Madeleine Bordallo

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3759) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to grant economy-related contract extensions of a certain timber contracts between the Secretary of the Interior and timber purchasers, and for other purposes, as amended.

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 move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3726) to establish the Castle Nugent National Historic Site at St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, and for other purposes, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, this week, as world leaders convene in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, the House of Representatives has taken an important, if incremental, step to improve our Nation's ability to strategically respond and adapt to an unpredictable climate by authorizing a study which advances the idea of creating a Federal National Climate Service. H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to enter into a contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of alternative organizational frameworks for the establishment of a National Climate Service within NOAA. I would like to commend my colleague from Wisconsin and the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman David Obey, and the rest of the conferees, for their recognition that the establishment of a National Climate Service within NOAA is absolutely critical at this time. The American public will need climate information, products and services in order to plan for and adapt to climate variability, and it is essential that the Federal Government have in place an organizational architecture that is science-based, reliable, and responsive to address this need. Most important, this study will provide another opportunity to comparatively evaluate and assess the merits of a public-private approach for a National Climate Service. Last June, I introduced H.R. 2685, the Climate and Ocean Research and Coordination Act of 2009, to establish, in part, a National Climate Enterprise comprised of federal and non-federal partners which would have NOAA function as the operational lead. This framework, which would build from and strengthen existing Federal climate research and science capacities within NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, National Science Foundation, and other agencies, would also incorporate the significant contributions of non-Federal climate scientists, researchers and stakeholders to provide to end users on the ground climate information, products and services at variable scales that are credible, reliable and usable. As NOAA and the National Academy of Public Administration consider alternative frameworks for a National Climate Service, I respectfully urge consideration of the public/private concepts within H.R. 2685, which have been enthusiastically endorsed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, UCAR, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, and the Coastal States Organization. All Americans, from the District of Columbia to my congressional district in Guam, should have at their disposal an effective and accessible National Climate Service, and I again commend Chairman Obey for advancing this idea.

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, yesterday and today I have been granted an official leave of absence by the House of Representatives and am in my district attending to official business. As such, I am unable to cast my votes in the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union on amendments to H.R. 4173, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009. If I was present for these votes, I would vote as follows and ask that the Record reflects these positions: ``yes'' on Mr. Frank's amendment (rollcall vote 953); Mr. Lynch's amendment (rollcall vote 955); Mr. Murphy's amendment (rollcall vote 956); Mr. Frank's amendment (rollcall vote 957); Mr. Stupak's amendment (rollcall vote 958); Mr. Stupak's amendment (rollcall vote 959); Mr. Kanjorski's amendment (rollcall vote 960); Mr. Peter's amendment (rollcall vote 962); Mr. Marshall's amendment (rollcall vote 963); Ms. Schakowsky's amendment (rollcall vote 964); and ``no'' on Mr. Session's amendment (rollcall vote 954); Mr. McCarthy's amendment (rollcall vote 961); Mr. Minnick's (rollcall vote 965); and Mr. Bachus's amendment (rollcall vote 966).

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3603 is sponsored by my friend and colleague Representative Marshall of Georgia. The bill is very simple. It changes the name of the Ocmulgee National Monument to the Ocmulgee Mounds National Monument. The new name will more accurately portray the resources at the monument, which is located in Macon, Georgia, and which was established in 1934 to protect a collection of Native American mounds, including a large ceremonial center, that encompassed burial and residential mounds, a large earthen temple, and political meeting chambers. H.R. 3603 has wide support in the community, and those supporters believe the name change will help the public better understand the nature of the monument and encourage increased visitation. I urge all Members to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3603) to rename the Ocmulgee National Monument, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO

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

Ms. BORDALLO

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 199) recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the activation of Echo Company of the 100th Battalion of the 442d Infantry, and the sacrifice of the soldiers and families in support of the United States, as amended.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Ms. BORDALLO

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

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 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. 3388 is sponsored by our colleague, Representative Forbes of Virginia. The 9-month campaign by the Union Army to capture the town of Petersburg, Virginia, was the longest of the Civil War. Today, only a fraction of the sites associated with the siege are protected within Petersburg National Battlefield. The Civil War Preservation Trust has consistently listed this area among the Nation's most endangered Civil War battlefields. Mr. Speaker, this legislation authorizes the expansion of the park to preserve approximately 7,000 acres that retain their historic significance. It was the subject of an extensive public planning process and has strong support within the local community. I commend Mr. Forbes for sponsoring this legislation to improve the preservation of such an important historic resource, and I ask my colleagues to support passage of this measure. December 3, 2009. Hon. Nick J. Rahall II, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: On November 18, 2009, the Committee on Natural Resources ordered H.R. 3388, the Petersburg National Battlefield Boundary Modification Act, to be reported. As you know, this measure contains certain provisions that are within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services. Our Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 3388 and the need for the legislation to move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over this legislation, the Committee on Armed Services will waive further consideration of H.R. 3388. I do so with the understanding that by waiving further consideration of the bill, the Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional claims over similar measures. In the event of a conference with the Senate on H.R. 3388, the Committee on Armed Services reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees. I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy of your response in your Committee's report on H.R. 3388 and the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Very truly yours, Ike Skelton, Chairman, House Committee on Armed Services.

Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I again urge Members to support the bill, and I want to thank my colleague from South Carolina for managing the bills on the floor today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BORDALLO

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

Ms. BORDALLO

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

Ms. BORDALLO. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3940 would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to assist the Governments of Guam, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands in developing and implementing political status public education programs. Such programs would aid the people of these territories in understanding the various and viable political status options available to them. With such information, they could, in turn, express informed opinions about their future in any political status plebiscite or convention. Today, Guam, American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands are the three United States territories recognized by the international community as nonself-governing. The Federal Government is obligated to advance their self-government, taking into account the political aspirations of their peoples. The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for these efforts under U.S. law, and the resolution of status for these territories is a matter for Congress to ultimately resolve under article IV of the United States Constitution. Although efforts have been made in the past in each territory toward improving its status consistent with the right of self-determination, status remains ultimately unresolved for them. In Guam, a local law has authorized a plebiscite to be held that is to involve a public education program. In American Samoa, the work of a locally established commission to assess status options, the third such commission in the history of the territory, was recently concluded. A plebiscite on status was also held previously in the Virgin Islands. Each circumstance, however, demonstrates the importance of a public education program for resolving status in each territory and for preparing for future plebiscites or other processes by which their people can collectively express their political aspirations. This bill, Mr. Speaker, simply clarifies in law that the Secretary of the Interior can exercise existing authority to provide general technical assistance to these territories for the purpose of facilitating political status public education. So I ask my colleagues to support the passage of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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 to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.