Nick Rahall

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2906) to amend the Act of August 9, 1955, to modify a provision relating to leases involving certain Indian tribes.

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

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as with the bill we just considered, the pending legislation would amend the long-term leasing act to allow several tribes, in this case located in Washington State, to issue leases for trust lands for terms not to exceed 99 years. As business opportunities and economic considerations change over time, leases longer than what is allowed in current law are often necessary to facilitate economic development on trust lands. In closing, this legislation would advance tribal sovereignty, promote job growth, and speed up business deals. I want to commend our colleague, Representative Adam Smith, who has pressed for passage of S. 2906. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 1061) to transfer certain land to the United States to be held in trust for the Hoh Indian Tribe, to place land into trust for the Hoh Indian Tribe, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1061, as amended, would transfer certain Federal and non-Federal land in the State of Washington to the Hoh Tribe to be held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the tribe. The Hoh Indian Tribe is located on the coast of Washington. Its coastline is situated such that it is subject to frequent flooding, preventing the sustainable use of this land by the tribe. Due to this situation, the tribe has acquired approximately 420 acres of land from private sources to relocate its government offices and tribal members. The bill would place this newly acquired 420 acres of land into trust for the tribe and as well transfer approximately 37 acres of Federal land into trust for the tribe in order to connect the tribe's newly acquired lands to its current lands. On June 28, 2010, the House passed this legislation under suspension of the rules by a vote of 347-0. The Senate made technical amendments to the bill to clarify that the land would be placed into trust in accordance with the Department of the Interior's regulations for mandatory trust land acquisitions. The Senate then passed the legislation before us today by unanimous consent on September 29, 2010. In closing, I would commend our colleague and my fellow classmate, Representative Norm Dicks of Washington, for his hard work and dedication to this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to support its passage. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, I commend the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), the incoming ranking minority member of the House Appropriations Committee and my fellow classmate, a gentleman who has worked very hard on this legislation, and I now yield him such time as he may consume. (Mr. DICKS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

Mr. RAHALL

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

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1405) to redesignate the Longfellow National Historic Site, Massachusetts, as the ``Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site''.

Mr. RAHALL. Before I respond to that, Mr. Speaker, I am going to yield 2 minutes to my colleague from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).

Mr. RAHALL. I do want to extend my appreciation to the gentleman from Utah for his comments. Mr. Speaker, this may very well be the last time that our Committee on Natural Resources will have bills on the floor of the House in this 111th Congress. I wish to take just a moment of personal reflection to thank, not only the gentleman from Utah, but my ranking member--the gentleman from the State of Washington, Doc Hastings, as well. I talked to Mr. Hastings this morning. He is not sleepless in Seattle but is snowed in in Seattle and is unable to be here today, but I did want to acknowledge his position on our committee and wish him the best next year as he assumes the reins of leadership as chairman of our committee. It has been, I think, a good couple of terms under my chairmanship. We have worked in a nonpartisan manner as much as feasible and as much as possible. On not every bill have we seen eye to eye, but we have respectfully agreed to disagree where we have disagreed. I want to thank the members on the majority's side. My colleagues from all over this country and from the American territories have been very helpful in drafting important legislation that has fallen in line with our vital responsibilities as stewards of our public lands. I also want to say a word of commendation to the staffs on both sides. We have brought numerous bills--I don't even have a final tally in front of me--to the floor of this House. Many are still languishing over in that other body. I commend the work of the staffs on both the majority's and the minority's sides and the manner in which they have worked cooperatively and in a bipartisan fashion over these 4 years that I have chaired this committee. In particular, the gentleman sitting to my right, Mr. Jim Zoia, has been with me over three decades. While we will move on to another committee in the next Congress, we will always remember our years on the Natural Resources Committee and our working so well with both sides. So, again, I wish to express my appreciation to my ranking member, Doc Hastings, and to all the members of our committee--both Republican and especially my side, the Democratic side. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. RAHALL. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the pending legislation would rename the Longfellow National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as the Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site to better reflect the many chapters of American history which unfolded at this historic home. This bill is one of the last measures sponsored by the late Senator from Massachusetts, Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was instrumental in securing the funds needed to preserve this national historic site, and it is fitting that we pass his legislation renaming a site which meant so much to him. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this small, final piece of a legislative legacy left to us by one of the true giants to ever serve in this Congress. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The pending legislation, the Catcher Processor Subsector Single Fishery Cooperative Act, was introduced by Senator Cantwell in August 2009. Subsequently, our colleague, Congressman Larsen from the State of Washington, introduced H.R. 3910 as companion legislation. ``Catch shares'' are a fisheries management tool in which the total amount of fishing quota is divided among a group of fishermen. This tool is used to manage several fisheries in waters off of Alaska. However, one particular fishery in this area, the Pacific cod longline catcher processors, is not managed using catch shares. S. 1609 authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to approve this fleet as a cooperative operating a catch share. I commend our colleague, the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Rick Larsen, for his diligence. He has discussed this with me on numerous occasions and with members of our committee, and I commend his leadership on this legislation. I also recognize the efforts to bring the bill to the floor by my good friend and colleague from Alaska, Mr. Don Young. And I would note this measure is fully supported by the ranking member of our full committee, Doc Hastings of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen).

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega). (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. RAHALL. 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.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, Appalachia and Minnesota are losing a favorite son in the United States Congress when Jim Oberstar, my Chairman and my longtime dear colleague and friend, leaves early next year. In southern West Virginia, we knew the importance of the agency he brought to life, the Economic Development Administration, and those that he fought to protect, side by side with me, like the Appalachian Regional Commission. Shepherding through the 2007 Water Resources Development Act, after a woeful seven-year delay, and overriding a presidential veto to get our water infrastructure projects back on track, was among his great recent accomplishments--again bringing essential assistance to West Virginia. In the nineteenth century, we are told, it took a number of decades for our knowledge base to double in size. Now some estimates suggest our digital information doubles every day. While Jim is still a young man, it really doesn't matter in which century you worked with him, he knows his stuff, and almost all of yours. That's the sheer force of intellect and determination that have led our Committee and our Nation to an unparalleled influence in the transportation world. His absence in crafting the next surface transportation bill will be missed, but his imprimatur will neither fade nor disappear. Quite the contrary, his lessons and sizable legend will guide us toward sound responsible investment for broader horizons. Just as his contributions to transportation policy over the years live on in every aspect he touched through both his Chairmanship of the Aviation Subcommittee from 1989 to 1995 and as a powerful ranking member of the full Committee after that. He also led one of the most successful parts of the Recovery package. His stewardship of the $64.1 billion for transportation and infrastructure investment in the Recovery Act got America moving again and got projects underway, with unprecedented accountability measures. Timely, transparent reporting, in plain black and white, clearly shows the tremendous impact of transportation spending and how it can be done in a short fashion. Hundreds of thousands of people are working today because of Jim Oberstar's leadership. Even though Jim's career as a Congressional staffer under the tutelage of his mentor, John Blotnick, followed by his brilliant Congressional service, could fill far more than one person's career, Jim Oberstar has many more chapters to write in his life and all of us who know him, know that he will. His zest for living fully is only outweighed by his spirit to serve others. There is no question that Jim, my friend, as the poet wrote, is still ``strong of will, to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.'' Godspeed, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, America's courageous, hardworking coal miners have long provided the fuel that powers this Nation. And while doing so, they labor in some of the toughest, most dangerous work environments. For that reason, our Nation has long recognized its duty to ensure their health and safety on the job. God bless our Nation's coal miners. This year has been a tragic one in our coalfields. We have, to date, lost 48 miners, and we witnessed the worst coal mine disaster in 40 years, already referenced on the floor, losing 29 young lives in one blast in my home county. We have much work to do in our mine safety system, though I urge my colleagues not to paint the coal industry with too broad a brush. There are many coal companies with admirable safety records, with time and money devoted to keeping their miners safe. Several of them have worked diligently with myself and with Chairman Miller and the Education and Labor Committee to make improvements to this bill. They are models for the industry and employers everywhere. I take this moment to salute the chairman of our Education and Labor Committee, George Miller, for the manner in which he has worked not only on this legislation but all previous coal mine health and safety legislation as well. Our coal miners, indeed, have a friend in George Miller from California. However, just as surely as there are good actors that deserve our respect, we must recognize that the safety challenges of coal country will not end with the retirement of any one individual, one so-called ``Dark Lord.'' Unless we remain vigilant while miners labor in harm's way, another Voldemort will rise. We all--industry, government, labor-- share a responsibility to rein in those very few bad actors who would put profits before safety. Critics of this legislation argue that it needs additional wordsmithing, that some provisions need tweaking or trimming out altogether, that we ought to await the results of the current UBB investigation; and I appreciate that perspective. But while many of these criticisms might provide an excuse to vote against the pending bill, none of them outweighs the plain and simple truth confronting this particular Member of Congress. As the Representative of the district in which the UBB mine is located, I have 29 reasons why I must and why I will vote for this legislation. Indeed, there have been additional deaths since Upper Big Branch, but those individuals I will name: Carl Acord, Jason Atkins, Christopher Bell, Greg Brock, Kenny Chapman, Robert E. Clark, Cory Davis, Timmy Davis, Michael Elswick, William ``Bob'' Griffith, Steve Harrah, Dean Jones, Rick Lane, William Roosevelt Lynch, Joe Marcum, Ronald Lee Maynor, James ``Eddie'' Mooney, Adam Morgan, Rex Mullins, Josh Napper, Howard ``Boone'' Payne, Dillard ``Dewey'' Persinger, Joel ``Jody'' Price, Gary Quarles, Deward Scott, Benny Willingham, Ricky Workman. I stood vigil with their families--the mothers, the fathers, their sisters, their brothers, their wives, children, and grandchildren. We waited together throughout those anguishing days in the aftermath of that devastating explosion that took these 29 brave individuals too early from this Earth. I prayed with them, I ate with them, and, in the end, I grieved with them. And if I voted against this legislation, my colleagues, that might have saved their loved ones, I could never again look them in the eyes. Today I will cast my vote for this appropriately named Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act. And I will continue to work with my colleagues to address the needs of our coal miners and our coal industry in the weeks and months ahead. Those needs exist, and those needs need to be addressed, and we need to address them--all stakeholders that Chairman Miller has so well done--all stakeholders working together to, indeed, make our coal mines a safer place in which to work.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor and thank the greatest generation for their sacrifices at Pearl Harbor, 69 years ago. This day reminds us of the long-held valor of our service men and women throughout the generations since the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. On this day, we remember the many American lives lost on ``the day that lives in infamy,'' but, we also recall with great pride the courage and sacrifices of our greatest generation, who led us to victory in World War II. The patriotism they instilled in us continues today, in the hearts of our veterans and in the deeds and actions of our men and women in uniform. In World War II, 233,985 West Virginians served in our military. Countless more American Patriots have answered the call to duty since. We are reminded today of the sacrifices our veterans made for our nation and the preservation of the liberties, freedoms and rights that we hold dear. December 7, 1941, lives on in the minds of all Americans as one in which the nation came together in support of a common cause. I will continue to support our men and women currently in uniform as well as our veterans. With over 177,000 veterans in West Virginia, nearly 53,000 in the Third District alone, and over 23 million in the United States, it is important that Veterans benefits and care be maintained here at home. Pearl Harbor Day should be one of continued remembrance, with each remembrance serving as a renewed message of support for our military personnel at home and abroad.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1736, I move to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 4783) to accelerate the income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Chile, and to extend the period from which such contributions for the relief of victims of the earthquake in Haiti may be accelerated, with the Senate amendments thereto, and I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. RAHALL. May I have a time check, please, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, to conclude debate on the majority's side, I yield all of the remaining time to the gentlelady from California, Ms. Maxine Waters. (Ms. WATERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield for a UC only to the gentlelady from Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson Lee. (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)