Doc Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Joint Resolution 35, a joint resolution granting the consent of Congress to the Pacific Northwest Emergency Management Arrangement. A compact entered into by the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as the Province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Mr. Speaker, these state and provincial governments have negotiated this compact to coordinate regional responses to natural disasters. As we all know, disasters do not respect state or national boundaries. To plan for and respond to these events, these northwest states and provinces have chosen to adopt a cooperative regional approach. This will improve the allocation of material, personnel, and services to mobilize as many resources as possible in the event of a natural disaster. Furthermore, the compact allows for cooperation across state and national borders without sacrificing the state or national sovereignty. Mr. Speaker, this regional effort is non-controversial and was passed unanimously by the other body on July 31 of this year. The compact is a local and regional effort that requires the consent of Congress to take effect. I urge my colleagues to support the efforts of these northwest states and provinces to improve emergency preparedness and pass this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 576 is an open rule which waives points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided between the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. The bill shall be considered by section and each section shall be considered as read. The rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority in recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional Record. The rule also allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the bill, and to reduce votes to 5 minutes on a postponed question, if the vote follows a 15-minute vote. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, this bill would authorize a 5-year demonstration project for Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to exempt them from the majority of service civil law and allow them to develop alternative personnel systems. Also, the bill allows current employees who have at least 1 year of government service to maintain their Federal retirement, life insurance and health benefits. The Committee on Rules has reported an open rule for this bill, Mr. Speaker, and I encourage my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 4259. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 576 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) for yielding me this time. It is my pleasure to be here to pay tribute to the chairman of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon). Mr. Speaker, I have been using this first time on the committee to observe how really a master runs a very political committee, and I think the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) has done a remarkable job. I first was aware of Jerry Solomon when I ran for office in 1994. I think on a weekly basis I would get faxes from his campaign office on various issues that Jerry Solomon felt very strongly about. I have to say, I agreed with a vast majority of what he said, which I think is a compliment to him. There are some things I disagreed on. But there was one thing that came to my mind about Jerry Solomon and that is this: He is very, very opinionated in his positions, as people have mentioned before, and yet here he is a chairman of a committee that is probably the most political committee in the Congress. Mr. Speaker, I think the way that the gentleman has chaired that committee over the 2 years that I have been on it, and the 2 years prior to that time, has been very commendable. Probably the greatest measure of how well he has carried that out is that everybody on both sides, we hear today on the Democrat side, on the Republican side, that the gentleman has been very, very fair in carrying out his duties as chairman of that committee. That is probably the best measure of success. One last question I would like to ask. What really is in that folder that you carry around?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 483.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 558 would waive clause 4(b) of Rule XI against certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules. Clause 4(b) requires a two-thirds vote of the House to consider a rule on the same day it is reported from the Committee on Rules. This resolution would apply the waiver to a special rule reported on October 1st or October 2nd, 1998, providing for consideration or disposition of a conference report to accompany a bill or a joint resolution making general appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30th, 1999, or any amendment reported in disagreement from a conference thereon. Mr. Speaker, this proposed waiver is essential in order for the House to consider, in a timely fashion, one or more appropriations conference reports that may be available later today or tomorrow. I know all of my colleagues share a desire to move as expeditiously as possible through the remaining legislative matters that must be completed prior to our adjournment. Therefore, I encourage Members on both sides of the aisle to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Rules, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 558 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by applauding my colleague from Washington State, Mrs. Smith, for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. I also commend the hard work of Mr. Young, the Chairman of the Resources Committee and Mrs. Chenoweth, the Chairman of the Subcommittee, for their excellent work in moving this legislation forward. I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 1659, the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Completion Act. This legislation completes the work begun with the creation of the monument in 1982 by bringing the remaining privately owned mineral rights within the monument into federal ownership. Mr. Speaker, as a lifetime resident of Washington State, I remember the awesome spectacle of Mt. St. Helens' eruption and the tragic loss of lives and property it caused. The federal government created the St. Helens National Monument to preserve the unique volcanic landscape that resulted. However, it was never the intent of Congress that the creation of this monument should result in an uncompensated loss of private property. In fact, the enacting legislation required all land and mineral rights to be acquired by exchange within one year. Fifteen years later, this statutory requirement has not been met. Mr. Speaker, the completion of the original terms of the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is long overdue. H.R. 1659 will fulfill the commitment made by the United States in a manner which is fair to both the private landowners and the American taxpayers. This is a good bill that I urge my colleagues to support.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of remarks today, some good and some maybe not so good. I would like to come at it from a different perspective. When I was first elected to this body, I never contemplated the possibility that I would have to address the potential of impeachment, and I think that many of us feel exactly the same way. But here we are, and we all swore to uphold the Constitution. This is what I would like to address my remarks to. Some have characterized what we may go through as a constitutional crisis. I would emphasize that this is not a constitutional crisis. The issue that brings us here today, the method of disseminating the information in the independent counsel's report, however, may result in a crisis. It may result in a crisis of governance. It may result in a crisis in the confidence of the people that elected us, but it is not a constitutional crisis. Our Constitution clearly lays out a process in which we should discharge our duty. This is the start of that process. Mr. Speaker, last week before I returned to Washington, D.C., I had dinner in my district with a group of Russian professionals. At that time, Russia was in the middle of a crisis where there was no prime minister and there was a very real threat that the government might be dissolved. There clearly was apprehension in this delegation. My colleagues should recall that until yesterday, this issue was unresolved. Now, that is what I would characterize as a constitutional crisis. Mr. Speaker, as we go through this process, let us keep in mind that this issue is very serious, but it is not a crisis of that fact. I would just say that this really demonstrates to me that the Founding Fathers, what they wrote in our Constitution does indeed work. The burden now is on us.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 522, and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray). (Mr. BILBRAY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske).

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bonilla).

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, H. Res. 522 is an open rule providing 1 hour of general debate to be equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Resources. The rule waives points of order against the consideration of the bill for failure to comply with section 303(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The rule makes in order as an original bill for purposes of amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Resources now printed in the bill, as modified, and considered as read. The rule further permits the Chair to accord priority in recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional Record and considers them as read. In addition, the rule allows the Chair to postpone recorded votes and reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for electronic voting on any postponed votes, provided voting time on the first in a series of questions shall be not less than 5 minutes. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2538 establishes the Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty Land Claims Commission to review petitions from eligible descendants regarding the validity of certain land claims in New Mexico arising from the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo of 1848. In order to be eligible for consideration under this act, petitions by eligible descendants must be filed within 5 years of the bill's enactment. This legislation was reported by the Committee on Resources by voice vote on May 20, 1998. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing the bill will cost approximately $1 million per year over the fiscal year 1999-2003 period. The bill may affect direct spending, so pay-as-you-go procedures will apply. However, CBO estimates that any such effects will total less than $500,000 per year. Madam Speaker, this legislation is sponsored by our colleague the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Redmond) representative and was originally introduced by our former colleague, the Honorable Bill Richardson. It is strongly supported by the New Mexico delegation and, accordingly, I encourage my colleagues to support both the rule and H.R. 2538. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, during consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by offering my thanks to the Chairman, Mrs. Chenoweth, for her assistance with this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support S. 1683, which adjusts the boundaries of the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and the Wenatchee National Forest. This is a non-controversial measure that is supported by both the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service. Furthermore, S. 1683 is identical to my bill, H.R. 3520, that passed the House unanimously in June. Mr. Speaker, this boundary adjustment legislation will consolidate the property of Mr. George Wall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service. Because of a drafting error in the original legislation creating the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area in 1968, a portion of Mr. Wall's property was included in the Area despite assurances that his property would remain entirely within the Wenatchee National Forest. This error has resulted in needless confusion among these agencies and Mr. Wall regarding land use policy in the area. In a May 1995 letter to Senator Slade Gorton the Park Service wrote that this boundary adjustment would ``contribute to enhancement of public service as well as more efficient administration of federal lands.'' Not only will this legislation ease an administrative burden on the agencies involved, it will also honor a 30 year old commitment made to Mr. Wall by the federal government. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Wall is now in poor health and his family has asked that we complete our consideration of this legislation as quickly as possible. Because this bill is identical to the legislation which passed the House by a voice vote on June 9, 1998, I ask my colleagues to support S. 1683 and avoid further delays in enacting this non- controversial measure.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, that is precisely the point. This is the first step. That is what makes HCP in north central Washington so significant, because all parties involved, the environmental community, the farming community, the tribes, because, after all, they are involved in this as a reservation of the north part of my district, they all bought off on this idea. The end result at the end of the day, at the end of this time period and, by the way, it is scheduled to last for 50 years, and at the end of this time period they believe that those fish runs will be enhanced. Everybody up there, all parties agree to that. I would just suggest to you, as hard as they have worked on this plan on that issue, we ought to move from the old model of top-down, one- size-fits-all and look at that possibility, because it is true, it is real, it is right in that ecosystem that we are talking about. So, yes, in answer to the gentleman's question, I believe that that can happen. I believe that we will, in fact, I believe in the near future we may have another one of those HCPs involving some more dams. I think that we will continue down that line. Because at the end of the day, the beauty of this whole system is that the people that are affected will make the decision.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. That is exactly right.