Ken Calvert

Mr. CALVERT

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chair, it is my pleasures to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer).

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs).

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chair, I am certainly happy to continue to work with the gentlewoman from Minnesota and to address her concerns as this process continues.

Mr. CALVERT. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. CALVERT. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CALVERT. I yield myself an additional 30 seconds. I would note that, in testimony before the Senate, National Park Service Associate Director Stephen Whitesell testified that the Savannah bar pilots have operated ``with virtually no adverse impact on park resources, on the visitor experience, or on park operations.'' The legislation that passed at the request of the Park Service in 2011 was supposed to simply improve the legal basis through which the bar pilots and the Park Service entered into a contract. I am committed to continuing to work with you to find an equitable and timely solution to this matter that ensures the Fort Pulaski National Monument Lease Authorization Act is appropriately implemented and that the bar pilots are not forced to move from Cockspur Island.

Mr. CALVERT. I thank the gentleman from Georgia for bringing this matter to my attention. I share your concerns that this change could negatively impact the growth at the Port of Savannah just as work begins on the expansion project.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter) for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. CALVERT. As in the case with many of the amendments today before us, I cannot support the offset. Let me say this: EPA may be reimbursed for oil spill response activities from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. Now, personally, I think EPA should have direct access to that trust fund to avoid the delays, these administrative reimbursement delays, when responding to an oil spill such as what happened in California. However, that is an authorizing issue, not an appropriating issue. That is the proper place because those dollars will be there eventually to clean that up, and we just need to clean up the bureaucracy to have more immediacy in that process. This offset, I cannot support; and so, for that reason, I oppose the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I am more than happy to work with the young lady to get additional funding for Indian education at any time in the future, and we can continue to work together to do that.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. I understand there is a level of frustration regarding the Office of Surface Mining's continued use of funds to develop the stream buffer rule, and we attempted to address that through the bill language to limit funding. I certainly support what you are doing for water infrastructure. It is a good amendment that will leverage jobs, and I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Mr. CALVERT. I certainly agree with you. We need to improve the condition of our national forests. My home of California, as you know, is going through an exceptional drought. Colorado is just not sending enough water down the Colorado River, so you need to help us out a little bit. This hazardous fuel issue is a huge issue in my area. As you know, we have the blight issue that is just killing trees because we have too many trees in the forests, and it has weakened the forests. This is a good amendment, and I certainly urge its adoption.

Mr. CALVERT. I agree with the gentleman's amendment. I would urge its adoption.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. CALVERT. We will continue to work with the gentlewoman as this process moves forward and with the ranking member, Ms. McCollum. Who knows, there may be something that happens between A and B, and we may have some additional resources, who knows; but we will certainly work with you to find out if we do. I know that if we can help the Smithsonian Institution out, it is really at the top of our list.

Mr. CALVERT. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the point of order.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the gentlewoman's motion.

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, could the gentlewoman please ship some of that water to California?

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I make a point of order against the amendment because it proposes to change existing law and constitutes legislation in an appropriation bill and, therefore, violates clause 2 of rule XXI. The rule states in pertinent part: ``An amendment in a general appropriations bill shall not be in order if changing existing law.'' The amendment requires a determination. I ask for a ruling from the Chair.

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

Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chairman, I would be happy to support this amendment. I appreciate the gentleman's bringing it up, and I encourage everyone to adopt it.

Mr. CALVERT. Will the gentleman yield?