Jim Gibbons

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4817.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4817, introduced by my Committee on Resources colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes), and amended by the Committee on Resources would facilitate the resolution of a minor boundary encroachment on lands of the Union Pacific Railroad Company in Tipton, California. The bill is supported by the majority and minority of the Committee on Resources and the administration. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill. I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2319) to authorize and facilitate hydroelectric power licensing of the Tapoco Project.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 2319.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Senate 2319, introduced by Senator Alexander of Tennessee, would facilitate a hydroelectric power relicensing for the Tapoco Project near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a series of land exchanges with Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) is the author of the House companion bill and has asked us to accept the Senate bill in the interest of time. Mr. Speaker, the bill is supported by the majority and minority of the committee as well as the administration. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill. House of Representatives, Committee on Resources, Washington, DC, October 1, 2004. Hon. Joe Barton, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 4667, a bill to authorize and facilitate hydroelectric power licensing of the Tapoco Project. I agree that the Committee on Energy and Commerce has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 4667, and that by not insisting upon your referral of the bill, you do not compromise your jurisdictional claim. I will also support your request to be named as a conferee on this bill or the similar Senate bill, S. 2319 should one become necessary. It is indeed our intention to consider S. 2319, which is being held at the desk in the House. To clarify the committee jurisdiction over this matter, I will place your letter and my response in the Congressional Record under the extension of remark authority granted during consideration of S. 2319. Thank you again for your cooperation on this issue. Sincerely, Richard W. Pombo, Chairman.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan) to add his remarks on Senate 2319.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1521) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land to the Edward H. McDaniel American Legion Post No. 22 in Pahrump, Nevada, for the construction of a post building and memorial park for use by the American Legion, other veterans' groups, and the local community, as amended.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 1521.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Senate 1521, introduced by the Assistant Democratic Leader of the Senate, Senator Reid of Nevada, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey public land currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Pahrump, Nevada, to the Edward H. McDaniel American Legion Post No. 22, for the construction of a post building and memorial park for use by the American Legion, and other veterans' groups, and the local community. The bill was subsequently amended by the Committee on Resources where six additional titles were added. However, four of the six additional titles contained language that has once passed this House, and would simply make technical changes to seven existing National Heritage Areas and one Heritage Trail Route. Focusing then on the two remaining titles, title VI would temporarily set a royalty rate reduction upon the quantity or gross value of sodium compounds and related products at point of shipment to market from Federal lands over the next 5 years. It would also instruct the Secretary of the Interior to report to Congress on the effects of such royalty reduction, as well as to provide a recommendation of whether the reduced royalty rate should apply following the end of the 5-year period. This is taken from the gentlewoman from Wyoming's (Mrs. Cubin's) bill, H.R. 4625, which has passed the House already. Similarly, title VII provides for a 5-year royalty rate reduction upon the quantity or gross value of potassium compounds from the mineral sylvite at point of shipment to market from Federal lands over the next 5 years. As under the previous title, the Secretary of the Interior would again be required to recommend to Congress whether the reduced royalty rate should continue after the 5-year period. This is taken from H.R. 4984 authorized by the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce). Mr. Speaker, Senate bill 1521, as amended, is supported by the majority and the minority of the Committee on Resources. I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on S. 1521, would urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4593) to establish wilderness areas, promote conservation, improve public land, and provide for the high quality development in Lincoln County, Nevada, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4593, the bill under consideration.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4593 was introduced by myself and would designate over 700,000 acres of wilderness and release over 200,000 acres of land currently being managed as wilderness study areas. It would create a 260-mile off-highway vehicle trail; establish roughly 450 miles of utility corridors within Lincoln County for the purposes of designating rights of way for the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Lincoln County Water District. It would privatize not more than 90,000 acres of public land deemed disposable by the Bureau of Land Management within the county, while conveying not more than 15,000 acres of public land to the State and county for use as parks and open space. It is important to note that this proposal enjoys the support of the entire Nevada congressional delegation and is the product of exhaustive public participation, which is vital in a comprehensive bill such as this. This bill was subsequently amended by the Committee on Resources, where one additional title was added. As amended, title II would designate the 11,000 Ojito Wilderness Study Area in Sandoval County, New Mexico, as wilderness and take certain Federal land into trust for the Pueblo of Zia for the purposes of consolidating its land holdings and to protect religious and cultural sites in the area. Mr. Speaker, it is supported by the majority and minority of the committee. I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he shall consume to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter), my good friend and colleague from district three.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I also have no additional requests for time, would urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3391) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain lands and facilities of the Provo River Project, as amended.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3391, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3391, authored the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey title to certain lands and facilities of the Provo River Project in the State of Utah. These facilities are operated and maintained by the Provo River Water Users Association and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy under contracts with the Bureau of Reclamation. The bill, as amended, is the result of diverse stakeholders working cooperatively to pursue solutions to multiple concerns. Reclamation, the association, Metro, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, and the Canal Company have created this legislation to address human safety and seismic concerns, and to have the ability to obtain low-interest financing for the rehabilitation cost. Today, Congress has the opportunity to make this collaborative effort come true for the water users of central Utah; and so, Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2960) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Brownsville Public Utility Board water recycling and desalinization project.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2960, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 2960, authored by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz), amends the Bureau of Reclamation's Title XVI Program to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the Brownsville Public Utility Board, to participate in the design, planning, and construction of facilities to reclaim, reuse, and treat impaired waters in the Brownsville, Texas, area. The Federal cost-share for the project will not exceed 25 percent of the total projected cost. This bill will help ensure delivery of high-quality drinking water for the residents of the Brownsville area. By developing nontraditional water supplies, the community is reducing stress on the over-utilized Rio Grande while providing safe and dependable water supplies for future generations, and I therefore urge adoption of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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