Chris Cannon

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We may have a colleague showing up here momentarily, but let me thank the gentlewoman, first of all, for her comments on this, and point out that we worked very well together on these bills where there is consensus and important issues, including recreation, for our constituents and the people of America.

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

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This legislation will revoke a small portion of the Public Land Order that originally created Cibola in 1964. While the refuge is more than 17,000 acres, there is a small component of the unit known as ``Walter's Camp.'' Based on testimony from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is clear that a mistake was made to include this property within the refuge. In fact, about a dozen years ago, the Service constructed a fence around what they thought were the boundaries of the refuge, and Walter's Camp was excluded. Walter's Camp has provided recreational opportunities for over 40 years. It provides family-friendly recreation to nearly 15,000 people a year who travel there to camp, hike, canoe, fish, bird watch and rockhound along the lower Colorado River. The concessionaire who operates this camp has obtained the necessary permits from the Bureau of Land Management. According to a BLM representative in Yuma, Arizona, there have been no problems with Walter's Camp, the concessionaire has been extremely cooperative, the facilities are inspected about every 6 months, and by transferring title to BLM, the net effect will be to improve environmental protection for the lower Colorado River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service testified there are little, if any, resource values on the 140 affected acres and that the best course of action for everyone, including the Government, the concessionaire and the general public, is to remove these lands from the refuge system. H.R. 3937 will accomplish that goal. It will end the confusion as to who has title to this property, and it will reaffirm that the management of the concession is the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management. I urge an aye vote on H.R. 3937, and I want to compliment the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) for his tireless efforts on behalf of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3937) to revoke a Public Land Order with respect to certain lands erroneously included in the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, California, as amended.

Mr. CANNON

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

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3858) to modify the boundaries of the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3858, introduced by the ranking member of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), would authorize the expansion of the boundary of the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia. The New River Gorge National River was established in 1978 to preserve and protect approximately 53 miles of the free-flowing New River. It was also designated an American heritage river in July of 1998. The rugged New River flows northward through deep canyons and is considered to be among the oldest rivers on the continent. The National River Park unit presently encompasses approximately 70,000 acres. The park contains miles of hiking trails and even some mountain biking and horseback trails. This bill would modify the boundaries of the park unit to take in six tracts of land, totaling 1,962 acres, from five different owners, all of whom are willing sellers. The modification to the boundary would allow for the preservation of scenic viewsheds within the park as well as accommodating certain recreational activities within the park. The bill would also address an encroachment issue in which a property owner unknowingly built his private home within the boundaries of the park. This encompasses approximately only a third of an acre. The bill is supported by both the majority and the minority, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3786) to revise the boundary of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in the States of Utah and Arizona, as amended.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her support and kind words; and, having no more speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. CANNON

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

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. 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 materials in the Record on the three bills just considered, H.R. 3937, H.R. 3786, and H.R. 3858.

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I would like to start by expressing my appreciation to the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) for the depth of his review on this matter and his concern, and the information he has gathered. However, I rise in support of this amendment to give personnel flexibility to the new immigration bureaus offered by the gentleman from California. Restructuring the INS, which we have come to call the ``ignoring national security,'' as opposed to whatever that actually stands for, is important; and changing the organizational structure is terrifically important. The bill of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) today does a great deal to move that forward. The issue here is in part a matter of organization. If we can get a chart up here on the budget, Members will see that over the last 10 years, if we had 1992 here, we would see that the budget of the INS has increased almost fivefold over 10 years; and at the same time, we have had almost the exact same increase in the number of petitions that are backlogged, from about 1 million to about 5 million. Something more fundamental has to happen with this agency, I believe. The way to make that happen is to restore the responsibility of people who are working in the INS. I have worked very hard with the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) and many others to include language in the manager's amendment that will provide greater removal authority and personnel flexibility to the new head of the agency for supervisors and managers. The Issa amendment will go farther in making those changes, and making those in charge of immigration and our national security as accountable as the average employee at every American company. I urge my colleagues to support the Issa amendment and give the manager, the people who are going to run it, and the President and his designees, the authority to remove people who are obstructionist and who get in the way of the changes that we need as Americans to see in that agency.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me just point out that it has been wonderful working with the Chairman on this issue. We have, in fact, included some great provisions in the manager's amendment that allows for more flexibility in firing. They do not go quite as far as the Issa amendment, I will point out, but this is a different issue. This is an important issue, and this issue relates to how and when and how quickly we get technology into the INS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, let me remind the gentleman that Utah is really one of the high-tech havens on earth; and interestingly, many of our minorities are running our high-tech companies. Let me also make two points in particular. One, they are willing to compete; and, two, this is a very narrow exemption. A very, very narrow exemption.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CANNON. The gentleman should come to Utah to see this.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of this amendment to speed up the adoption of new information technology by the restructured agency. I offer this amendment together with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren) and other Members of this body, including the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono), the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake), and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green). I believe this amendment has broad support, and I would urge the Members to watch who votes for it as we come to a vote, if that happens. The INS is one of the worst Federal agencies in adopting information technology necessary to do its job more efficiently and at a lower cost. The current INS and the new immigration bureaus have a core function of managing information about people. In that task, they are way behind. The INS has computers incapable of performing basic tasks, information systems that do not talk to each other, and still do things and is still doing things like putting together important documents on microfilm and boxing them up for storage rather than making them available to line officers via computer. The technology is already critical and will get worse if we do not do something, provide some temporary flexibility to the Attorney General to buy technology solutions while this agency restructures itself. Under the simplified acquisition procedures in this amendment, there are shorter waiting periods after notices are issued, more flexibility in how requests for proposals are put together. Fewer potential bidders have to be notified. The competition is still required. Bids must be solicited from at least three bidders. It is also important to note that although this amendment will speed it up, that is, information technology acquisitions, there are still a number of important safeguards that protect the agency and the taxpayers. Two of the most important laws that still apply are the Truth in Negotiating Act. TINA requires contractors to provide cost and pricing data to the Federal Government and certify their accuracy. False certifications result in downward adjustments. Such procurements are not exempt from Federal cost accounting standards that help prevent contractors from inflating their costs. I understand some Members of the Committee on Government Reform do not like this amendment, and I am a member of that committee myself. We worked with the majority staff and OMB to try to address their concerns. And in an ideal world, we could have hearings and studies and recommendations in that committee about government procurement policy generally to address these problems. But I urge my colleagues not to care more about jurisdictional turf battles than making this immigration agency work and giving it the technology to do so. This authority is what the INS has indicated before the Committee on the Judiciary that they need to get a handle on these problems. This is an opportunity to provide some temporary flexibility to get the right technology in place at that restructured immigration agency. It is a chance to solve some huge problems. So if my colleagues like the status quo, if they think the current technology situation at INS is great, then they should vote against this amendment. But the American people want results, and this Congress also wants results. We want an agency with the technology in place to prevent dead terrorists from getting visa documents 6 months after they have attacked us and died. We should want technology in place to reduce backlogs for legal immigrants and track the whereabouts of aliens who are in this country. The way to do that is to ease the restrictions and red tape on procuring the right technology to solve these problems. I urge my colleagues to support the Cannon-Lofgren amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter).

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the United States Army 10th Mountain Division. This important division of infantry has always answered the call of our nation when we have been in need. The 10th Mountain Division earned its fame during World War II, where it successfully captured several key German positions in Italy, including Reva Ridge and Mount Belvedere. In all, the division completely destroyed five elite German divisions, while suffering heavy casualties of 992 killed in action and 4,154 wounded. Training for these missions was done largely in Colorado and Utah's Park City Area. Upon return from the war, many Veterans of the 10th Mountain Division entered private industry creating ski resorts, schools and magazines. Their love of skiing and its development in the Inter-Mountain West and specifically in Utah, contributed in a large way to Utah's effort to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Even today, the 10th Mountain Division continues to contribute to its country's security. Soldiers from the division were among the first to enter Afghanistan in an effort to search out Al Qaida strongholds and oust the Taliban Government. The State of Utah has chosen to honor the 10th Mountain Division by naming a highway the 10th Mountain Division Memorial Highway. This section of road will be a testament to the scores of Utahns and others who have served their country in the Division. Mr. Speaker, the men and women of the 10th Mountain Division have a tradition of heroism. I am proud to stand behind those who have served and those who are now serving a grateful nation.

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about a little-known but tremendously important part of the Department of Justice: the United States Marshals Service. The Marshals play a critical role in areas we take for granted, such as court security and prisoner transportation. And for that, the Marshals should be applauded. However, I recently learned of the efforts of an elite part of the Marshals Service--the Special Operations Group (SOG). Lead by Commander Scott Flood and Executive Officer Walter ``Keith'' Ernie, the Special Operations Group is based in Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. This all- volunteer team of more than 90 professionals is to be commended for their willingness to take on any assignment, no matter how dangerous, in pursuit of Justice and the safety and stability of our country. Just last weekend, members of the Special Operations Group flew to Puerto Rico to deal with protesters on Vieques Island, while others came to Virginia to provide special protection for those being prosecuted in America's war on terrorism. During the September 11th crisis, the Special Operations Group helped secure airports around the country, preserve evidence at the Pentagon and World Trade Center crash sites, and protect federal judges and courthouses from other threats. While much of this is all in a day's work, I am amazed that this group of men and women actually volunteer to take on the extra challenges and greater dangers of being a SOG member. Those in the Special Operations Group receive no extra pay. Yet, the training and the missions are incredibly demanding. And the demands are not just on the members themselves, but on their families--being a member of SOG requires extensive travel away from wives, husbands, and children. Nevertheless, Commander Flood and his team work quietly outside of the spotlight to make sure that the tough jobs get done. Much of what SOG does cannot be discussed on the floor of the House of Representatives. Nevertheless, I believe that the men and women of the United States Marshals Service's Special Operations Group are true heroes. And I, for one, am grateful for their service to our Nation.

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today in support of House Resolution 363. In 1995, Salt Lake city was awarded the honor of hosting the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Seven years and thousands of volunteer hours later, the state of Utah welcomed the world to the largest and most successful Winter Olympics ever. Accomplishing this amazing event was no small feat and the tens of thousands of people involved deserve to be recognized for their work and dedication. There is little doubt that the Olympics would not have been as successful without the time and incredible efforts of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, headed by President Mitt Romney and Chairman Robert Garff. But equally important were the tireless efforts of the nearly 20,000 volunteers who opened their homes and hearts to the world. Without their time, talents and generosity, the XIX Winter Olympics would not have been the success it was. After September 11, some questioned whether the spirit of the Games could be preserved in light of security concerns. But thanks to the collaboration of over 7,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and 5,400 members of the Armed Forces, not one serious incident occurred during the Olympics and Paralympics. The selfless courage of these men and women ensured the safety and security of all the athletes and visitors to the Games. In the aftermath of September 11, the athletes became new heroes for America. These individuals captured our hearts through their amazing sacrifices and triumphs. For the first time in Winter Olympic history, an African-American and Mexican-American won medals, inspiring children and adults alike to strive for excellence. As Representatives of the United States, we must recognize and congratulate through this resolution all Americans who helped make the 2002 Winter Olympic Games the most successful and memorable ever.

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3928, the Utah Public Lands Artifact Preservation Act. Before Utah was home to the Olympics, it was home to dozens of Native American tribes, ancient plants, wildlife and dinosaurs. The rich history of this region has been a looking glass into the natural history of America. Scientists have used the millions of artifacts discovered here to preserve the past and gain knowledge for the future. The University of Utah houses over a million artifacts from this region. Though famous for the exhibits that feature tens of thousands of ancient mammals, reptiles, dinosaurs, and Native American artifacts, the museum serves a much greater purpose. It will also serve as a center for science literacy and educating students about the natural history of the Columbia Plateau. Mr. Speaker, 75 percent of the artifacts have been recovered from federally managed land. With this grant from the Department of the Interior, the museum will continue to promote cultural diversity of the region for future generations. I applaud the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and all others who have worked to make this bill a reality.

Mr. CANNON

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 60, I inadvertently voted ``aye'' but I meant to vote ``no.''