Ralph Regula

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I am familiar with this. I have martins that come visit us every summer, and, of course, they migrate to South America. So this kind of thing affects the bird population that moves back and forth between North and South America. As the gentleman from Pennsylvania points out, there are many competing demands on the limited funds in this bill, but I do recognize the importance of protecting the Neotropical migratory bird population. While we cannot meet every request, as evidenced by these three books with letters from Members, I assure the gentleman that I will work with the gentleman and the Department of Interior to ensure appropriate funding for the program once the legislation is enacted. I might say I congratulate the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) on making this effort. I think it is very important.

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I just want to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks) and compliment all the parties and the goodwill of the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy). We had a spirited debate on this issue last year, as we all know, and I think we have reached a reasonable compromise. I hope that the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) will look at the numbers. I think we have done in the bill much of what the gentleman is suggesting there in terms of funding reconstruction of roads, trying to improve forest health, and making the forest a viable part of our Nation's recreation resources.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, the forest is a viable part of our Nation's recreational resource, as well as a source of wood fiber under proper circumstances. Unfortunately, I will not be able to use my two-by-four as evidence this year, so I will point out, so I have not wasted all this time, that the price of a two-by-four eight feet long has gone in 10 years from $1.75 to $3.09, so that has an impact on the cost of housing.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman is correct. The increase provides for addressing operational and maintenance backlog requirements for all the refuges.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield further, of course, the gentleman will be a conferee, and I think we will all be pleased to take a closer look at this provision in the conference.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I agree with my colleague that these negotiations were very difficult, and, of course, the gentleman from California (Mr. Riggs) played a major role in achieving an agreement. But, in the end, we struck an agreement that addressed the concerns of all parties. Let me assure my colleague, I will not support any efforts by the administration or the Congress to change any of the deadlines that were negotiated as part of this very costly and very controversial acquisition.

Mr. REGULA. I agree with the gentleman that it would be a shame if this agreement falls apart after all the laborious negotiations because some people wish to make changes at the eleventh hour.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, and I appreciate the efforts of the gentlemen, both gentlemen from Nevada, to protect Lake Tahoe. In fact, it is in large part due to their efforts that the $700,000 appropriated in this bill for erosion control is the largest amount of money ever dedicated to this effort. While I regret that I cannot support the gentleman's amendment, if he would agree to withdraw the amendment, I will work with him in conference to address his concerns.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentlewoman would continue to yield, I thank her for her comments and I would say that that is it what we attempted to do the bill.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentlewoman would yield, that is correct.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. REGULA

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I would suggest that this ought to be in the crime bill.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. REGULA. It could end up with about $9 billion of backlog instead of $10 billion if we can get that $80 million the gentleman has been telling us about. I realize it is not exactly apples and oranges. But all I am saying is that, when we are faced with $10 billion in backlog, when we are faced with our employees who are spending their free time, many of them, doing this work in our public lands facilities, I do not think we should start building tennis courts and golf courses and baseball fields in our communities. That is a local responsibility.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield further, would he favor putting this public land on the market and getting it back in the private sector?

Mr. REGULA. If the gentleman would yield further, do the visitors spend a lot of money in the communities?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentleman, does Allegheny National Forest get many visitors?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, I would say to the gentleman, I think it is money instead of chairs.

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?