[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 203 (Monday, December 18, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H14965-H14966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       STUTTGART NATIONAL AQUACULTURE RESEARCH CENTER ACT OF 1995

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 33) to transfer the fish farming experimental laboratory in 
Stuttgart, AR, to the Department of Agriculture, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 33

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,
     
[[Page H14966]]


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Stuttgart National 
     Aquaculture Research Center Act of 1995''.

     SEC. 2 TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS TO THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.

       (a) Title of Public Law 85-342.--The title of Public Law 
     85-342 (16 U.S.C. 778 et seq.) is amended by striking 
     ``Secretary of the Interior'' and inserting ``Secretary of 
     Agriculture.''.
       (b) Authorization.--The first section of Public Law 85-342 
     (16 U.S.C. 778) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Secretary of the Interior'' and all that 
     follows through ``directed'' and inserting ``Secretary of 
     Agriculture is authorized and directed'';
       (2) by striking ``station and stations'' and inserting ``1 
     or more centers''; and
       (3) in paragraph (5), by striking ``Department of 
     Agriculture'' and inserting ``Secretary of the Interior''.
       (c) Authority.--Section 2 of Public Law 85-342 (16 U.S.C. 
     778a) is amended by striking ``, the Secretary'' and all that 
     follows through ``authorized'' and inserting ``, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture is authorized''.
       (d) Assistance.--Section 3 of Public Law 85-342 (16 U.S.C. 
     778b) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Secretary of the Interior'' and inserting 
     ``Secretary of Agriculture''; and
       (2) by striking ``Department of Agriculture'' and inserting 
     ``Secretary of the Interior''.

     SEC. 3. TRANSFER OF FISH FARMING EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY TO 
                   DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

       (a) Designation of Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research 
     Center.--
       (1) In general.--The Fish Farming Experimental Laboratory 
     in Stuttgart, Arkansas, shall be known and designated as the 
     ``Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center''.
       (2) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     laboratory referred to in paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be a 
     reference to the ``Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research 
     Center''.
       (b) Transfer of Laboratory to the Department of 
     Agriculture.--Subject to section 1531 of title 31, United 
     States Code, not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, there are transferred to the 
     Department of Agriculture--
       (1) the personnel employed in connection with the 
     laboratory referred to in subsection (a);
       (2) the assets, liabilities, contracts, and real and 
     personal property of the laboratory;
       (3) the records of the laboratory; and
       (4) the unexpended balance of appropriations, 
     authorizations, allocations and other funds employed, held, 
     arising from, available to, or to be made available in 
     connection with the laboratory.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey [Mr. Saxton] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] will be recognized for 20 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Saxton].
  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 support the adoption of H.R. 33, 
introduced by our colleague from Arkansas, Blanche Lambert Lincoln.
  The purpose of this legislation is to transfer the fish farming 
experimental laboratory in Stuttgart, AR, from the Department of the 
Interior to the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] and to rename 
that facility to more accurately reflect the true nature of the work 
performed there.
  The bill was the subject of a hearing before my Subcommittee of 
Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans on September 21, and there was 
overwhelming support for this measure.
  This laboratory, which was first established in 1960, has conducted 
important research and development on various techniques for the 
commercial production of catfish, baitfish, and other finfishes, which 
have been worth in excess of $600 million.
  In addition, the laboratory houses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service's triploid grass carp certification inspection program, which 
has provided services to fish producers in over 30 States.
  Finally, both the administration and the Appropriations Committee 
have recommended that this laboratory be transferred to the Department 
of Agriculture. The vast majority of those who use the laboratory are 
farmers and it seems to me that USDA should be assigned responsibility 
over its functions.
  I am not aware of any controversy over this legislation and I urge an 
``aye'' vote on H.R. 33.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill, as has just been said, is utterly without 
controversy, although I must say it is a little bit embarrassing to be 
standing here debating this when approximately 4 minutes ago the agency 
in question was shut down because of our inability to act like 
grownups.
  But the bill is without controversy, as the gentleman has so 
correctly pointed out.
  I urge Members to support it.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 33, which 
will transfer the Stuttgart Fish Farming Experimental Laboratory in 
Arkansas from the Department of the Interior to the Department of 
Agriculture.
  This Laboratory has been instrumental in the development of various 
techniques for the commercial production of catfish, baitfish, and 
other finfishes worth in excess of $600 million.
  Furthermore, this facility conducts extensive research on warmwater 
aquaculture and, since the vast majority of those who utilize Stuttgart 
are farmers, the Department of Agriculture is a logical home for this 
laboratory.
  Based on the testimony received, it is clear that this transfer is 
not controversial and is strongly supported by all of the affected 
parties. I, therefore, urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation and I 
compliment our distinguished colleague from Arkansas, Blanche Lambert 
Lincoln, for her leadership in this matter.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SAXTON. 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 New Jersey [Mr. Saxton] that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 33.
  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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