Floor Statements

I rise in opposition to this legislation. This legislation would double the size of two of the marine sanctuaries off the coast of California, adding approximately 1,200 square miles and almost 100 miles of coastline, and with little or absolutely no public comment. Moreover, this is happening at the very same time that the management plans for the two sanctuaries are being reviewed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. NOAA could have considered this expansion during the ongoing process, but it did not because it considered the expansion to be complicated and something that would require effort, analysis, and public input. This legislation ignores the need for public comment on a very complicated expansion.

The entire intent of this legislation could be accomplished through public process that already exists. But, unfortunately, Congress can't wait to hear from the people. It is sad that the citizens of California, who are most affected by this legislation, will not have the opportunity to comment on this expansion in the normal statutory public comment process.

Again, I reluctantly oppose this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is certainly hopeful that with the passage of this bill we will have faith in NOAA to administer this territory, since we obviously with passage of this bill don't trust them to evaluate or make recommendations.

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

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

Madam Speaker, there are currently many Federal and State agencies, universities and private entities collecting ocean and coastal observation data. H.R. 2342 will coordinate these efforts and create a national integrated coastal and ocean observing system. The national system will provide many benefits to the Nation by support weather, marine forecasts, marine transportation, public safety, scientific research, and public outreach and education activities.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

I appreciate those kind words, and I will try to be as introspective as I possibly can here.

Public Law 108-191 made it illegal to buy, sell, or trade certain large exotic cats in interstate or foreign commerce. These include cheetahs, cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my. The measure did not ban the private ownership of these cats, and specific exemptions were provided for qualified aquariums, circuses, sanctuaries, and zoos.

In the 5 years that this law has been enacted, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been unable to prosecute anyone because of drafting deficiencies; so, I would urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 4933.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3352.

Hydrographic surveys and shoreline mapping activities provide data to produce accurate nautical charts. Many vessels from large container ships and oil tankers to the smaller commercial fishing vessels and recreational boaters rely on nautical charts to safely navigate U.S. waterways. There is currently a backlog in the survey work, making many nautical charts out of date. H.R. 3352 will reauthorize the program that supports hydrographic surveys and shoreline mapping activities, and continue the efforts to provide all users with accurate nautical charts. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3891. It does increase by five members the Board of Directors on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Since its inception, this foundation has financed more than 9,500 conservation projects to sustain, restore, and enhance fish wildlife population and their essential habitat. Under current law, the Secretary of the Interior may

appoint 25 individuals to serve on the Board of Directors. These members have expertise in fish, wildlife, natural resources, and conservation. They serve as conservation ambassadors, and they approve projects submitted to the foundation, and raise funds for the operation of this successful organization. The additional five members will help to enhance that job description. I urge my colleagues to vote favorably on H.R. 3891.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 2675, and we are pleased to support this legislation that will help the young men of Oklahoma by allowing the Boy Scouts of America to expand their summer camp within the forest to accommodate the fast-growing number of campers. This speaks volumes about the excellent organization that is the Boy Scouts of America, and we compliment Representative Boren on his efforts. Hopefully this land conveyance will ease some of the pain the scouting community suffered when Congressman Boren

left the Scouts shortly before attaining the rank of tenderfoot.

I want to thank Chairman Rahall and the professional staff for moving this bill along expeditiously, and thank my friend from Hawaii for his efforts on this particular legislation, and thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for having a wonderful bill. I urge Members to support this particular legislation.

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

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

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

H.R. 3651, the Utah National Guard Readiness Act, was cosponsored by the entire Utah delegation. There are only three of us, but we all agreed. So Mr. Matheson, Mr. Cannon, and I are sponsoring this bill, as requested by the Adjutant General of the Utah National Guard as well as the Governor of the State of Utah, in order to address the long-term growing pains of the National Guard at their Camp Williams headquarters.

The Utah National Guard has run out of State-controlled land on which to expand and build and support its vital national guard and national defense missions.

The lands transferred under this act are already withdrawn from military use by the Guard from the Bureau of Land Management. So placing the land in the State's name for use by the National Guard will allow for the consolidation of ownership patterns in the critical headquarters area, and allow the State of Utah to bond for future Guard facilities in a more streamlined and cost-effective manner.

I thank the chairman of our committee, Mr. Rahall, and his staff, for working on this bill and moving it forward. I also thank the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Grijalva, for his assistance and that of the subcommittee professional staff.

In this day and age, we are asking the National Guardsmen to do more

and more heavy lifting for our Nation's defense and in deploying overseas in armed conflict. At the same time, we are asking them to also be on the frontlines in protect the homeland, and also to be there for our States and communities in times of emergency or natural disasters. We ask a lot of them, and they deliver.

This bill will allow our Utah National Guard to support its future mission growth in meeting these challenges. It is a small thing for us to be able to help them down the road in meeting their obligations. I thank my colleagues for consideration of this bill, and I strongly urge its adoption.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I think the gentleman from Hawaii could have done it much more artfully than I did, but I will be happy to allow him to do that.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

This particular bill helps solve the conundrum that we face in the protection and conservation of certain species: For example, the bony- tailed chub, the razorback sucker, and the humpback chub.

H.R. 2515, introduced by Dean Heller of Nevada and Harry Mitchell of Arizona, is an amended bipartisan measure aimed at protecting endangered species while keeping the waters running and the lights on for consumers in the Southwest.

As amended at the committee level, this bill has been scaled back, but still codifies a very popular multi-species habitat conservation plan on the Lower Colorado River. I note that some water and power supply organizations support key provisions taken out by the majority. However, in the interest of moving this bill forward, they support the passage of this bill with the hope that the final bill signed into law will better resemble the original legislation.

At a time when our water supply is being diminished due to a number of factors, this bill--although somewhat incomplete--is still a win-win for our water and power consumers.

I have no additional speakers, and I am prepared to yield back the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield?

Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 1143 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

This has been adequately explained by Chairman Rahall. We support this legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 1311, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

This has also been adequately explained by Chairman Rahall. We support this legislation. I would like to note that this legislation is an example of how local control of public land benefits our communities, and I hope the majority will support us as we explore similar ways to empower our constituents.

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 rise to speak on H.R. 3111, and I yield myself 15 seconds.

The chairman has adequately explained the bill. It's a good bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 5137, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

When credit is earned, credit needs to be given where it is due, and Chairman Rahall has a wonderful bill. I am totally supportive of his efforts, and it's an excellent bill.

This ensures that hunting rights will continue in this great area, the New River Gorge National River. I am encouraged to see that many of my colleagues on the other side appreciate the importance of hunting and the benefit it has on public lands even within the Park Service System. And I hope that the chairman will join with us as we work to ensure second amendment hunting rights on Federal lands are secured in the other 49 States as well. I am confident that we can build a consensus around State and local control of hunting and deliver the rights that this legislation ensures to the Federal land around this particular entity.

As I said, I am totally in support of this bill. I think it's an excellent bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on House Resolution 845, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

This bill, once again, has been adequately explained by Chairman Rahall, and I urge the adoption of this resolution.

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

I also rise in support of House Resolution 807 and yield myself such time as I may consume.

This resolution has been well explained by the chairman, and I would also like to commend the Congresswoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for her work on this resolution. What is most extraordinary about Marjory Stoneman Douglas is that she did not take a central role the Everglades fight until she was 78, an age when most people begin to settle into their retirement, and she would continue her fight for another 30 years, until the age of 108.

I urge the adoption of this resolution.

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