Nick Rahall

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1922) to designate the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and the surrounding Federal land in the State of Florida as an Outstanding Natural Area and as a unit of the National Landscape System, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

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

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 698) commemorating the 200th anniversary of Congressional Cemetery.

Mr. RAHALL. The pending resolution, introduced by our colleague from New York, Representative James Walsh, and cosponsored by Representative Farr of California, recognizes and honors the cultural and historical importance of Congressional Cemetery here in Washington, DC, on the occasion of its 200th anniversary. Established on the banks of the Anacostia River, Congressional Cemetery started as a neighborhood burial ground. But with the death and interment of Connecticut Senator Uriah Tracy in 1807, it became the favored place for burial for Members of Congress who passed away while Congress was in session. Seventy-one representatives and 19 Senators are buried at Congressional Cemetery. Other prominent citizens were buried there as well, including members of the Armed Forces, Mayors of Washington, DC, well-known Native Americans, architects, and artists. I fully support passage of H. Res. 698 and urge its adoption. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL

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

Mr. RAHALL. The pending legislation is sponsored by a valuable member of the Natural Resources Committee, who is the ranking member on the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands, and who was instrumental in teaching me how to pronounce the State of Nevada's name, the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Rob Bishop. It is my privilege to call this bill up for consideration by the House today. The measure would facilitate a land exchange between the Secretary of Agriculture and the City of Bountiful, Utah. I will leave it to the gentleman from Utah to further explain his bill. Suffice it to say that I do urge its adoption by the House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3473) to provide for a land exchange with the City of Bountiful, Utah, involving National Forest System land in the Wasatch- Cache National Forest and to further land ownership consolidation in that national forest, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

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

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

Mr. RAHALL. The pending measure was introduced by our colleague from Nevada, Representative Jon Porter. It authorizes the release of a 65- acre section of the Sunrise Mountain Instant Study Area from wilderness study, to be used for construction and maintenance of a floodwater retention basin, known as the Orchard Detention Basin Project. The proposed Orchard Detention Basin Project is a part of the Clark County Regional Flood Control District's master plan to protect the rapidly growing Las Vegas Valley. The project is designed to shield 1,800 acres of urban land from flooding. I have no objection to passage of H.R. 816. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL

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

Mr. RAHALL. Following on the heels of the resolution just considered by the House, this resolution honors the life, accomplishments, and distinguished career of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the ``Grande Dame of the Everglades,'' on the 60th anniversary of the publication of her book, The Everglades: River of Grass. House Resolution 807 was introduced by our colleague from Florida, Representative Ileana Ros- Lehtinen, and is cosponsored by every member of the Florida delegation. Marjory Stoneman Douglas was an author, journalist, and environmental conservationist, best known for her advocacy for the preservation of the Florida Everglades. Her best known work, The Everglades: River of Grass, is considered a classic example of environmental writing and is credited with bolstering public support for preserving the Everglades as a National Park. I support passage of H. Res. 807 and urge its adoption by the House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL

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

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, the New River Gorge National River in southern West Virginia was designated as a unit of the National Park System in 1978. At times referred to as the ``Grand Canyon of the East,'' we in West Virginia refer to the Grand Canyon as the ``New River Gorge of the West.'' The national river is comprised of over 70,000 acres of mostly rugged terrain and is renowned as a destination for its world-class whitewater recreation, rock climbing, and other outdoor activities. But it is also a place where generations of West Virginians have hunted and fished. Unfortunately, the National Park Service, as part of the development of a new general management plan for the park unit, has included a no- hunting alternative. It is doing so because legislation which establishes the New River Gorge National River states that hunting ``may'' be permitted. The enabling statute for the nearby Gauley River National Recreation Area, on the other hand, states that hunting ``shall'' be allowed. In fact, this is the case for the vast majority of the 62 units of the National Park System in which hunting is permitted. The bill we are considering today simply changes the ``may'' to a ``shall'' in the law which established the New River Gorge National River. While there is no doubt in my mind that the current superintendent of this park unit will do the right thing and allow hunting to continue in the final general management plan, this is too important of an issue to remain at the discretion of future managers of the park unit. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5137) to ensure that hunting remains a purpose of the New River Gorge National River.

Mr. RAHALL

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

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring to the House for its consideration this legislation that's sponsored by the former chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources and current chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, Representative George Miller. This bill provides that the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial be managed as a unit of the National Park System. Currently, the area is managed as an affiliated site by the National Park Service. On July 17, 1944, 320 men, 202 of whom were African American sailors, were killed in an explosion at the Port Chicago Navy ammunition loading base in the San Francisco Bay area. This was the largest homeland disaster during World War II. In 1992, Congress designated the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial. The pending measure furthers that commitment by providing that the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial be managed as a unit of the National Park System. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 3111, and I submit the following exchange of letters for the Record. House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC, January 31, 2008. Hon. Nick J. Rahall II, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: On October 10, 2007, the Committee on Natural Resources ordered H.R. 3111, the ``Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial Enhancement Act of 2007,'' to be reported. As you know, this measure contains certain provisions that are within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services, and thus, was sequentially referred to the Committee on Armed Services by the Parliamentarian for the House. Our Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 3111 and the need for the legislation to move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over this legislation, the Committee on Armed Services will waive further consideration of H.R. 3111. I do so with the understanding that by waiving further consideration of the bill, the Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional claims over similar measures. In the event of a conference with the Senate on this bill, the Committee on Armed Services reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees, I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy of the response in your Committee's report on H.R. 3111 and the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Very truly yours, Ike Skelton, Chairman.

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 resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1311) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to convey the Alta-Hualapai Site to the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, for the development of a cancer treatment facility, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

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