Don Young

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 818 would allow a local water district in Utah to prepay its loan obligations to the Federal Government. Prepayment can benefit local water utilities because it relieves them of interest costs and some regulatory burdens. This concept is similar to giving a family an option to prepay its mortgage and to save compounded interest cost. It's also in the best interest of the American taxpayer since it will facilitate the revenues to the U.S. Treasury. I urge adoption of this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 818) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to allow for prepayment of repayment contracts between the United States and the Uintah Water Conservancy District.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 320) to designate a Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I again urge the passage of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz).

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

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of National Business Women's Week, Business and Professional Women, North to the Future, and YWCA. Working women constitute 72 million, or almost half of the nation's workforce and strive to serve their communities, their states, and their nation in professional, civic and cultural capacities. Women- owned businesses constitute 30 percent of all U.S. business generating in $1.9 trillion in sales and employing 9.2 million people. Working women should be applauded for their contributions to the workplace and the financial stability of their families especially during the economic downturn when more women have become their family's breadwinner. Since 1928, National Business Week has honored the contributions of working women and employers who support working women and their families. North to the Future is a professional local organization with more than thirty five years of active community service within Anchorage. BPW NTTF remains committed to reducing Alaska's staggering statistics on sexual assault and domestic violence and has organized activities programs and events to educate and uplift women. For these reasons, I rise in support, recognition and congratulations during National Business Women's Week.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my heartfelt congratulations to the Republic of China (Taiwan) on their upcoming centennial anniversary of becoming the first democracy in Asia on October 10, 1911. The annual celebration of this event is known as ``Double Ten Day,'' and celebrates the start of the Wuchang Uprising which established the Republic of China. Since the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, Taiwan has been a true friend and long term ally with the United States. Both the U.S. and Taiwan have maintained strong trade ties stemming from our close friendship; I hope these ties continue to advance and expand in the future. Alaskan and Taiwanese relations are also close as Taiwan is the only country with whom Alaska has a codified relationship agreement. In 2004, leaders from both Alaska and Taiwan established the Taiwan-Alaska Trade and Investment Cooperation Council to further extend collaboration between Alaska and Taiwan. Because of this collaboration, both Alaska and Taiwan have greatly benefitted from the many cultural exchanges, and improved trade and transport relations. In fact, in 2010, Taiwan was Alaska's 16th largest export power and received $23 million in exports including forest products, energy, and machinery. However, since 2008, Alaska has exported $143 million to Taiwan making it Alaska's 9th largest trading partner over the last 3 years. I would like to congratulate Taiwan on its 100th anniversary and thank them for their role as an important strategic ally of the United States.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, over the course of many years, I have observed the work ethics, tenacity, and love of Alaska by a Pioneer of Alaska Aviation. Today, I stand in recognition and honor Mr. Cliff Everts. Mr. Everts was an instructor for the predecessor of Alaska Airlines, Alaska Star Airlines. In 1945 he joined the team of Wien Alaska flying Boeing 247s and Lockheed Lodestars hauling fuel from Barrow to Umiat and after 15 years saw an opportunity to begin his first business experience. When Wien's business plan dropped fuel delivery, he purchased one of the C-46s and continued delivering fuel to Alaska's villages. Wien was lucky to keep Mr. Everts as one of their team until 1980 when he retired after 35 years and 30,000 hours in a cockpit. Mr. Everts has flown at forty below temperatures, through dark days and nights, in snow, sleet, and rain, to supply the needs of village residents. He is a true Alaskan with a frontier spirit. One of the most interesting adventures of Cliff was delivering 110 reindeer from Nome to Colorado so that people in the ``lower forty- eight'' could experience a Santa Clause sleigh ride. Somewhere today there are decedents of one of the escapees there in Colorado along with our Alaskan wolves! Cliff also gave new meaning to ``when pigs fly'' when he delivered several dozen pigs in a C-46 from Ohio to Big Delta for a farm project. As a committed Alaskan, he realized early the opportunity in our State and the value of our resources, our people, and our commodities. He purchased surplus equipment and resold or rented it. His renowned collection of planes with historical nose art, which are still flying today, is an example in recycling and honorable use of assets, when others may have disregarded them for lack of value. Cliff has contributed to Alaska with the creation of more than one successful company; the leadership today exemplifies his integrity, values, commitment to community and family, and love for our State and Country. Cliff and his planes have provided fuel to villages and mines, while not only improving quality of life, but often saving life. Our State would be less today without you and Pioneers like him. I rise today to congratulate Mr. Cliff Everts on this day as we place a plaque and memory in perpetuity on the East Ramp of the Fairbanks International Airport.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Jerry Prevo and the 40 years of service he has given to the Anchorage Baptist Temple community in Alaska where he is the pastor of one of the State's largest and most active churches. Sporting an auditorium able to seat over 2,000 people and a regular congregation of 2,200 it is difficult to imagine the church's very humble origins. The church was founded as the Bible Baptist Church in 1956 by Missionary Don White who oversaw a congregation of 300 people until, in 1971, a young graduate of the Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, was called. In just a few short years under his careful and dutiful stewardship, Pastor Prevo saw attendance increase rapidly, until there was just no more room. He needed to do something about it. In 1973 he proposed to move the church to their present location on Northern Lights Boulevard--a magnificent 20-acre estate. The community needed a church, the church needed the community. Answering the call, the new building was built, largely, by hundreds of church members who freely volunteered their time and talents in an outstanding example of community-wide cooperation. It was then that the church was renamed Anchorage Baptist Temple. Pastor Prevo, always committed to the education of future generations, saw the opportunity to found the Anchorage Christian Schools. Within just 5 years more classrooms and a gymnasium had to be built due to its massive popularity. Decades later the school and the Children's Ministry Center consists of 26 classrooms, a 300-seat gymnasium, library, music department, computer lab, and a chemistry lab over a 350,000 square feet complex--all built from the community's generous donations with no debt incurred. The Christian School now has over 750 students as well as a Sunday school, a preschool and all-day child care. In the midst of running a school and a church the Pastor Prevo took the time to pursue a Doctor of Divinity degree at Hyles Anderson College and the Liberty Baptist Theological in 1978 and 1993, respectively. He expanded his community work to philanthropy by serving on the Board of Samaritan's Purse and on the Board of Liberty University in Virginia. Today, through three radio stations, a contemporary Christian music station, and a television station he can be seen and heard daily by over half the population of Alaska. On a personal note, Pastor Prevo has been there for me during some tough times. The loss of my wife, Lu, was sudden and painful and Pastor Prevo helped by offering the use of the Anchorage Baptist Temple and its ability to broadcast to a good portion of the State for her memorial service. In the two years since her passing I have come to rely on his spiritual leadership and guidance. As a result of his far-reaching state-wide community work and success in reforming and growing one of Alaska's largest churches, and his extensive outreach in Europe and the Middle East, the Alaska Journal of Commerce has listed him as one of the 25 most influential individuals in Alaska. Dr. Jerry Prevo has always worked hard and been nothing but loyal to his community and church and I commend him for his 40 years of service.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Again, this is Yukon Charlie, the Yukon River that was used by the Gold Rush people, has been used by Alaskans all these years without the Park Service. The State has authority over the waters. The Coast Guard has the authority for inspection. The State has the authority for registration, not the Park Service. This is navigable water that is our water. Now, the land is there on one side. But this is our water. I have not won because I may have won a temporary battle, but there can be another park ranger--rangers. There can be another park superintendent that does not listen to anyone. Then where are we?

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. The only navigable water is the Yukon.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, Members of the body, with all due respect, this is about the State's rights. This bill does not preclude the State of Alaska, the Coast Guard, or any other entity from enforcement on the Yukon River. The Park Service can still move on the river. But it does not allow them to enforce inspections of boats on the river that are private. Not in business, but private. And I have to tell you a little story about this. This is the reason I'm very adamant about it. The Park Service is for the people; it's not for the Park Service. The Park Service in Alaska has become, very frankly, I'd say, like an occupying army of a free territory. To give you an example, this man that was arrested was 70 years old with his wife, who happened to be from Germany--I'm going to bring that up a little later--and a couple. So 70 years old, 69 years old, 68 years old, on a cruise on the Yukon River in a very seaworthy boat, Coast Guard inspected. And there was another boat on the river and there was a distress signal given by the Park Service. Being a good Samaritan, they went over to help them out. As they approached the boat, they flashed their badges and said: We're the Park Service. We're going to board your vessel and inspect you for safety and registration. Think about this. A distress signal, and then: We're going to board your boat. And maritime law says you will not board a boat on a moving river. You have to put it to shore. And the guy said: Up yours; I'm going to go to shore. And that's what he did. And he gets to shore, he gets out of the boat. The rangers have already got a shotgun on a 70-year-old man, and carrying a pistol out of the holster. And as the guy walked toward them, they started to say something. He turned around and walked back. They tackled him and rolled him in the mud, a 70-year-old man. These are two young bucks-- cowboys--and handcuffed this man, this 70-year-old man, and made him sit on the shore. And they took him a great distance down the river to a village and flew him to Fairbanks--drove him to Fairbanks-- handcuffed. This is your Park Service? This is not my Park Service. Well, it did go to trial and the judge hasn't rendered his decision yet. In the first place, the State never gave them the authority to do any inspection. In the second place, they never gave them the authority--by the way, the Coast Guard did not give them authority. And they do not have jurisdiction over that water; that's State water. In every State in this Union, it's the State's water. To have the Park Service act like that is dead wrong. So I'm asking you not to support this amendment. This is an amendment that shouldn't be adopted because we have agencies today who are acting, very frankly, like occupiers. The lady I brought up was from Germany. And during the trial they asked her, the prosecution: Did you ever have a gun pointed at you? And she said: Yes, by the SS troops. Now, that gives you an idea. A 70-year-old lady and have them point a shotgun. Now, that's wrong. You say it sets a precedent; yes, it sets a precedent because it's State's waters. This amendment should not be accepted. We should leave it in the bill as it is. It's the right thing to do. I say vote down the amendment. Think about the little people. Quit thinking about these agencies. These agencies aren't God. Think about the little people. People are abused by agencies, and you're paying for them. And by the way, the one ranger, the one ranger, had a record longer than my arms, and they hired him to enforce the so-called park regulations. So I'm asking you to think about this a moment. It's the wrong amendment. This is the right thing to do. It's time we start telling these agencies: Think of the people, not the parks themselves. This is about parks and partners. And they're certainly not partners in Alaska. They say: We're going to educate Alaskans about Alaska. Now, this is a 70-year-old man that had been living there all his life. And to have that happen is dead wrong. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. To answer the gentleman, the Coast Guard has all the authority for enforcement on all waters, including all rivers. In fact, sometimes the Coast Guard is too active on the river, as far as I'm concerned. I have been on that river. Like I say, I'm a tugboat captain, a licensed mariner, and my biggest challenge to this is excessive use of the Park Service. Now, you say I won that battle. Like I said before, that doesn't keep them from trying to enforce this again over the State's objection. The State didn't give them the right to register the boats or check registrations. The Coast Guard didn't give them the right to inspect the boat. And remember this now: Here are two guys giving a distress signal and a good citizen tried to help them and they flash a badge. This sounds like you know what to me. That's not a good thing. I get very frustrated. Leave this in the bill. Let the Park Service know they no longer can trod over the people of Alaska because they are part of the Federal Government. They are the Park Service--You better listen to us--when this man was breaking no laws. This is wrong. Now, you say I have won the battle. Maybe I have. But it took a lot of effort to do it. But I haven't won the war. And they will come back. So I'm suggesting this stay in the bill as it is. It's very, very important.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Just keep in mind that the Coast Guard has its authority. As soon as this happened, I called the Coast Guard because the Park Service said the Coast Guard had granted them that authority. The Coast Guard said, No way. That's our authority. Secondly, they said, with registration, only the State has the right to register a boat--that's the same thing in your State--not any Federal agency. Remember, this is the highway of Alaska. The highway of Alaska has been used for hundreds of years, and we've gotten along very well without any Park Service all these years. By the way, I don't think there was a drowning because of a boat accident on that section of the river--in history. So why all of a sudden you're wanting me to protect the Alaskan people who do not like this, I do not understand. Very frankly, I think you're meddling. You're meddling in something that a State has a great interest in, that has said before, This is our waterway. We have a right to traverse it from Canada through Alaska, all the way down to the Bering Sea. By the way, it had an illegal boat. According to the Coast Guard, the boat they were driving was overpowered. So just leave this in the bill as it should be. I ask all of my colleagues to think about this very carefully. Do you want an agency that does not respect the rights of individuals because they work with the government or an agency that does not respect the rights of history? I don't think you do. So I'm asking for the amendment to be defeated, and I'm asking for my colleagues to understand this is a big issue in my State. It is very, very important, not only to me, but to my people--the people of the State of Alaska, who have been using that river for centuries. So let's just leave it in the bill. So let's just leave it in the bill.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Will the gentleman from Washington yield? Announcement by the Acting Chair

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. It is not their responsibility. This is the State waters.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. The river is 2,800 miles long. This is one little tiny section. This is a river that's 5 miles wide and 2,800 miles long. It's the third largest river in the United States of America that carries transportation.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Will the gentleman yield?