows well the problems this legislation seeks to address, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Heinrich).

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I certainly understand what the gentleman from Washington is referencing. I said last year during debate on this floor to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) that I certainly understand the need to develop comprehensive preventive legislation that is aimed at truly getting at the root causes of these forest fires. I would repeat to the gentleman from Washington, my respected ranking member, that if he introduces such legislation--any member introduces such legislation--we will certainly bring it forth before our committee and give it due consideration and certainly try to work on it as well as we have on this legislation to bring it to the floor of the House.

Mr. Chairman, I'm going to recap very quickly since we are closing general debate at this point. For much of the last decade, the wildlands fire season has been expanding due to factors such as climate change and drought. Unfortunately, future trends appear to indicate that this increase will only continue.

Within the Forest Service, wildlands fire activity now accounts for nearly half of their budget. The Forest Service spent over $1 billion fighting wildland fires last year. The skyrocketing cost of fighting fires has led to the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to rob Peter to pay Paul and borrow funds from other agency accounts.

There were cuts to fire preparedness, State fire assistance, cooperative fire assistance, and hazardous fuel treatments in Forest Service budgets.

The FLAME Act will allow the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to respond to dangerous fires while also accomplishing other important parts of their mission. The act will relieve the drain on the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior budgets to ensure that funding is not swept away from vital fire prevention activities. I conclude by urging adoption of the pending measure.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th birthday of the great City of Princeton, West Virginia.

In West Virginia, transportation industries and coal mining have played an integral role in the economic development of the region. The City of Princeton is no exception. As early as the nineteenth century, emerging transportation technology, the railroad, and a Nation demanding West Virginia's coal helped form booming new industry in the Princeton area. Much of the coal produced was sent west to the Great Lakes region or east to Baltimore, New York City and New England, heating our great Nation and providing steam power to the U.S. Navy.

What was once a small railroad-side village in beautiful Mercer County is now a thriving city with a population of 6,300. Between 25,000 and 28,000 pass through each day, bringing business and goods to a city with a history as rich and varied as the state itself.

Many notable actors and sports team owners at one point called Princeton home. Kevin Sizemore, of the television show Prison Break, and Sam Eliot, who was in We Were Soldiers both hailed from our hallowed hills. And Ken Kendrick, owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Rod Thorn, President and Manager of the New Jersey Nets called West Virginia home in their childhoods.

February 20th marked the 100th birthday of the City of Princeton. I invite you all to join me in celebrating this great City! Happy birthday Princeton!