[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 197 (Tuesday, December 12, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H14279-H14281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         DON EDWARDS SAN FRANCISCO BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1253) to rename the San Francisco Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife 
Refuge.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1253

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SAN FRANCISCO BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE RENAMED 
                   AS DON EDWARDS SAN FRANCISCO BAY NATIONAL 
                   WILDLIFE REFUGE.

       (a) Refuge Renamed.--The San Francisco Bay National 
     Wildlife Refuge (established by the Act entitled ``An Act to 
     provide for the establishment of the San Francisco Bay 
     National Wildlife Refuge'', approved June 30, 1972 (86 Stat. 
     399 et seq.)), is hereby renamed and shall be known as ``the 
     Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in any statute, rule, 
     regulation, Executive order, publication, map, or paper or 
     other document of the United States to the San Francisco Bay 
     National Wildlife Refuge is deemed to refer to the Don 
     Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
       (c) Conforming Amendment.--The Act entitled ``An act to 
     provide for the establishment of the San Francisco Bay 
     National Wildlife Refuge'', approved June 30, 1972 (86 Stat. 
     399 et seq.), is amended by striking ``San Francisco Bay 
     National Wildlife Refuge'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife 
     Refuge''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska [Mr. Young] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Miller] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young].
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, 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. Speaker, as I watch my California colleagues 
come to the floor, I do hope that they will recognize the greatest 
compliment we can give to Mr. Edwards is to make this short. I support 
H.R. 1253, introduced by the distinguished gentleman and our former 
colleague from California, Norm Mineta.
  H.R. 1253 is a simple, noncontroversial bill that renames the San 
Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge after former Congressman Don 
Edwards.
  Don Edwards served in the House of Representatives with distinction 
for 32 years. During that time, he was successful in convincing the 
Congress to authorize the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 
to expand its boundaries, and to appropriate the necessary funds to 
acquire the more than 22,000 acres that now comprise this unit.
  The San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is the largest urban 

[[Page H14280]]
  refuge in the United States. It contains a number of valuable wetlands, 
supports hundreds of thousands of shorebirds, and the refuge is visited 
by more than 250,000 people each year.
  It is appropriate to rename this refuge after Don Edwards in 
recognition of his work and lifelong commitment to this effort. I urge 
an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 1253.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Lofgren].
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago, right after college, I came 
to Washington, DC, and I became an intern in the office of Congressman 
Don Edwards. One of the things that I did at that time was work on his 
dream to have a wildlife refuge in south San Francisco Bay.
  Because I worked on his staff, I saw perhaps a different side of the 
amount of effort that it took for Congressman Don Edwards to actually 
make this dream a reality. From calling committee chairmen every day 
for months at a time until he was heard, to working with local 
governments on zoning issues, and with the business community to make 
sure that their support would be in place, he did everything that it 
was possible to do to make this wildlife refuge a reality.
   Mr. Speaker, a lot of people know Don Edwards as a defender of civil 
liberties and civil rights and the Constitution. I heard him introduced 
as ``the Congressman representing the Constitution,'' and that is a 
legacy that he has left for our country. But this wildlife refuge is 
another legacy that he has left for our country.
  The educational center in Alviso, CA, near my district, is host to 
hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren who can learn about the wonder 
that is the bay and the marshlands, including my own children. Because 
of Don Edwards, the California clapper rail and the saltwater harvest 
marsh mouse are household names in my home, and I thank him for that.
  I thank him for all that he has done for our community, and I think 
it is fitting that the schoolchildren who go to visit the wildlife 
refuge will know of Don Edwards and know that that wonderful resource 
would not be there but for this wonderful, honorable and fine man's 
diligent efforts. I thank you, Don Edwards.
  I thank my colleagues, and I urge everyone to support this wonderful 
bill.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from California [Mr. Stark].
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman 
from Alaska for joining in bringing this bill to the floor. It honors 
one of the most wonderful persons ever to serve in the House of 
Representatives.
  Don Edwards is a great and caring environmentalist, and it is fit and 
proper that he be honored by naming the San Francisco Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge after him. His consistent strong work on behalf of the 
refuge preserves for the present and future generations one of the 
great wonders of our Nation.
  As a matter of fact, in the field of preservation, it ought to be 
noted here among his friends that Don Edwards has not done a bad job of 
preserving himself. I saw him not so long ago, and he looks fine and 
fit and I am sure he may be watching us today. It may be a very proud 
time in his life.
  As the previous speaker mentioned, Don's main work in Congress was of 
course in defense of the Bill of Rights. He indeed truly gave the 
Constitution and the Bill of Rights its own refuge, a safe haven from 
the whims and angry passions of the moment. Our rights protecting us 
against Government intrusion and abuse were given a shelter from the 
storm in Don Edwards' subcommittee. The rights of women, the right to 
pray without direction from the local majority, the right of speech, 
were all given protection and refuge by the courage and wisdom of this 
gentle Congressman from San Jose, CA.
  So anyone who has seen the vast sweep of the San Francisco Bay will 
immediately understand the importance and enduring beauty of the work 
that Don did in creating the bay refuge. It is a monument to a 
monumental Congressman. I thank the committee for bringing this bill 
forward, and join in asking my colleagues to adopt it unanimously.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi].
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my strong support for the 
legislation offered by the distinguished chairman of the full 
committee, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] and the ranking 
member, the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], and thank them for 
giving this opportunity to us to honor a great person who served in 
this Congress, indeed, a great American, Don Edwards. It is appropriate 
that H.R. 1253 would rename the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge after 
the dean of the California delegation, the former dean, Don Edwards.
  Heeding the admonition of the chairman of the committee, I will be 
brief, Mr. Speaker, because indeed as you can see, many of us from 
California in particular but from all over the country could speak all 
day about Don Edwards. As I say, he loved the Constitution, he loved 
this country, both in its ideas and its physical beauty as well.
  The chairman of the full committee went into detail about what the 
bill would do and why it was important for that legislation to exist 
and this renaming to take place. I just want to reiterate one concept, 
that it is now the largest urban refuge in the United States and is 
visited by over 250,000 people each year.
  Renaming the refuge after Congressman Edwards is a fitting token, 
certainly not enough for the contribution that he has made to this 
country but a fitting token of appreciation to him for his leadership 
and the hard work that he did to make this.
  As our colleague, the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Lofgren], said 
earlier, for generations to come children who visit the refuge will now 
know who Don Edwards is, for ages to come, and the valuable 
contribution that he made to our country.
  In that spirit, I wish to once again commend the chairman of the full 
committee, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], and the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Miller] for their leadership in making this vote 
possible today.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1253, to name the 
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge for our distinguished former 
colleague, Don Edwards, who represented the 16th Congressional District 
of California in this House for three decades.
  This is a difficult time in the history of political discourse in our 
Nation. Rhetoric is inflamed, partisanship persistent, and open anger 
barely under control as we wrestle with issues that will determine the 
future course of this Nation and of millions of its most vulnerable 
citizens. I think it can be fairly said that both parties share the 
blame for that condition, as do members of the press who pursue the 
outlandish, the acerbic, and the meanspirited remark.
  Don Edwards, who left this Chamber for the last time only a year ago, 
already seems of a different age--an age when legislators could 
disagree without being disagreeable, even in discussions of issues that 
bitterly divided them from each other. He was distinguished without 
being pompous, fairminded without being neutral, and patriotic without 
being chauvinistic.
  When we think of Don Edwards' legislative achievements, we often 
think of his work on the Judiciary Committee and especially his 
chairmanship of the Constitutional Rights Subcommittee. He was a man 
who could simultaneously champion the constitutional rights of our most 
despised citizens, while advocating strong punishment of criminal 
behavior. We also think of his work on international issues, and his 
deep devotion to peace and an end to the arms race and cold war.
  But Don had another great love: the preservation of the wetlands and 
habitat of San Francisco Bay that had been so affected by decades of 
development, landfill, and pollution. He fought for the creation of the 
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and it is that refuge that 
we seek to name for him today.

[[Page H14281]]

  Congress authorized the establishment of a 23,000 acre national 
wildlife refuge in south San Francisco Bay in 1972. On October 28, 
1988, President Reagan signed Public Law 100-556 authorizing the 
acquisition of an additional 20,000 acres, for a total of 43,000 acres. 
The Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the environmental 
assessment process for the refuge additions, and work is underway to 
acquire property for this regional resource.
  The objectives of the refuge are to protect the wildlife resources of 
the south San Francisco Bay area, provide wildlife-oriented recreation, 
and preserve a natural area in close proximity to a large urban center. 
The marshes, mudflats, open water, and salt ponds form an ecosystem 
which supports a rich diversity of fish and wildlife. It is a major 
nesting and feeding area for waterfowl and shorebirds, hauling out 
ground for the harbor seal and habitat for three endangered species. 
The refuge has more than 300,000 visitors annually participating in the 
many opportunities for fishing, animal and bird observation, research 
and environmental education.
  This great bay area resources exists, in no small part, thanks to the 
tireless work of Don Edwards, and it is altogether right and fitting 
that he be memorialized by having it named in his honor. Both those who 
were fortunate enough to have served with Don, and those who never got 
to know this consummate legislator and statesman, pay tribute to a life 
of public service by voting to pass this legislation and, in doing so, 
we help to honor this House and our profession as legislators.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery].
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me 
the time. I certainly want to congratulate the committee and certainly 
know this bill will pass with a unanimous vote in naming the San 
Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge after Dan Edwards, a great 
friend of ours.
  Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of serving with Don Edwards for a 
number of years. He was a wonderful Member, a fine friend of ours. He 
is enjoying life in traveling and visiting friends.
  Mr. Speaker, he was the vice chairman of the House Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs when I was chairman of this great committee. He was a 
person easy to work with. In fact he could have been the chairman of 
the Veterans Affairs Committee but he had to take another committee 
assignment.
  I wish that sometime that we could name something else for Don 
Edwards in the veterans' field, because he was very supportive of all 
veterans' programs. I am proud to have had the privilege of working 
with him, so I congratulate the committee, and I rise in strong support 
for naming this refuge the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson].
  (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to add to those who thought that 
Don Edwards was one of the finest individual Members ever to set foot 
in this House of Representatives; his decency, compassion in many 
fields. I just think this is an important tribute. I want to 
congratulate the chairman and the ranking member for taking this 
action.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to say that those of us 
from the bay area certainly believe that we honor our area by naming 
this grand refuge after Don Edwards, for all of his work.
  We also believe, and I think those who had the pleasure of serving 
with Don and his wife Edie believe that we honor our institution when 
we think of the grace and the courage that they both brought to public 
life, in their combined service in and on behalf of so many people who 
strongly needed the attention of the Government to help make their 
lives better. People knew that you could always call on Don Edwards and 
on Edie to provide a voice, to provide support, to provide commitment.
  So this is a very proud day for those of us who served with Don and 
Edie, and certainly those of us from the San Francisco Bay area and 
from California, as we think we honor ourselves as an institution and 
Members of the institution and our region with this naming.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I can only echo what has been said about Donny Edwards. 
He called me Donny Young, he was Donny Edwards. In fact, I had an 
amendment to the bill. I was going to strike out Edwards and put 
``Young'' after ``Don'' in each one of them. I am confident that would 
kill the bill for sure.
  But in reality, I would like to suggest that he was an asset to this 
House when he served, the time that he served with distinction. I know 
this area, being from California, and being much wiser in going to 
Alaska. I recognize the importance of this area.
  This is a tribute to Mr. Edwards and his support. Maybe someday after 
I have left this great House, they will be able to take and name the 
refuge after me.
  Just keep that in mind, my fellow colleagues.
  I again want to express my support for this legislation in 
recognition of a good friend that left here. Although he and I were not 
many times on the same sides of issues, he was a gentleman and indeed 
he brought a great deal of respect to this House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the 
gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] for all his help and cooperation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, in 1972, Congressman Don Edwards sponsored 
legislation to establish the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife 
Refuge. In subsequent years, the Congressman was successful in securing 
funds to acquire land for the refuge and to expand the boundaries of 
that unit.
  The San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is more than 21,000 
acres, it is a key wintering area for diving ducks along the Pacific 
flyway, and it supports hundreds of thousands of shorebirds. 
Furthermore, the refuge is comprised of valuable wetlands located 
around the bay and it is heavily visited by more than 250,000 people 
who enjoy its facilities each year. The San Francisco Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge is the largest urban refuge in the United States.
  H.R. 1253 was introduced by then Representative Norm Mineta on March 
15, 1995. It was the subject of a subcommittee hearing on May 25, and 
the sole purpose of this legislation is to rename the refuge as the Don 
Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is recognition of 
the former Congressman's commitment and dedication to its success.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. It is a fitting tribute to a man 
who tirelessly worked for the good of this refuge for over 20 years. I 
urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 1253.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 1253.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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