Raúl Grijalva

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, in closing, let me thank the sponsors, Congressman Baird and Congressman Wu, for this fine legislation and to remind our colleagues that this is the beginning of a process for a designation. This is the study process, and it is noncontroversial. And as mentioned before, the organization opposing it has a protected record of opposing any heritage area, without any substantive qualification to that opposition. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. GRIJALVA

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

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 865, introduced by the gentleman from Alaska, Representative Don Young, would resolve a long-standing conflict between Alaska Native land titles and utility rights-of-way in Alaska. This legislation is in response to a September 2004 GAO report entitled, ``Alaska Native Allotments: Conflicts With Utility Rights-of-Way Have Not Been Resolved Through Existing Remedies.'' Although the Copper Valley Electric Association, a rural non-profit electrical cooperative, holds rights-of-way granted in the 1950s and 1960s, and built electric lines prior to the filing of the Alaska Native allotment claims, there is a conflict with land titles subsequently issued under the Alaska Native Allotment Act. In essence, H.R. 865 resolves that conflict by ratifying the existing rights-of-way across 14 specified Native allotments and providing for fair market value compensation for the landowners. As amended, the bill provides that the compensation, which is estimated by CBO to be no more than $150,000, is subject to appropriations. We have no objection to H.R. 865. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 865) to grant rights-of-way for electric transmission lines over certain Native allotments in the State of Alaska, as amended.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, again let me commend the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi) for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, during fiscal years 2002 and 2003, Grand Canyon National Park entered into construction contracts worth $17 million with a general contractor called Pacific General, Incorporated, known as PGI. In January 2004, numerous subcontractors employed by PGI notified National Park Service that they were not receiving payment. After an investigation, it was discovered that PGI was diverting Federal funds which should have gone to the subcontractors. PGI eventually declared bankruptcy. It was further discovered that in a clear violation of Federal policies, the park had failed to require PGI to post a surety bond as a condition of the contract. The agency is now prohibited from paying the subcontractors directly because the funds appropriated for those contracts have already been paid to PGI. Overall, the subcontractors are owed about $1.3 million. H.R. 1191 authorizes the Secretary to use $1.3 million in available funds from Grand Canyon National Park to pay the subcontractors. Applicants for the funds would have to verify the amount they are owed, demonstrate that they have exhausted all reasonable legal avenues to recoup amounts owed to them by PGI, and provide written statements that the amount they are seeking represents payment in full. Mr. Speaker, this is an imperfect solution to a difficult problem. However, these small business owners who provided quality services to the Federal Government in good faith should not have to wait any longer to receive payment. My colleague from Arizona, Representative Renzi, is to be commended for his efforts on behalf of these small business people. Similar legislation was approved by the House in the 109th Congress, and we urge its passage today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1191) to authorize the National Park Service to pay for services rendered by subcontractors under a General Services Administration Indefinite Deliver/Indefinite Quantity Contract issued for work to be completed at the Grand Canyon National Park, as amended.

Mr. GRIJALVA

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

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Many units of the National Park System were established to conserve U.S. military history. All these units have restoration of their historic landscapes as an important management goal. This restoration entails removal of landscape features, including trees, which were not present at the time of the relevant historic event. However, removal of any natural resources from a National Park must be undertaken extremely carefully. In addition, many of these park units report a lack of funding for such work. H.R. 309, introduced by my colleague on the Natural Resources Committee, Representative Steve Pearce, would create a revenue source for such projects by allowing individual units to retain proceeds from the sale of timber removed from the unit. Importantly, the legislation is narrowly written as a demonstration project to apply within a defined list of 24 military parks and to prevent any change to existing environmental requirements governing logging on NPS land. Representative Pearce has worked tirelessly on behalf of this legislation and is to be commended for his efforts. We strongly support the passage of H.R. 309, as amended, by the House today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 309) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a demonstration program to facilitate landscape restoration programs within certain units of the National Park System established by law to preserve and interpret resources associated with American history, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GRIJALVA

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

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 815, introduced by the gentleman from Nevada, Representative Jon Porter, states that notwithstanding any other provision of law, Clark County, Nevada, may convey, without consideration, between 35 and 50 acres of land for the use by the Nevada National Guard as a Readiness Center. The land in question is part of a larger block of lands conveyed to Clark County under a provision of the Public Law 109-263, the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 1998. These lands comprise part of the Airport Environs Overlay District for McCarran Airport, and Public Law 105-263 required that the land be managed in accordance with airport noise compatibility planning agreements. Further, the 1998 act specified if land was sold or transferred, it had to be done at fair market value with the proceeds distributed pursuant to the act. H.R. 815 would waive this last requirement. Since the proceeds of the land is for an important public purpose, we believe the waiver is appropriate. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from Nevada, Representative Porter, for his work on this legislation. I would note that identical legislation passed the House in the 109th Congress. We support the passage of H.R. 815 and recommend its adoption by the House today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 815) to provide for the conveyance of certain land in Clark County, Nevada, for use by the Nevada National Guard.

Mr. GRIJALVA

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

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California, Linda Sanchez.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The purpose of H.R. 786, sponsored by our colleague from Lakewood, California, Linda Sanchez, is to authorize the Secretary of Interior to participate in the Los Angeles County Water Supply Augmentation Demonstration Project. The legislation will authorize Federal financial assistance for a unique water reuse and conservation project in the Los Angeles area. The initiative will demonstrate that small-scale neighborhood projects can be built to increase local water supplies and reduce urban runoff pollution. Projects like this can help residents of southern California increase local water supplies, reduce our dependence on imported water from northern California and the Colorado River. This is an innovative project and a good bill that deserves our support. I congratulate my colleague, Congresswoman Sanchez, for championing this legislation. In the 109th Congress, the Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing on similar legislation. This legislation was subsequently passed by the House under suspension of the rules. We strongly support H.R. 786, and I would like, once again, to thank and commend my friend, Linda Sanchez, for her work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 786) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Los Angeles County Water Supply Augmentation Demonstration Project, and for other purposes.

Mr. GRIJALVA

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

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. We support the passage of H.R. 609 and commend our colleague, Representative Chet Edwards, for his persistence and hard work to secure authorization for this important project. The purpose of this legislation is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Central Texas Water Recycling and Reuse Project. This project would treat and recycle waste water generated by the City of Waco and six neighboring communities. Recycling and reuse of this water would decrease the strain on older treatment plants in the area and help meet future demands, providing reclaimed water for golf courses, landscaping, and other industrial uses. The water recycling project identified in this bill will be eligible for limited financial assistance from the Bureau of Reclamation's title 16 water recycling program. Water recycling and desalination projects are proven technologies that can help stretch limited water supplies in areas such as Texas. The City of Waco is keenly aware that additional sources of water will be required to meet future water demands and should be commended for looking for sustainable solutions. In the 109th Congress, the Subcommittee on Water and Power held a hearing on almost identical legislation. This legislation was subsequently passed by the House under suspension of the rules. I want to express our full support for this legislation. I offer my congratulations to Congressman Edwards for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.