Donna Christensen

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5494) to direct the Director of the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior to transfer certain properties to the District of Columbia, as amended.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Arizona, Representative Kirkpatrick.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I also want to mention our colleague the gentlewoman from Guam's strong support for this bill. Though Ms. Bordallo could not be here today to speak in support of H.R. 1454 as she is on Guam conducting official business, she asked that I relay her thanks to the gentleman from South Carolina for his efforts with this legislation, and for the bipartisan manner in which he has worked with her and all of our Members on the Democratic side of the aisle as the ranking member of the subcommittee. I too am among the over 150 cosponsors of H.R. 1454, and recognize its value as a longtime member of the International Conservation Caucus. I continue to urge a ``yes'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1454, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2009, that was introduced by our colleague from South Carolina, Henry Brown. The Multinational Species Conservation Funds promote wildlife conservation around the world for keystone species, including great apes, tigers, and elephants. These programs consistently generate high- quality conservation projects and leverage $3 or $4 from non-Federal contributors for every Federal dollar spent. Mr. Speaker, revenues generated from the sale of a wildlife semipostal stamp, as authorized under this legislation, would fund these important grant programs. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1454 and supported its original passage by the House nearly a year ago. I urge my colleagues to support the amended version and send it on to the President so it may become law. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1454) to provide for the issuance of a Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4195 would authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia. The Foundation was created to promote a memorial to ``honor the preeminent historical and lasting significance of the establishment of the Peace Corps . . . and the American ideals and values upon which it was founded.'' H.R. 4195 was introduced by Congressman Farr, one of six Members of Congress who have served in the Peace Corps. I commend Representative Farr for his persistence in championing the Peace Corps and this legislation, and I urge Members to support H.R. 4195. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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.

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

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

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

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, under self-governance, Indian tribes assume the duties of the Federal Government for certain programs within the Department of the Interior and the Department of Health and Human Services. Self- governance empowers tribes to exercise their inherent sovereignty and make key decisions that will impact their nations. The widespread success of self-governance since its inception demonstrates that when tribes make the decisions that directly impact their tribal citizens, the outcomes are far greater. Introduced by our colleague from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren), H.R. 4347 would amend the self-determination contracting program to allow title 1 tribes to become familiar with the self-governance compacting program. This legislation would also amend the Department of the Interior self- governance program to make it consistent with the self-governance program at the Department of Health and Human Services. It allows Indian tribes to step into the shoes of the Federal Government to administer programs at the Department of the Interior using rules and procedures similar to those used at the Indian Health Service. I would like to commend Mr. Boren from Oklahoma for his leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Speaker be authorized to entertain motions to suspend the rules on the legislative day of Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010, relating to the following measures: S. 1674; H.R. 5307; House Resolution 1545; House Resolution 1560; House Resolution 1582; a bill to renew the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to approve demonstration projects designed to test innovative strategies in state child welfare programs; and a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the funding and expenditure authority of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, to amend title 49, United States Code, to extend the airport improvement program, and for other purposes.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5194) to designate Mt. Andrea Lawrence, and for other purposes.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. One of the greatest exercises of tribe sovereignty is the ability of a tribe to determine its tribal membership. This measure would allow a Texas tribe to determine the blood quantum requirement for membership in that tribe. My colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), introduced H.R. 5811 to restore the tribe's right to determine its own membership requirements by deleting a blood quantum requirement specified in a 1987 law. Passage of this legislation would extend to the tribe the same sovereign right possessed by all other Indian tribes: The ability to determine who is and who is not a member of that tribe. This measure is long overdue. I commend my colleague for introducing it. Similar legislation passed the House last Congress by unanimous consent. I urge Members to support this measure. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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 resolution under consideration.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the sponsor of this legislation, Representative Kathy Castor of Florida.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. 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 this resolution under consideration.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1503 and would like to commend the sponsor of the resolution, Representative Kathy Castor of Florida, for her continued leadership in recognizing the importance of our Nation's estuaries. National Estuaries Day was established in 1988 to celebrate the importance of these coastal ecosystems to the Nation's trade, commerce, industry, recreation and environmental quality and to recognize the work of national and community organizations to promote the need to preserve, protect, and restore these vital areas. In light of the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, it is clear that now, more than ever, we should pause to recognize the essential role estuaries play in economic and environmental health of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1503) expressing support for the goals and ideals of National Estuaries Day, and for other purposes.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 5152 was introduced by Representative Gingrey of Georgia. The bill would adjust the boundaries of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to include two additional historic sites associated with that battle. Pursuant to the legislation, Cobb County would donate the properties to the National Park Service. This bill has the full support of the National Park Service and current property owners. Mr. Speaker, we do not oppose H.R. 5152. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 294) commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway.