Marilyn Musgrave

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1972, introduced by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to determine the suitability and feasibility of including sites related to the Battle of Franklin into the National Park System. This study area will include the cities of Brentwood, Franklin, Triune, Thompson's Station and Spring Hill, Tennessee. The Secretary will determine if the sites within the study area have national significance and if they may be included in an existing national park or another federally designated unit. I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3507) to transfer certain land in Riverside County, California, and San Diego County, California, from the Bureau of Land Management to the United States to be held in trust for the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, and for other purposes.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3507 is a noncontroversial bill to transfer two parcels of public land to the Pechanga Band of Mission Indians. Located in Riverside County, California, these lands total 991 acres in size. The lands subject to the transfer are currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management, but they contain archaeological, cultural and wildlife resources that are extremely valuable to the tribe. In the last Congress, the Resources Committee held a hearing on a similar bill to transfer the same lands. In this hearing, both the tribe and the Interior Department testified that these lands belong in Tribal ownership. After reporting that legislation, it was learned that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had certain concerns relating to the management and use of the lands, and Congress adjourned before the problem could be resolved. These concerns have been addressed through a memorandum of understanding between the tribe and the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the sponsor of last year's bill has introduced H.R. 3507 to reference the MOU. Because the lands are part of the Pechanga's ancient heritage, the tribe has adopted a resolution to zone them for conservation purposes. To reinforce the Tribe's intent, this bill requires the tribe to use the properties only for the protection and preservation of cultural, archaeological and wildlife resources. The Pechanga Tribe should be commended for seeking to care for lands that are so important to preserving the heritage of its tribal members. In this spirit, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3507. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3981) to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out certain land exchanges involving small parcels of National Forest System land in the Tahoe National Forest in the State of California, and for other purposes.

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3981, authored by the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle), would facilitate the exchange of two small tracts of land under the Small Tracts Act in the Tahoe National Forest in California. The first would exchange 3 acres of mineral rights from the Forest Service to the owner of the surface in exchange for 7 acres of land adjacent to a Forest Service campground. The second would provide for the exchange of less than 1 acre owned by the Forest Service and located in the backyard of the property owner with a parcel of less than 1 acre near a Forest Service trailhead. The Forest Service has indicated its interest and support for these exchanges in correspondence to the landowners. I urge you to support this important measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3721, introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) and amended by the Resources Committee, would amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to continue to permit certain commercial vehicles to utilize Route 209 within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Pennsylvania as well as allow the National Park Service to continue to collect fees from these vehicles. Since 1996, this route has become an increasingly important north- south artery connecting the two northeast Pennsylvania towns of Milford and Stroudsburg. While an alternate routes does exist outside the Recreation Area, the fact is that the route transverses a much more mountainous region and thus takes more time and is more dangerous, especially during the winter months. I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. S. 161, introduced by Senator McCain, provides for a land exchange in the State of Arizona between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Yavapai Ranch Limit Partnership. This bill would consolidate the largest remaining checkerboard ownership in Arizona. The Forest Service will receive 35,000 acres of land and the Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership would receive approximately 21,000 acres of land. This legislation also creates the Verde River Basin Partnership to help resolve water issues. The goal of this collaborative group is to develop a water resource management plan and submit this plan to the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Arizona. Nothing in this section would undermine State and local water laws. In fact, this legislation's partnership is simply a forum for planning and working together on the Verde Basin's pressing water issues. As such, there is a very serious expectation that the partnership will reach out to everyone in the basin's communities as it creates its plan. Holding town meetings, meeting with all levels of local government, and releasing draft documents for the general public's comment are just three items that the partnership is expected to perform. I am confident that the partnership will truly be accountable to the local community who lives in the backyard of the Verde River. These local citizens have asked for and deserve the very best in having their voices heard and this legislation will meet that need. I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. H.R. 318, introduced by my Resources Committee colleague Donna Christensen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating the Castle Nugent Farms located on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, as a unit of the National Park System. I understand that the owners of the farm, the largest parcel of privately held land in the United States Virgin Islands, are aware of this legislation and support the national park study. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 318 is supported by the majority and minority of the Resources Committee and the administration. Additionally, identical legislation was passed by the House in the 108th Congress. I urge adoption of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 323) to redesignate the Ellis Island Library on the third floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, located on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, as the ``Bob Hope Memorial Library''.

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

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 326) to amend the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Act of 2000 to adjust the boundary of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area and to extend the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance under that Act, as amended.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a very heavy heart and I wish to ask the members in this chamber to join me in honoring a fallen soldier from Evans, Colorado. Last week, Private Tyler MacKenzie was killed in action while serving our Nation, in Iraq. He was a patriot that believed strongly in the freedoms we enjoy here in America and joined the Army to help defend the rights of citizens in Iraq. This is particularly poignant because today Private MacKenzie would have commemorated his life in another way, by celebrating his 21st birthday. However, because of his willingness to serve and place his life on the line for others, we honor him as a fallen soldier. Private MacKenzie comes from a family with a long military tradition. Both of his grandfathers, Emmett MacKenzie and Ron Borland, served in the Navy. Tyler's father, David, served in the Army during the first Gulf War and his Uncle Chuck was an Engineer in the Army. As a young child, Tyler lived in places like Louisiana and Germany as his dad's stations changed. For the most part, however, Tyler grew up in the small town of Evans. He attended Greeley West High School and played football. After he graduated in 2003, Tyler worked in the family-owned business, MacKenzie Manufacturing. He postponed joining the Army in order to train physically and recognized that he wanted to further mature. He did this because he knew once he joined that he would strive for the top and train for the elite Army special forces. Once he joined, Tyler MacKenzie entered into the renowned 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. He was in the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, and was stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Sadly, Private MacKenzie was in Iraq only a short time. On November 2, 2005, after nearly three weeks in Iraq, he died in combat when a roadside bomb exploded near his armored Humvee in the southern part of Baghdad. His courage is admirable, and as the legislative body that votes to send our service members into battle, I want to stress this point: He knew what he needed to do, and that was to join our military for at least one tour of duty to help defend our Nation so the same freedoms we have in America could soon be enjoyed by individuals throughout Iraq. I spoke with his family, and they are heartbroken about their loss, undoubtedly. However, they are to be admired for their courage and continued dedication to America's military forces who are fighting terrorists in the Middle East. They continue to support the President and ask that America's leaders not give up this fight. See, last November was the first time Tyler MacKenzie could vote in Federal elections, and he voted to support President Bush because he knew the President was the one he wanted to be Commander in Chief. As a mother of a sailor, my heart goes out to Tyler's parents David and Julie MacKenzie and his sister Nicole. Mr. Speaker, we are so fortunate to live in this great country where freedom is something that we rarely have to think about and often take for granted. It is simply a way of life for us, and we are truly blessed to live in a country that honors citizens for their spirit, their ideas, their individuality, and their courage. We can maintain the blessings of our freedoms only because we have citizens like Tyler who are willing to fight to defend them for us.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a truly outstanding component of this Nation's defense--the 137th Space Warning Squadron based in Greeley, Colorado. For the fourth time in five years that squadron has won the Distinguished Mission Support Plaque. This coveted award is sponsored by the National Guard Association of the United States and is presented by Lt. General Daniel James, Director of the Air National Guard. Only five units from the entire Air National Guard are selected to receive this prestigious award recognizing superlative performance in the defense of our nation. In congratulating the unit for its outstanding performance, I would like to give special recognition to the former commander of the 137th Space Warning Squadron, Brigadier General Select William E. Hudson, Air National Guard. During his nearly 10 years of service, from 1996 to 2005, Colonel Hudson served as Director of Operations and then as Commander of the unit. He led the unit through numerous real world and exercise operational programs. On September 11, 2001 and afterwards, Colonel Hudson ensured that the 137th Space Warning Squadron would meet and exceed its mission responsibilities to Air Force Space Command. I would also like to recognize Brigadier General Mike Edwards of the 140th Wing at Buckley Air Force Base and Major General Mason Whitney, the Colorado Adjutant General, for their superlative support of the 137th Space Warning Squadron. In 2003 the squadron was rated ``Excellent'' by USAF Space Command's Operational Readiness Inspection Team for exceptional performance and outstanding leadership. In addition, the unit has received ratings of Excellent to Outstanding at countless inspections since its stand-up in 1996. The National Guard Association's Distinguished Mission Support Plaque showcases the outstanding leadership, operational ability, and professional competence of Colorado Air National Guardsmen and women at the 137th Space Warning Squadron. I am so proud that this unit constantly goes above and beyond in its defense of Colorado and the United States of America. I invite my colleagues to join me in thanking the men and women of the 137th Space Warning Squadron for their unparalleled service to our community and our Nation.

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 534 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. MUSGRAVE

Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Madam 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 the bill under consideration.