Wayne Gilchrest

Mr. GILCHREST

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

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today we are considering H.R. 2798, a bill that authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide financial assistance to qualified States and tribal governments for salmon conservation and habitat restoration activities. The qualified States include Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The tribal government from each State is also eligible to participate in the program. Mr. Speaker, the bill authorizes $200 million to be apportioned to the States and tribes for activities that will protect salmon or restore salmon habitat. While the Federal Government has spent millions of dollars on salmon restoration, the efforts have been successful. This bill will direct funds to the State and local projects where the money will do the most good. The States are required to match the Federal funds reported annually to Congress on the use of the funds and their consistency with the act. The Secretary reports annually to Congress on the tribal governments' use of the funds and every 2 years on each States use of the funds. Administrative uses of the funds are capped at 3 percent for the States and tribes, and 1 percent for the Secretary. The bill clarifies that the funds be given to the States in a lump sum and allows the States of Washington and Idaho to use funds for habitat restoration and conservation of endangered bull trout in addition to salmon. In addition, the bill includes language authorizing the Northern and Southern funds for the Pacific Salmon Treaty. These funds were created last year when the U.S. and Canada came to an agreement on a 10-year management scheme for salmon species covered under the treaty. The 1999 agreement also created a transboundary panel under the treaty; and this bill creates that panel, authorizes its participants and allows them to be compensated for time spent working on the panel. Finally, the bill includes a section that allows the commissioners to the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission and the North Pacific Fisheries Commission to get a review of their pension. These individuals are U.S. citizens and have been paid in Canadian dollars and have been harmed by the differences in the exchange rate. This bill would allow for review in a lump sum payment out of existing funds if an inequity has occurred. Mr. Speaker, this is an important conservation bill and will do a great deal to conserve salmon and restore salmon habitat in the Northwest, and I urge an aye vote on the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote aye on the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1113) to assist in the development and implementation of projects to provide for the control of drainage, storm, flood and other waters as part of the water-related integrated resource management, environmental infrastructure, and resource protection and development projects in the Colusa Basin Watershed, California, as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST. 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. 1113.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) to address some of his feelings on this legislation that affects his Congressional District.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1113 introduced, by the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), addresses issues associated with water management, flood control, drainage and subsistence occurring within the multicounty Colusa Basin in California. The bill intends to reduce the risk of damage to urban and agricultural areas from flooding or the discharge of drainage water. It will assist in groundwater recharge efforts, as well as provide funding for conservation, conjunctive use and increased water supplies. One of the prime objectives of local project proponents in seeking introduction of this legislation was to specifically identify a congressional priority for funding from within existing Federal programs. This authorization is not intended to expand Federal expenditure but is to prioritize existing spending. I would encourage my colleagues to vote for the legislation.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2984) to direct the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, to convey to the Loup Basin Reclamation District, the Sargent River Irrigation District, and the Farwell Irrigation District, Nebraska, property comprising the assets of the Middle Loup Division of the Missouri River Basin Project, Nebraska, as amended.

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

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2984 directs the Secretary of Interior to convey all right, title and interest in the Middle Loup Division to the Farwell Irrigation District; the Sargent Irrigation District; and the Loup Basin Reclamation District, in the State of Nebraska, in accordance with a signed memorandum of understanding between the Bureau of Reclamation and the districts. An agreement on the sale price has been worked out between the districts, the Bureau of Reclamation and Western Area Power Administration for the facilities to be conveyed under this act. I urge an aye vote on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. 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.Res. 579.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1651, the Fisherman's Protective Act Amendments. This bill makes a number of fishery conservation improvements in several important laws. Title I amends the Fisheries Protective Act to extend current law so that reimbursement may be provided to owners of U.S. fishing vessels illegally detained or seized by foreign countries. Since this provision has expired, the bill will ensure that U.S. vessels illegally seized or fined by a foreign nation are able to seek reimbursement in the future. Title II establishes a panel to advise the Secretaries of State and the Interior of the Yukon River salmon management issues in Alaska. The U.S. and Canada had an interim agreement regarding management of the salmon stocks of mutual interests in the Yukon River, but the agreement expired in March of 1998. When the interim agreement expired, it was unclear whether the advisory panel was still authorized to recommend salmon restoration measures. This bill codifies the Yukon River Salmon Panel and authorizes the panel to advise the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Interior on the management, enhancement, and restoration of Yukon River salmon stocks and perform other activities that relate to the conservation and management of the Yukon River salmon stocks. Finally, Title III authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to acquire, purchase, lease, lease-purchase, or charter and equip up to six fishery survey vessels. These vessels are one of the most important fishery management tools available to Federal scientists. Because they conduct a vast majority of fishery stock surveys, their reliability is critical to fishery management. The information obtained using them is critical for the improvement of regulations governing fisheries management. This bill is virtually identical to the measure that overwhelmingly passed the House last year; however, it does not include the extraneous measure added in the other body dealing with the harvest of bluefin tuna using spotter planes in the North Atlantic. This is a good conservation bill, and I urge an aye vote on this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 579) providing for the concurrence by the House with an amendment in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1651.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4643, a bill which will provide for the settlement of issues and claims related to the trust land of the Torres-Martinez Indian tribe. H.R. 4643 would settle claims related to the loss of approximately 14,000 acres of trust lands by the Torres-Martinez Indian tribe. It would also implement a comprehensive settlement negotiated after 18 years of litigation involving the Federal Government and the tribe. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono), whose district is impacted, to further explain the legislation.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional speakers. I urge an aye vote on the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4643) to provide for the settlement of issues and claims related to the trust lands of the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST. 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. 4643.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2271) to amend the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as a National Historic Trail, as amended.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2271 amends the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro as a component of the National Trails System. The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to administer the trail, to encourage volunteer groups to develop and maintain the trail, and also to consult with affected Federal, State, local governmental, and tribal agencies in its administration. The bill requires owner consent for any Federal land acquisition along the trail. Additionally, H.R. 2271 authorizes the Secretary to coordinate trail activities and programs with the Government of Mexico as well as with Mexican nongovernmental organizations and academic institutions. Mr. Speaker, this trail is one of several historic trails that has had a significant role in the history and development of the United States and Mexico. It served as the primary route between the colonial Spanish capital of Mexico City and the Spanish provincial capital in the modern day city of Santa Fe. The trail is approximately 1,800 miles long and existed for an extended period from the late 16th century to the late 19th century. The portion of the trail that resides in what is now the United States extends a distance of 404 miles from the Rio Grande River near El Paso, Texas, to San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico. Over its long history, this trail was used by various groups and served as a cultural crossroads between diverse peoples and cultures. Mr. Speaker, I am offering an amendment with this bill which makes some technical changes and also strikes the ``consent of the owner'' language in the provision dealing with land acquisition. Since most of this trail is on Federal land anyway, land acquisition authority really, in my opinion, is not necessary. I actually in a way am opposed to this amendment myself. But so we can move this legislation, we have worked out an agreement with the other side that some of us who have some reservations about this amendment, we can probably work that out in the future. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2271 and to vote for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST

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

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Thune), and I commend him for coming from one of the more beautiful States in this country and representing the heritage of the Black Hills.

Mr. GILCHREST

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, S. 1849, introduced by Senator Joe Biden from Delaware, designates approximately 190 miles of segments and tributaries of White Clay Creek in Delaware and Pennsylvania as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Companion legislation was also introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) who deserves major credit for crafting this bill. White Clay Creek is the watershed for more than 69,000 acres in southeastern Pennsylvania and northwestern Delaware. White Clay Creek is an important source of drinking water and also contains recreational, cultural, and scenic resources. Although much of the land around these segments is privately owned, surveys by private property owners have indicated general support for this legislation. In 1991, Congress authorized the White Clay Creek Study Act, which directed the National Park Service to prepare a study of the eligibility and suitability of White Clay Creek as a Wild and Scenic River. This law also directed the National Park Service and White Clay Creek Study Task Force to develop a watershed management plan for the area. The study indicated the segments identified in this bill as both suitable and feasible to be designated into the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Mr. Speaker, during the committee proceedings on this bill, an amendment was passed which excluded some smaller segments that are not yet suitable for designation and established the width of the river segments for the wild and scenic designation at 250 feet. We believe that these changes are necessary and, hence, have amended the Senate bill to include them. Mr. Speaker, all of the 15 local governmental entities within the watershed have passed resolutions supporting the designation and implementation of the management plan. This bill has the additional support of the minority and the administration. I urge all my colleagues to support S. 1849, with an amendment. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) the author of this legislation.