Ben Luján

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN. H.R. 2360 would clarify that U.S.-flagged vessels must be used for the transportation of merchandise, supplies, construction materials, and maintenance materials between the U.S. mainland and offshore wind farms. The American Wind Energy Association has indicated that their member companies already operate in conformance with Jones Act requirements for offshore wind farms. The Offshore Wind Development Coalition testified on H.R. 2360 that wind developers already accept the applicability of the Jones Act for offshore wind farms. The Department of the Interior has testified that the relevant statutes already apply to offshore renewable energy installations. In addition, the Interior Department has also testified that H.R. 2360 would not expand current law, but that it would simply clarify that section 4(a) of Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act applies to renewable energy production offshore to the extent that there is any uncertainty. Comments on this bill from Customs and Border Protection echo the Interior Department's interpretation that H.R. 2360 would simply clarify that the Jones Act applies to offshore wind farms. The Customs and Border Protection comments also reaffirm the interpretation that H.R. 2360 would not expand current law to cover vessels responsible for laying transmission lines or other vessels assisting in the construction process beyond what the current law already provides. We share these interpretations of H.R. 2360 and of the underlying statutes. However, to the extent that there may be any uncertainty that would be aided by clarification, we have no problem with the legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, again, we appreciate the work of the majority and the work of Chairman Reyes on this important issue as well. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1560, a bill that removes the blood quantum threshold requirement for membership in the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribe. No other tribe in the State of Texas has had a similar limitation to tribal membership conditioned on its recognition by the United States. H.R. 1560 corrects this inequity. By modifying the tribal enrollment requirements, the tribe will be able to preserve the unique character and traditions of their tribe based on shared history, customs, and language, in addition to tribal blood. This bill will ensure their survival as the oldest community in Texas and the only pueblo still in existence in the State. H.R. 1560 passed the House under both Republican and Democratic leadership in the 106th Congress and in the previous two Congresses. I ask my colleagues to again support the passage of this very important legislation at this time. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes).

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN. Fort Pulaski was completed in 1812. The Savannah Bar Pilots were founded in 1864, and they have had a lease to use part of the fort since 1940. It would appear that Congress is a little late in getting around to formalizing this arrangement. The Bar Pilots provide an invaluable service by protecting the people and the cargo entering the Port of Savannah. This has been a good use of part of the fort and should continue, so we support the passage of S. 535. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. On October 18, the Senate approved H.R. 470, the Hoover Allocation Power Act of 2011, by unanimous consent. The Senate also approved Concurrent Resolution 32, which authorizes the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make small technical changes to the enrolled version of H.R. 470. We fully support the proposed changes to H.R. 470 and urge adoption of Senate Concurrent Resolution 32. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, although I really enjoy the opportunity to have a conversation about all of the work that's happening over at the Senate, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a land conveyance to a small town in Utah which requires that the land be used for public purposes. Assuming this measure is approved today, this will be the third Congress in which the House has approved this legislation. We have been pleased to work with Mr. Bishop in the last two Congresses to secure passage of this measure and support passage again today. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the chairman as well and his work on this legislation and the importance of it. And as a general matter, the introduction of nonnative species into wilderness designated within a national park should be prohibited. But in this instance, however, the National Park Service has found that fish stocking can continue within the Mather Wilderness without harm to other national park resources. Importantly, the legislation contains significant protections for those resources. We worked closely with Chairman Hastings last Congress to secure House passage of this legislation and are pleased to do so again today. The chairman is to be commended for his efforts on behalf of the North Cascades National Park Complex. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUJAN. H.R. 944 would correct a situation in which two acts from the 1930s are inadvertently preventing certain rocks, pinnacles, reefs, small islands, and lighthouses off the coast of Orange County from being included in the California Coastal National Monument. In 2000 President Clinton created the California Coastal National Monument, which spans the entire 1,100 miles of the California coast and encompasses more than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles. However, the act designating the monument included only unreserved and unappropriated rocks and islands, and under the 1930s acts, these natural and cultural sites were reserved. H.R. 944 would strike the reservation language in one act and repeal another act to provide that these areas finally be permanently protected as part of the California Coastal National Monument. Therefore, we support the passage of H.R. 944. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Ernest Lovato, a resident of Kewa Pueblo, formerly Santo Domingo Pueblo, New Mexico for being awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Bacone College on May 7, 2011. Mr. Lovato was nominated by Dr. Robert J. Duncan, Jr., President and Professor of Religion, as a 1957 Bacone Alum, 1982-1984 Bacone Trustee and for his services as former Governor of Kewa Pueblo. Ernest has been outstandingly active in his community and served as Governor of Kewa Pueblo in 1989, 1990, and 2002. Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma and was founded in 1880 as an Indian University by Professor Almon C. Bacone, a missionary teacher. With the help of the American Baptist Home Mission Society in the Cherokee Baptist Mission at the Tahlequah, Indian Territory, Bacone College was established. Bacone College has strong historic ties to various tribal nations including the Cherokee Nation and the Muscogee Creek Nation. When the College started Professor Bacone enrolled three students and was the sole faculty member. By the end of the first semester he had twelve students, and by the end of the first year the student population was fifty-six and the faculty numbered three. Bacone College continued to grow, relocated to its present location in 1885 and now serves over nine hundred students. I want to extend congratulations and recognition to Mr. Ernest Lovato, an outstanding New Mexican, on being awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Bacone College.