Doc Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. We can rectify this, Madam Speaker, by defeating the previous question. If we defeat the previous question and allow a motion to amend the rule to take up the amendment that I offered dealing with the second amendment, then we can add that to the package and this House will have an opportunity to vote on that. The reason I bring this up, while 2 weeks ago the House put in the Altmire amendment, at that time the nonrestriction on gun ownership on Federal lands was in place until the judge struck it down. This corrects that, and it needs to be corrected. We can correct it today by defeating the previous question and allowing us to amend the rule to take up my amendment on the second amendment. I urge Members when we get to that point to vote ``no'' on the previous question so we can amend the rule to take up this issue on gun rights that Mr. Bishop will talk about later.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. As I stated in my opening remarks, this is a good bill and I commend the chairman for introducing it. This bill passed on the suspension calendar in the last Congress. Nobody even asked for a recorded vote. So it has broad bipartisan support, yet the underlying issue is--and it's something this Congress should take up in the future--and that is to try to go to the core of preventing forest fires, and that is proper maintenance. There is one amendment that addresses that tomorrow. I think that amendment offered by Mr. Goodlatte will make this bill that much better. I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will support that. But this is a good bill. It's a start in the right direction. I hear this all the time when we have forest fires in my district--and they happen virtually every year. People want to know: Are there sufficient funds in order to pay for those forest fires? Now we can say that there's a mechanism put in place that will take care of that, and I commend the chairman for his sponsorship of that. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, again, to equalize the time, I will reserve my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill has gone through quite a process. And although this bill contains several meritorious separate pieces of legislation, and three parts of this omnibus bill are mine, I might add, the negatives in this bill and the failure to consider it under regular order of any kind of open, inclusive process outweigh any reason, in my mind, to go forward. By now, it is well known that Republicans have tried to amend this bill to restore needed House provisions, to remove egregious provisions, and add protections for Americans' second amendment rights. If we had been allowed to offer these amendments, we might have produced legislation almost all Members of the House could support; however, we have been blocked at every opportunity from participating in this process. This package is largely a product of closed-door deal-making. It is designed to ensure that just enough congressional districts receive something to induce support for very controversial measures that underwent no public hearing. The Democrat leadership likes to argue that the full House has acted on more than 70 provisions in this bill. What they don't say is that at least 100 provisions have not been considered by the full House. Mr. Speaker, this may look familiar to some people. It is a large, large bill. Of that, only this amount has been considered by the House. It seems like we haven't learned from what past experience has taught us about trying to put massive bills through the House without having somewhat of an open process. Every motion, procedure, and action of this body has been used to deny the House Republicans any meaningful participation in this bill. The House's failure to study these 100 provisions will have serious consequences, in my view, for an ailing economy. Before the House rejected this package under suspension of the rules, our friends on the other side of the aisle argued that this bill is just what America needs in difficult times. Well, it seems to me the discussion in this new Congress has been around the economy and the need for American jobs. And I think that we can all agree that Americans need jobs. Although H.R. 146 might create a few jobs, these jobs will be mostly limited to bureaucrats putting up ``Do Not Enter and No Access'' signs all over America's public lands. And these few jobs will be far outnumbered by the jobs that would be killed by this bill. Are our memories so short that we have forgotten the energy crisis of just last summer and the role that it played in the economic downturn that we experienced in the second half of last year? Evidently, the Democrat leadership's answer to this is to close off energy-rich public lands forever. This package contains 19 provisions to block American-made energy production, locking away hundreds of millions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas. More than 3 million acres of public land are permanently locked away from energy development. Now, these are public lands, in a time when our economy is slowing, in a time when we need to try to get the economy going, and no sector could be better I think than the energy sector, especially the American energy sector; yet, this bill goes the opposite way of what I just cited. It is ironic, while Democrat leaders accuse industry of stockpiling Federal oil and gas leases, the truth is that the Federal Government, through the actions of the Democrat majority in this Congress, is stockpiling lands to block energy production. H.R. 146 has many other problems. It could--and I say ``could''-- result in a ban on the use of vehicles and other technology to patrol the U.S. border. It bans recreational access to millions of acres of public lands. Even worse, it denies those dependent on wheelchairs, including disabled veterans, from fully enjoying public lands like everyone else. It fails to address a Federal judge's decision of only last week, when we could have acted on this, that overturned the Bush administration's regulations to protect second amendment rights in parks and wildlife refuges. In other words, to make consistent our laws on public lands. H.R. 146 even hurts civil liberties. It could mean jail time and asset forfeiture for several innocent actions by Americans. Yesterday, we received a letter from a coalition of civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and others, who have grave concerns. And I will quote, ``The bill creates many new Federal crimes using language that is so broad that the provisions could cover innocent human error.'' These organizations also say, and, again, I am quoting, ``Above all, we are concerned that a bill containing new Federal crimes, fines and imprisonment and forfeiture provisions may come to the House floor without first being marked up by the House Judiciary Committee.'' Mr. Speaker, this bill was not even marked up by the House Natural Resources Committee. This bill was not marked up by any committee in the House. This is a bill that came over, again, over 1,100 pages, from the Senate. So this wasn't even marked up, and it has these provisions in it. I just have to ask you, Mr. Speaker, does this sound familiar? None of the several committees with jurisdiction over this bill had any hearing on the troubling provisions within this bill. So, Mr. Speaker, that is not how the people's House ought to work. This House is the House wherein no Member has ever served that was not elected. It is the closest to the people. And when we have concerns, then let's debate those concerns, and let's have a vote. And I understand how that works. We have three buttons, but I generally only press two, yes and no; and, whoever has the most votes prevails. But we have been denied even that basic opportunity in the people's House on this bill. The amendments I offered, for example, last night in the Rules Committee that were rejected, all on a party-line vote, I might add, were bills that only address the most egregious parts. We had a discussion with some of the members of the Rules Committee where they were talking about some of the provisions they worked on were carefully crafted. In fact, the distinguished chairman mentioned that. And I totally agree; I know there are provisions that have been crafted. But for those provisions in the bill that have some dissension, some difference of opinion, then let's discuss that, and then we can have a vote and whichever side prevails, prevails. That is the way the people's House ought to work. But, once again, that process is being denied with this huge bill that is slightly larger, I think, than the stimulus bill, if you want to make some sort of a comparison. But here we are again, today, going through that same procedure. So with that, Mr. Speaker, while there are three provisions in this bill that I have worked several Congresses on, I have to say that this bill on the whole is not worthy of my support, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.'' I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I will reserve my time again so we can equalize the time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, to provide open disclosure, I am submitting the following information regarding projects that I support for inclusion in H.R. 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009. Amount: $34,451,000 Account: Corps of Engineers, Construction Entity receiving funds: Army Corps of Engineers located at 441 G St NW, Washington, DC 20314. Description: Funds will be used to deepen the navigation channel from the mouth of the Columbia River to the Portland/Vancouver area. Amount: $12,078,000 Account: US Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Entity receiving funds: US Bureau of Reclamation located at 115 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706. Description: Funds will be used to operate the Columbia Basin irrigation project. Amount: $916,000 Account: US Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Entity receiving funds: US Bureau of Reclamation located at 115 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706. Description: Funds will be used to complete a study to address a depleted aquifer that farmers are dependent upon for irrigation water. Amount: $145,000 Account: US Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Entity receiving funds: US Bureau of Reclamation located at 115 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706. Description: Funds will be used for critical Reclamation activities within Washington state. Amount: $8,172,000 Account: US Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Account: Federal Highway Administration: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Entity receiving funds: Kittitas County Public Works located at 411 North Ruby Street, Suite 1, Ellensburg, WA 98926. Description: This funding will be used to widen a portion of the Kittitas Highway. Amount: $1,757,500 Account: Federal Transit Administration: Buses and Bus Facilities Entity receiving funds: Ben Franklin Transit located at 1000 Columbia Park Trail, Richland, WA 99352. Description: This funding will enable Ben Franklin Transit to expand its current bus facility. Amount: $475,000 Account: Federal Transit Administration: Buses and Bus Facilities Entity receiving funds: Grant Transit Authority located at 9 Basin Street Southwest, Suite 102, Ephrata, WA 98823. Description: This funding will be used for a new operations and bus maintenance facility in Moses Lake, Washington. Amount: $798,000 Account: Housing and Urban Development: Economic Development Initiative Entity receiving funds: City of Roslyn located at 1st and Pennsylvania, Roslyn, WA 98941. Description: This funding will be used to provide structural upgrades and other improvements to Roslyn's City Hall building, so that this 106 year-old building can continue to serve as a civic, cultural and community center. Amount: $500,000 Account: U.S. Department of Justice Entity receiving funds: City of Yakima located at 129 North 2nd Street, Yakima, WA 98901. Description: These funds will be used to develop a system that allows all the public safety agencies in Yakima County to integrate their data communications and records systems. This system will provide comprehensive data to all local law enforcement officials, as well as federal and state agencies. It will give the various law enforcement agencies the tools they need to address the gang and drug problems in the region. Amount: $1,000,000 Account: U.S. Department of Justice Entity receiving funds: US Bureau of Reclamation located at 115 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706. Description: Funds will be used for the US Bureau of Reclamation Yakima Project. Amount: $7,793,000 Account: US Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Entity receiving funds: US Bureau of Reclamation located at 115 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706. Description: Funds will be used to improve the water supply for irrigation and increase flows for fish. Amount: $500,000 Account: US Bureau of Reclamation, Water and Related Resources Entity receiving funds: US Bureau of Reclamation located at 115 N Curtis Road, Boise, ID 83706. Description: Funds will be used for Yakima River Basin water storage. Amount: $2,185,000 Account: Federal Highway Administration: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Entity receiving funds: City of Kennewick located at 210 West 6th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99336. Description: This funding will extend Steptoe Street, a major roadway through Kennewick and Richland. This project will assist in relieving traffic congestion on Columbia Center Boulevard. Amount: $570,000 Account: Federal Highway Administration: Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Entity receiving funds: City of Union Gap located at 102 West Ahtanum Road, Union Gap, WA 98903. Description: This funding will make improvements to Valley Mall Boulevard in the City of Union Gap. It will alleviate safety hazards and provide access to growing commercial areas. Amount: $736,250 Account: Federal Aviation Administration: Airport Improvements Entity receiving funds: Pangborn Memorial Airport located at 1 Pangborn Drive, East Wenatchee, WA 98802. Description: This funding will make modifications to the passenger terminal at the Pangborn Memorial Airport to accommodate larger commercial aircraft service. Amount: $332,500 Entity receiving funds: Washington State Meth Initiative located at 510 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98402. Description: These funds will be used to fight methamphetamine in Washington state. Amount: $2,192,000 Account: Agriculture Research Service-- Buildings and Construction Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: These funds will help construct an ARS research facility in Pullman to provide a research facility for more than 40 ARS scientists and programs. Amount: $254,000 Account: Agriculture Research Service Entity receiving funds: Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research located at 4845 Southwest Dresden Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97333. Description: This funding will provide enhanced research on small fruit pathology. In addition, the funds will be used for site feasibility and design for new facilities. Amount: $245,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: This money will support research into the biomass potential of aegilops cylindricum and similar grassy weeds. Amount: $469,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: This funding will support the International Marketing Program for Agricultural Commodities and Trade Center which applies science and technology to develop new export marketing opportunities. Amount: $235,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: This funding will support a multi-state effort to improve efficiency of the U.S. dry pea, fresh pea, lentil, and chickpea industries. Amount: $248,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: Funds will be used for research on organic cropping systems, nutrient and soil management and organic seed production. Amount: $1,037,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164 Description: Funds will be used for research on potato production including varietal development testing. Amount: $471,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: This will fund research to locate and characterize genes to use in applied barley breeding. Amount: $307,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research located at 4845 SW Dresden Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333 Description: Funds will be used for research on berry and grape crops, including plant breeding and pest management. Amount: $444,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: Funds will be used to develop planting systems that reduce soil erosion. Amount: $223,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: Funds will be used to develop virus-free plant material for wine grapes. Amount: $173,000 Account: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, SRG Entity receiving funds: Washington State University's Office of Grant and Research Development located at 423 Neill Hall, Pullman, WA 99164. Description: Funds will be used to develop technologies that increase the competitiveness of the domestic asparagus industry. Amount: $761,000 Account: Health, Resources and Services Administration--Health Facilities and Services Entity receiving funds: Douglas, Grant, Lincoln and Okanogan Counties Public Hospital District #6, located at 411 Fortuyn Rd, Grand Coulee, WA 99133. Description: Funds will be used for facilities and equipment for the hospital. Amount: $809,000 Account: Health, Resources and Services Administration Health Facilities and Services Entity receiving funds: Kadlec Medical Center, located at 888 Swift Blvd., Richland, WA 99352 Description: Funds will be used to construct and equip a new Pediatric Unit.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, for weeks and weeks now, Democrat leaders in both the House and Senate have engaged in parliamentary contortions to block every Representative in this body of both parties from being able to offer even one amendment to the 1,200- page $10 billion omnibus lands package that contains over 170 individual bills. Since over 100 of these bills were never voted on in the House, this giant piece of legislation needs careful review in a fair and open process. Yet, fair and open consideration is precisely what Democrat leaders have denied in this House. Today, the House Rules Committee will meet to decide how the most recent Senate-passed omnibus lands bill will be debated and voted on in this House, presumably tomorrow. While there are many areas of this bill that need improvement, there are several that rise to a serious level of concern. Let me cite four of them: First, addressing prohibitions against American-made energy on public lands, prohibitions that would deny job creation in the energy sector on public lands; Second, ensuring our border security by making certain that provisions of this bill don't ban the use of vehicles and other technology to patrol our border; Third, ensuring that public lands continue to be open to public enjoyment. That includes wheelchair access for the disabled who would be banned under this bill, as well as access by Americans using bicycles and motorized bikes for recreation. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, an area of the bill that rises to a very high level of concern after a Federal judge's ruling last week, and that is the protection of Americans' second amendment gun rights on public lands. Specific amendments have been filed with the Rules Committee to address each of these issues. Democrat leaders should now provide the House with a chance to vote on them. But more specifically, Mr. Speaker, the House must act on the omnibus lands bill to immediately protect the second amendment rights of Americans. Last week, Democrat leaders in the House and Senate added the Altmire language to the omnibus land bill to prevent the Federal Government from banning hunting and fishing on certain types of Federal land. At the time this amendment was added, the right of Americans to carry concealed firearms on park lands and wildlife refuges was in accordance with State laws, and that was already recognized in Federal regulations. However, last Thursday a U.S. District Court judge based in Washington, D.C. single-handedly decided to block this second amendment policy. Now there is a giant hole in the current Altmire language, and Congress must fix it. Congress must not allow one Federal judge to single-handedly deny Americans their second amendment rights on Federal land. I have introduced an amendment, along with the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) to the omnibus lands bill that would write into law the very protections struck down by this lone Federal judge. The House must vote on this amendment to repair the big void in the current Altmire language contained in the omnibus lands bill. There should be no excuses, no more delays, no waiting for another day or another bill. The omnibus lands bill is the best place to fix what this Federal judge has done. If we are going to pass a 1,200-page bill that dramatically expands Federal lands in our country, Congress must protect American second amendment rights while on these lands. The Constitution and the second amendment should not be pushed aside by an activist judge and a complacent Congress. House leaders must allow a vote on the Hastings- Bishop amendment to the omnibus lands bill to protect the gun rights of Americans when we take up this bill presumably tomorrow.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have left?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out that this is an extraordinary process. Suspension of the rules for bills are generally for noncontroversial issues. This is a $10 billion authorization bill, and it was amended. It was amended. But nobody else, including those that I referenced here earlier, had an opportunity to come to the floor and offer their amendment in their way to try to perfect this bill. So, I am urging my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill. When it's defeated under suspension of the rules, the majority can take this back to Rules, have an open rule so we can debate this process, I think, in a very reasonable way. Because, keep in mind, Mr. Speaker, we were told, ``No amendments on this bill or the Senate will take it down to their purgatory.'' That didn't happen. So, with that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back my time and urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield myself the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make a point. There's some reference here to the NRA and what their position is on this bill. I just want to say that there was a letter passed to all Members that NRA has no position on this bill. They are neutral. Mr. Speaker, because under suspension of the rules Members cannot offer amendments directly to S. 22, so, Mr. Speaker, may I ask the gentleman from West Virginia to yield for the purpose of an amendment to his motion to strike the provisions of S. 22 which can criminalize rock-collecting on Federal lands?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, let me try another one. There are several issues here. May I ask the gentleman from West Virginia to yield to me for the purpose of an amendment to his motion to guarantee that S. 22 will not prohibit or delay energy development on millions of acres of Federal lands affected by this bill?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. The gentleman won't yield. Mr. Speaker, I will try one more time. May I ask the gentleman from West Virginia to yield to me for the purpose of an amendment to his motion to guarantee that S. 22 will not prohibit recreational access for all Americans to the millions of acres of Federal lands affected by this bill?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I understand that I am ready to close on my side. If the gentleman from West Virginia is prepared to close after I speak, I will go ahead.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I will reserve.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. And I have two speakers, including me.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, can I inquire of my friend how many speakers he has left?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I will reserve my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Including you?

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I think we are kind of out of balance here. I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield the gentlelady an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, could I inquire of my friend from West Virginia how many speakers he has.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to a very valuable member of the Natural Resources Committee, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Broun), a member of the committee.