Jim Saxton

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 575, I announce the following suspensions to be considered tomorrow:

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Subaru of America and its many proud, hard-working employees on thirty years in the United States. I am especially proud that Subaru of America is headquartered in my Congressional District in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. As the only automobile company with its national headquarters based in the Delaware Valley, Subaru has an important presence in my state and local region. In addition to the 360 people employed at its Cherry Hill headquarters Subaru directly impacts more than 5,000 jobs in the U.S. Subaru's success is evident in the important milestones the company has reached just this year. Additionally, Subaru's impact on the state of New Jersey and throughout the region through its generous charitable contributions is extraordinary. On behalf of New Jersey's Third District, on this the 30th Anniversary of Subaru of America, I wish Subaru and its employees the best in their future endeavors, and thank them for their dedication and commitment to our region.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kennedyville, Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), the author of the bill.

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4337) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the State of Maryland for a pilot program to develop measures to eradicate or control nutria and restore marshland damaged by nutria.

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

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4337, a bill that implements the nutria eradication and control pilot program for the State of Maryland. This legislation was introduced by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), from Kennedyville, a small town on the eastern shore. This bill was the subject of a subcommittee hearing on July 16. At that time, the subcommittee received testimony from a diverse group of witnesses who strongly supported immediate action. In fact, H.R. 4337 incorporates the recommendations of a comprehensive report entitled ``Marsh Restoration: Nutria Control in Maryland.'' This report was a consensus document approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the University of Maryland, the Salisbury Zoological Park, and Ducks, Unlimited. By way of background, nutria are large, semi-aquatic rodents that are native to South America. Nutria may weigh up to 20 pounds and live along the banks of lakes, marshes, ponds, and rivers. These large water rats are surface-feeding mammals that are extremely destructive to marsh vegetation. Nutria were introduced in Maryland in the 1950s to assist with the clothing industry. Today, there is no market for that fur and no natural predators to control them. As a result, the nutria population has skyrocketed. It has been estimated that there are now between 35,000 and 50,000 nutria living at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. This refuge has 17,000 acres of marsh that are essential habitat to thousands of nesting and migratory birds. Regrettably, this habitat is being systematically destroyed because of the appetites of these South American rodents. This is causing serious problems for native wildlife, fish, plants, and marsh ecosystems. H.R. 4337 authorizes $2.9 million over 3 years to help alleviate the nutria problem. While this may not solve the problem entirely, it is a positive step in the right direction. In fact, the refuge manager of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge testified that ``These wetlands, which provide significant ecological, cultural, and economic benefits, will continue to disappear at an increasing rate unless prompt action is taken.'' Mr. Speaker, I urge an aye vote on H.R. 4337, and I want to pay special compliments to the gentleman from Kennedyville, Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) for his leadership in this matter. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I also have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4248, the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Promotion Act. This bill was introduced primarily by our colleague the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham), who has done such a great job and has been such a great advocate of the bill. He is the primary reason that we are here today. Joining him is of course the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner), and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), who also were very, very hard workers on the bill. The bill was the subject of a subcommittee hearing on July 16th. At that time, every witness testified in strong support of trying to promote additional duck stamp purchases. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which has endorsed the bill, testified that additional opportunities to increase revenues to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund from increased duck stamp sales do exist, and this bill is a good route to get that done. Since Congress approved the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of 1934, every waterfowl hunter 16 years and older has been required to purchase a valid Federal duck stamp. The cost of the stamp has increased from $1 to its present cost of $15. These funds, which exceed a total of $500 million, have been used to purchase some 5 million acres of prime wildlife habitat. This habitat is essential to literally millions of migratory birds. Unfortunately, the sale of duck stamps has declined in recent years. In fact, nearly 1 million less duck stamps were sold last year than two decades ago. H.R. 4248 is designed to reverse that trend. Under the terms of this legislation, up to $1 million per year in duck stamp receipts would be spent to create a promotional program to increase the sale of duck stamps. This promotional program would be crafted to appeal to a growing number of bird watchers, wildlife artists, stamp collectors, and those Americans who simply enjoy wildlife. If successful, this program will generate millions of dollars in new revenues which would be used to buy additional waterfowl habitat in the United States. Mr. Speaker, this bill is strongly supported by many conservation organizations, including Ducks Unlimited, the Izaak Walton League, and the Wildlife Legislative Fund of America. I urge an ``aye'' vote on the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from San Diego, California (Mr. Cunningham) who has worked so hard and in such a dedicated way to sponsor this bill and bring it to the floor. (Mr. CUNNINGHAM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4248) to authorize the use of receipts from the sale of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps to promote additional stamp purchases, as amended.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, due to the wedding of my son in Pennsylvania, I was unable to make rollcall votes 466, 467, 468, and 469. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall vote 466, ``yea'' on rollcall vote 467, ``no'' on rollcall vote 468, and ``aye'' on rollcall vote 469.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4337, the bill just passed.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4248, the bill just passed.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, the Navy has two options to upgrade its radar capabilities. One is an upgrade of the SPY-1 radar. I believe that this option would meet all the Navy Theater Wide system requirements while also meeting the projected cruise missile threat. The other option is a single-purpose radar system that would be mounted in the superstructure of an Aegis cruiser. The Navy has not taken a formal position on which option they believe is preferable. I believe and I strongly believe this SPY-1 upgrade is the right alternative, and I believe we need to get started on a radar development now to support the NTW mission and the new interceptor.

Mr. SAXTON. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I also note that the report discusses the availability of a prototype radar by the year 2001 to support testing of the new interceptor.

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, in the authorization conference report there is a large increase of $120 million for the Navy Theater Wide Ballistic Missile Defense system that we just spoke of. I believe $50 million of the increase was set aside specifically for improvements.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate and pay tribute to the men and women of the 424th Medical Logistics Battalion headquartered at Pedricktown, New Jersey. In particular, I wish to salute the 14 soldiers who are returning home from an eight month deployment to Bosnia. On October 4th, 1998, the 424th Medical Logistics Battalion will welcome home these 14 members in a celebration at the 424th Reserve Center in Pedricktown, New Jersey. The detachment, commanded by Captain Linda Estacio, deployed last September and was stationed at the Blue Factory near the town of Tuzla, Bosnia. The detachment was responsible for all of the medical supplies, blood products, and medical equipment repair for all of the American forces and some multinational units in the northern section of Bosnia, a responsibility that cannot be overestimated nor underappreciated. Today, U.S. servicemen and women continue to serve in Bosnia in an effort to again secure peace in Europe. These dedicated individuals, who have served so honorably, have the difficult task of fulfilling the commitments made by American foreign-policy makers. The members of the 424th represent the steadfast dedication and honorable service that continue to make our nation proud of our Armed Forces. I wish to commend these soldiers, Cpt Linda Estacio, 1LT Carmen Bellthomas, SFC Frank Newhart, SFC John Vangeyten, SFC Richard Czeponis, SGT William White, SGT Ronnie Simons, SGT Bruce Phillips, SGT David Lewis, SPC Ronald Meixsell, SPC Kenneth Johnson, SPC Pamela Jones, SPC Michael Mills and SPC Derrick Sterling, for they are the inspiration for those who serve our country today.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, on February 16, 1898, a group of concerned citizens from Marlton came together to seek a way to better protect their homes and businesses from the ravages of fire. The Marlton Fire Company No. 1, now a part of Evesham Fire-Rescue, evolved from this gathering. By the 1920's, the rolls showed over 25 members who responded to approximately 30 incidents a year. The firemen responded to calls not only in Marlton, but also in the surrounding areas. As time marched on and apparatus grew in size and the township in population, additions were built onto the station. The historic station's final relocation was to the back of the current Evesham Fire-Rescue property. The exterior of the building has been refurbished to reflect its history. Personnel are currently raising funds and hope to begin work to convert the Historic Station into a museum. The heart of Evesham Fire-Rescue is its people. One of the largest combined fire and EMS organizations in the area with 130 volunteer firefighters and EMTs and 18 career staff, the Department also has an Explorer Post for teenagers, a Division of Fire Prevention which provides educational programs to the public and an Auxiliary, which provides refreshments to emergency response personnel. On September 26, 1998, Evesham Fire-Rescue will honor its heritage with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Marlton Fire Company No. 1. On that date, Evesham Fire-Rescue will dedicate its new Marton Station, 105' Seagrave Tower Ladder Truck, and re-dedicate the Historic Fire Station and 1927 Hale Fire Engine. I congratulate all Evesham Fire-Rescue personnel, past and present, and wish them another century of service to the community.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 1856) to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a volunteer pilot project at one national wildlife refuge in each United States Fish and Wildlife Service region, and for other purposes, with Senate amendments thereto, and concur in the Senate amendments.

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, as the author of H.R. 1856, the National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community Partnership Act, I am pleased to report that the Senate has passed this bill with amendments and returned it to us. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a very successful program to encourage volunteer activities at National Wildlife Refuges and other Service field stations. Last year, for example, over 25,000 volunteers donated nearly $11 million worth of services, ranging from staffing visitor centers, to hunter safety classes, and operating heavy equipment. I introduced H.R. 1856 after a field hearing held near the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in my district in New Jersey. That hearing addressed the large maintenance backlog at refuges. We heard from several local volunteer conservation groups who pointed out problems with the existing volunteer program. This bill is intended to solve those problems. The biggest obstacle to improving the volunteer program is a shortage of staff at refuges. We can't expect refuge employees who have full- time operation and maintenance duties to also donate all of their weekends to working with volunteer groups. H.R. 1856 would address this problem by establishing up to 20 pilot projects for the purpose of hiring full-time volunteer coordinators. This will make it much easier for the Service and conservation groups to work together for the benefit of refuges. H.R. 1856 also makes it easier for interested individuals and groups to donate money or services to refuges. It would ensure that gifts to a particular refuge will actually go to that refuge, instead of disappearing into a nationwide account. Finally, the bill allows refuge managers to enter into cooperative agreements with local conservation groups to conduct projects on refuges. Again, these provisions are designed to make it easier for refuge managers to cooperate with local organizations. For example, if a volunteer group were interested in constructing a wildlife observation tower or other improvement at a refuge, this section would allow the refuge manager to contribute materials or staff assistance to the project. All of these provisions are designed to make it easier for volunteers who are interested in helping to conserve fish and wildlife to contribute their skills and enthusiasm to our National Wildlife Refuges. Over the last two years, Congress and the Administration have significantly increased the resources available to Refuge operations and maintenance. However, even with those increased resources, the use of volunteers who donate their time and energy is still needed to allow the Refuge System to meet its conservation and management goals. By making it easier for them, this bill will enhance an already successful program and ultimately benefit fish and wildlife conservation throughout the National Wildlife Refuge System. I urge you to agree to clear H.R. 1856, as amended by the Senate, and to send it to the President for signature. Together with the historic National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-57) and increased funding, this Congress has done more for our National Wildlife Refuge System than any other in the last 30 years. I urge the House to accept the Senate amendments on H.R. 1856.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 1856, the bill just passed.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, just as the previous speaker, I rise on behalf of one of my constituents, Hill International, a company which has fought for over a decade to collect a debt from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is an unpaid debt which has been unfairly withheld. In the early 1980s, a subsidiary of Hill International, Gibbs & Hill, successfully completed a desalinization plant in Yanbu City, Saudi Arabia, yet were never paid the $55 million due them for the work. Despite all the work put in by Members of Congress to encourage the settlement of this claim, and despite repeated promises that the claim would be paid, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has yet to pay this overdue bill. I also find it troubling that our own administration has been unable or unwilling to actively assist the U.S. company against a foreign government. Where is the State Department in this fight? Fifty-five million dollars may seem like spare change to the Saudis, but it means something to Hill International, just as it would any hardworking company of the United States. I rise to say that I will not rest until the debt is paid.

Mr. SAXTON

Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3445, the bill just passed.