Madeleine Bordallo

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3967, introduced in October of 2009 by our colleague Representative Elijah Cummings, helps tell the story of the African American struggle for equality. For the last quarter century, Doctors Joanne and Elmer Martin have worked tirelessly to create a safe, nurturing environment for Baltimore's youth. Through their work to build and fund the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and the Justice Learning Center, they have created a unique opportunity to teach and connect with young people to tell the story of great African American leaders in the history of our United States of America. H.R. 3967 amends the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to extend authorization for Federal grant funding. Representative Cummings is to be commended for his work on behalf of this outstanding education and outreach program. Mr. Speaker, we support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3967) to amend the National Great Black Americans Commemoration Act of 2004 to authorize appropriations through fiscal year 2015.

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

Ms. BORDALLO

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

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

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3923) to provide for the exchange of certain land located in the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I would like again to urge Members to support the bill. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, recent scientific findings have shown that the Arctic sea ice is shrinking with significantly smaller amounts of summer sea ice cover. Consequently, more open water space in the Arctic Ocean will be available for ship travel, which will present a changed landscape for international marine commerce and national security interests and greater accessibility to natural resources. These activities are likely to create substantial new demands on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide hydrographic data and hydrographic services in the near term. I support this noncontroversial legislation to amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act to give NOAA specific authorization to conduct hydrographic surveys and to provide other hydrographic services in the Arctic, and I urge Members on both sides to do likewise. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2864) to amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation, delineating the United States extended continental shelf, and the monitoring and description of coastal changes, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, we should take this time to congratulate my colleague, Mr. Young, for his work on this legislation. Also, I would like to thank the gentlelady from Wyoming. I've enjoyed managing the bills this afternoon with her. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4973, the National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Improvement Act, was introduced by our colleague from Maryland, Representative Frank Kratovil. The National Wildlife Refuge System encompasses a national network of public lands and waters set aside to conserve habitat and protect natural resources and, consequently, plays an integral role in our national network of Federal public lands. During these difficult economic times, the government has looked for efficient and practical solutions to lower costs while maintaining critical refuge systems services. The National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer Program serves this purpose. Last year, volunteers contributed to more than 1.5 million hours of support, the equivalent of nearly 750 full-time employees. This is better than $7 returned on each dollar invested. The pending measure would make the volunteer program permanent, establish a volunteer coordination strategy, and formalize a reporting schedule to ensure oversight and accountability. I commend Mr. Kratovil for his important work on behalf of this initiative, and I ask Members on both sides to support passage of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4973) to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize volunteer programs and community partnerships for national wildlife refuges, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO

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

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4686) to authorize the Secretary of Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from the CNMI, Congressman Sablan.

Ms. BORDALLO. I again urge the Members of Congress to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO

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

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

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4773, introduced by Representative Jack Kingston of Georgia, would allow the National Park Service to lease a small facility at Fort Pulaski National Monument to the Savannah Bar Pilots Association. The pilots perform a vital public service, keeping the Savannah River and the harbor safe, and they have used this facility at Fort Pulaski for more than 40 years under a special use permit. H.R. 4773 would regularize that arrangement under a lease. Mr. Speaker, we urge support of H.R. 4773. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 689) to interchange the administrative jurisdiction of certain Federal lands between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, and for other purposes.

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