Don Young

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Keating for his amendment. This is long overdue. Collecting those fees and using them for observer coverage is something that should be done. If I go back to his first amendment, I want to mechanize it and use technology to make sure the fishermen have an opportunity to, I believe, report better. This is a good amendment. I will be voting for it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I reserve a point of order.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I withdraw the reservation of a point of order.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I claim the time in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. The parliamentarian, I think, made a mistake, but they have a right to do that, as others Members do, but that is the way it goes. Mr. Speaker, let's not kid ourselves. If you listen to the presentation, it has nothing to do with a fish bill. This is a procedural trick to delay passage of this bipartisan legislation. And I keep saying this is a fish bill that has been in existence for many years, since 1976, and it has been a success, and then we come up with a recommit motion that has nothing to do with this bill. The prize is fish communities, sustainable yields, domestic seafood industry, and a job creation bill. With all due respect, I strongly urge a rejection of the motion, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of the bill, H.R. 200, the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections and conforming changes to the bill, including the change I have placed on the desk.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 221) to reauthorize the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. 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 for the bill under consideration.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 221, the Hydrographic Services Improvement Amendments Act. I was an original cosponsor and chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee when Representative Jim Saxton of New Jersey introduced the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998. My legislation will reauthorize the act through 2022 and will allow NOAA to conduct and contract for hydrographic surveys around the U.S., with specific focus on the Arctic. Alaska is what makes the United States an Arctic Nation. My State has more coastline than any other State in this country, and we don't know what is under the surface. We are seeing a significant increase in vessel traffic, exploration, and resource development in our Arctic waters. While hydrographic surveys are a critical part of the maritime safety, economic, and environmental efforts nationwide, they are especially important in the Arctic. Mr. Speaker, there are more than 550,000 square nautical miles in the U.S. Arctic exclusive economic zone, otherwise a 200-mile limit. It would take decades to survey even half of that space. NOAA has designated 38,000 miles as survey priority areas, and estimates a range up to 25 years to survey just those priority areas, if resources remain at their current level. Alaskan waters are incredibly under-surveyed. Before this year, the last time the entrances and mouth to the Yukon River were surveyed was 1899. The river is the most effective route to deliver food and goods to coastal and inland villages in western Alaska, and the last on-the- ground surveys were completed the same year that gold was discovered in Nome. Mr. Speaker, there are other areas around the Nation that have the same problem. This is a very important piece of legislation. If we are to continue to utilize the ocean onshore and offshore, I urge the passage of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, thank you for recognizing me to discuss this revised Young amendment No. 49. I appreciate Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio's help and the help the majority and the minority staffs have given us with their assistance to get this amendment to the floor. This amendment requires the Secretary to conduct an assessment of dams classified as Class III under the Dam Safety Action Classification of the Corps of Engineers. Once the assessment is complete, this amendment requires the Secretary to provide a report to Congress describing two things: what will happen to local communities should the Corps give up the control of dam versus what will happen if the Corps continues to maintain the dam. This amendment will show the importance of accurate design and construction. Currently, there is a hole the size of a family sedan in a dam mitigation outlet tunnel that serves the city of Seward, Alaska. The Corps assumed responsibility for this dam, and the design and construction flaw will only get worse until the Corps fixes it, which they are committed to do. The current study for an alternative solution will not be completed until 2019. This amendment is critical to the Alaska community because it prevents Seward from bearing undue hardship from frequent flooding and continuous damage to the outfall due to the unforeseen design faults. This amendment would continue to require the Corps to expedite the study and place a critical importance on fixing the dam system for my constituents in Seward. I want to thank, again, Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, and their staffs for working with me and my staff on this amendment and for supporting my efforts here today. We will continue to work further on this issue in conference, and I urge all my colleagues to support my amendment No. 49. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, this is a simple amendment. The Clinton era Roadless Rule applies a one-size-fits-all approach to areas where those policies rarely work, especially the federally locked lands in Alaska. At 16.8 million acres, the Tongass National Forest is the largest of the National Forest System. Coupled with the Chugach National Forest, Alaska contains 12 percent of the total acres of national forest lands in the total United States. The Roadless Rule is nothing more than another effort to end the multiple-use mandate of Federal forest lands, something that is required by law but often ignored by nameless, faceless, unelected bureaucrats. Although the Tongass is over 100 years old, only 400,000 acres have been harvested. Of the remaining acreage, much of the forest is not topographically suitable for timber harvest, and 6.6 million acres are congressionally designated as wilderness areas, national monuments, and roadless areas. Not only does the Roadless Rule violate the authorities granted under the Alaska National Lands Act, it was adopted without proper consultation or consideration of the countless communities that rely on responsible resource development. Nearly 96 percent of the Tongass National Forest and 99 percent of the Chugach National Forest are protected by ANILCA and forest management plans. Exempting Alaska from the Roadless Rule would help make certain that what is left of the timber industry in the southeast can survive. Many individuals adamantly oppose logging old growth in roadless areas. However, old growth will continue to be predominant in the Tongass, and given the remote nature of Alaska, the vast majority of the forest is in a roadless state. Over 90 percent of the Tongass is unaccessible by road. The lack of access to timber not only costs good-paying jobs, but results in trees dying of disease and infestations. Dead trees serve no purpose other than to become kindling, creating fires. So by having a robust timber industry, we can help prevent the spread of serious wildfires like have been seen in the lower 48. To be clear, we are not talking about clearcutting the entire national forest. We just want to help it stay healthy and fulfill its multi-use mandate of the Tongass. By significantly limiting the areas that are eligible for harvesting, the implementation of the Roadless Rule actually makes conservation more difficult since locations with less conservation value often can't be selected. If any reasonable form of timber industry is to exist in the near future, it is imperative we restore Alaska's exemption from the Roadless Rule as quickly as possible. It has placed an undue burden on my State and the people of my State. Mr. Chairman, we worry about immigration. We worry about homelessness. We worry about employment. We worry about education. I am saying this Roadless Rule takes away the opportunity for people to supply for their family so they can have a sustainable sylviculture industry taking care of our forests in southeast Alaska. The Roadless Rule should have never applied to Alaska to begin with. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Conaway), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, the comments from the other side of the aisle were talking about Alaskans opposing this amendment. With all due respect, I am an elected representative, and if they don't like what I do, they don't vote for me. I just believe in jobs. When I first got elected to this job, when I first started this Tongass battle, we had 15,000 jobs in Alaska in the timber industry in the Tongass. And through the National Land Act itself, we were told that no other jobs would be lost in the timber industry, and they slowly crept around and eliminated what remaining jobs occurred. And the sad part about it, from my point of view, they have killed the timber industry. That was not the intent. We were supposed to have a timber industry. Then along comes the Clinton era Roadless Rule that means you can't build a road anywhere that has no road. How do you have a hydropower site? We had to fight for 4 years to get a hydropower site. This action here by an administration--this and past administrations--have to understand, this is about employment. This is about managing--managing--timber. And those who don't want to manage anything, you destroy it. Mr. Chairman, I am urging this body, this Congress, to do what is right for the State of Alaska and right for the timber, and the right for the people that live there and that depend upon a source of income other than living off, very frankly, somebody giving them something. They want to work for it. Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson), the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple. It is to make sure Alaska Natives and American Indian populations are able to access traditional foods in nutrition programs. Many American Indians and Alaska Natives incorporate traditional foods: fish, game, seafood, wild berries, and plants into their daily diets. These foods are locally sourced and culturally significant. The cultural significance of traditional foods is especially important in long-term care and hospital settings, where individuals are likely to be away from their homes for extended periods and are unable to easily carry on their traditions. It is likewise important for Native youth to have access to traditional foods for proper nutrition and cultural heritage. May I say, Mr. Chairman, when you are in a hospital you can recover faster if you have a traditional food. This amendment builds on a previous provision of mine in the 2014 farm bill that authorized donation and serving of traditional foods which meet the safety standards and in facilities that serve these indigenous populations. It applies to programs encompassing residential childcare, child nutrition programs, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and others. There have been no documented safety issues and the food handling and storage safety standards incorporated in my previous amendment are stringent. The standards were, in part, based on successful standards from Alaska which has long led the way for safety procedures for traditional foods. For years, this provision has led the way to safely offer traditional foods to the vulnerable populations that need it the most. My amendment maintains these standards. This amendment tonight, like the previous one, has no budgetary effects. That is for those who do not want to spend any more money. It simply works to ensure that Native American and Alaska Native youth and elders can participate in nutrition programs and access traditional foods, regardless of the facility in which the program is implemented. This is important, given that child nutrition and senior meal programs that serve a significant number of natives are sometimes housed in facilities that are not specifically designated as Tribal, and the legislation is truly focused on the importance of nutrition. This amendment should be heavily and heartily accepted and passed. I strongly urge adoption of this amendment. It is about nutrition, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman. Again, I understand why the chairman is against this, but we have no cases where there has been any food hazards, food abuses, or anything like that. And I have to describe one thing to my colleagues. I am 85 years old. I am an Alaska Native. I have lived in one of the villages up north. My diet has consisted of seal meat, seal oil, whale meat, whale oil, and berries. I am an older man. I am in a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, or I am in a long-term care facility to take care of me, and they serve me, of all things, a chicken, or they will serve me some salty Spam. That is not too bad by the way. But things that will not make me well. And in my mind I desire and my body craves what I have eaten during the history of my life. And that keeps me weller. In fact, I might be able to go home and be able to harvest those things that I love. This is all I am trying to do in facilities. This is a good amendment. I know there has been opposition from some of the Federal agencies: Oh, this is a safety issue. Keep in mind, this is an issue that takes care of that person who is receiving that food. Mr. Chairman, I would urge a ``yes'' vote on this legislation. It should happen for those people, my Alaskan Natives. It is important. Mr. Chairman, I don't have any other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, this is sort of like ice breaking up: right on the pin of the point, you actually win. And I thank the gentleman for waiting for me. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1417 is a simple, straightforward bill that will treat the National Law Enforcement Museum as if it were a Federal museum for purposes of obtaining, transferring, and displaying certain classes of firearms. The National Law Enforcement Museum is scheduled to open this fall. It was authorized by an act of Congress and is being built on Federal property. The museum is dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a ``walk in the shoes'' experience. The museum is working to expand and enrich the relationship shared by law enforcement and the community through the museum's educational journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. The National Law Enforcement Museum was created to provide visitors with an opportunity to ``walk in the shoes'' of law enforcement, giving them a behind-the-scenes look and allowing them to gain historical perspective on how law enforcement has helped shape our society and culture. Through fun, immersive, and educational exhibits such as Take the Case, 911 Emergency Ops, and the Training Simulator, visitors will gain a sense of what it takes to be a law enforcement professional. These interactive experiences will give visitors a firsthand look into almost every facet of law enforcement, while they learn about the day-to-day complexities of safeguarding our communities. Visitors will also be able to experience the personal side of law enforcement through real-life stories of the men and women behind the badge, told throughout the museum, and gain a greater appreciation for those who have in fact made the ultimate sacrifice to keep peace within our communities, especially in the great Hall of Remembrance: law enforcement officers. Mr. Speaker, may I say that a lot of times in the modern day media I hear the term ``cop,'' I hear that something is wrong. People respect our law enforcement officers and what they face every day, especially with the national media and the pressures they have with them constantly exposing them as the bad guys. I really believe if we didn't have them, we would really be in trouble. This is a simple bill that takes care of a problem, and I hope we can pass it unanimously.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark Kozak from Kodiak, Alaska. After 30 years of work with the City of Kodiak Public Works Department, Mark is retiring on May 18, 2018. Mark was born and raised in Kodiak. Following high school, he learned to fly and for ten years worked as a commercial bush pilot in Kodiak, operating single and twin-engine aircraft. He was well known for flying the Grumman Goose and transporting fishermen, hunters and villagers to all points on the island. In 1988, Mark began working for the City of Kodiak as a Utility Worker in the Public Works Department. He was quickly promoted to Equipment Operator and from there became the Maintenance Supervisor. In 2002, Mark was asked to serve as the Public Works Director. The 27 employees of the Public Works Department have many responsibilities that directly impact the health and safety of the community. These include street, building and equipment maintenance and repair, operation and maintenance of the municipal airport and float- plane facilities, building permits and inspections, a water treatment and distribution system designed for up to ten million gallons per day, wastewater treatment and collection, a United States Council Certified compost facility, and nine regulated dams with a total holding capacity of 1.0 billion gallons of water. Kodiak is one of the top fishing ports in the nation and it is vital that the water system be reliable and of sufficient quantity for processing the millions of pounds of seafood each year. Throughout his career, Mark has held to the highest standards, and his dedication and commitment to the taxpayers of Kodiak is well known. With his leadership the Public Works Department has accomplished numerous achievements for the community. Major projects have included extensive water, sewer and road renovation and replacement, an ultraviolet plant for the water treatment facility, the planning and building of a compost facility, and a new pump house at the Monashka Dam. Following retirement, Mark and his wife, Linda, plan to remain in Kodiak where they enjoy boating, sport fishing, hiking, and photography. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Mark Kozak for his many years of selfless service for the people of his community and for the City of Kodiak. Please join me in congratulating Mark on his retirement and to wish him our best.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and celebration of the 50th birthday of a former employee, colleague and more importantly, friend on May 4, 2018. Mr. Curtis Thayer of Anchorage, Alaska has worked tirelessly on behalf of Alaskans for over half of his very young 50 years. He has served his time in a wide variety of public service and private practice to bring Alaska economic development, jobs and a solid foundation of community. Moreover, Curtis is a devoted husband, father and son who dedicates his life to his family and many charitable and non-profit organizations. In a very brief time, Curtis has completed more than most people could in three lifetimes and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, even selling him one of my precious guns at one point in time. That never happens as I really love my guns--but I gave him a great deal. Curtis has a great wit, a sharp mind, and sometimes a sharp tongue, but you can always count on him to be there for you. He epitomizes loyalty, honesty and courage. He has stood by my side through all of the political and personal ups and downs and I cannot thank him enough for all he has done for the great State of Alaska and for me as a politician and a person. He is just simply a great guy with an even better wife and son. Mr. Speaker, Curtis's wife Josie and his son Matthew stand beside a great man who will have many more years to make Alaska an even better place to live. Fifty is just the beginning for this young man. Happy birthday to my friend, Curtis W. Thayer.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in honoring the career and achievements of Chief Ronda Wallace of Kodiak, Alaska, who has served her community and the Kodiak Police Department with distinction for the past 20 years. Chief Wallace first joined the Department in 1997 as a Public Safety Dispatcher, and the next year was commissioned as a patrol officer. She steadily rose through the Department's ranks and held numerous positions including Narcotics and Investigative Detective, Patrol Sergeant, and Lieutenant, until becoming Kodiak's first female Police Chief in 2013. Chief Wallace's leadership by example, care for the community of Kodiak, and compassion for its citizens have come to define the Kodiak Police Department. During her career she has gotten countless drugs off our streets, solved homicides, worked tirelessly to help women and children who are victims of abuse and assaults, and consistently raised the bar for professional police work. And, like all true leaders, her shining example will continue through the legacy she has created in Kodiak and the many people she has mentored, both within her police department and the community at large. Throughout her 20-year career she has displayed the highest possible standards of police work, and is an inspiration to future generations of law enforcement professionals and public servants. I greatly appreciate and admire her selfless dedication to Kodiak, to her fellow citizens, to our great State of Alaska, and to our Nation as a whole through her cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coast Guard Investigative Service. Therefore, it gives me distinct pleasure to honor Chief Wallace today, and I ask that my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives join me in congratulating Ronda and wishing her continued success.