[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2069-H2070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HISTORIC CHATTAHOOCHEE COMPACT
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2064) to grant the consent of Congress to an amendment of the
historic Chattahoochee compact between the States of Alabama and
Georgia.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 2064
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. CONSENT OF CONGRESS TO THE HISTORIC CHATTAHOOCHEE
COMPACT BETWEEN THE STATES OF ALABAMA AND
GEORGIA.
The consent of Congress is given to the amendment of
articles I, II, and III of the Historic Chattahoochee Compact
between the States of Alabama and Georgia, which articles, as
amended, read as follows:
``ARTICLE I
``The purpose of this compact is to promote the cooperative
development of the Chattahoochee valley's full potential for
historic preservation and tourism and to establish a joint
interstate authority to assist in these efforts.
``ARTICLE II
``This compact shall become effective immediately as to the
States ratifying it whenever the States of Alabama and
Georgia have ratified it and Congress has given consent
thereto.
``ARTICLE III
``The States which are parties to this compact (hereinafter
referred to as `party States') do hereby establish and create
a joint agency which shall be known as the Historic
Chattahoochee Commission (hereinafter referred to as the
`Commission'). The Commission shall consist of 28 members who
shall be bona fide residents and qualified voters of the
party States and counties served by the Commission. Election
for vacant seats shall be by majority vote of the voting
members of the Commission board at a regularly scheduled
meeting. In Alabama, two shall be residents of Barbour
County, two shall be residents of Russell County, two
shall be residents of Henry County, two shall be residents
of Chambers County, two shall be residents of Lee County,
two shall be residents of Houston County, and two shall be
residents of Dale County. In Georgia, one shall be a
resident of Troup County, one shall be a resident of
Harris County, one shall be a resident of Muscogee County,
one shall be a resident of Chattahoochee County, one shall
be a resident of Stewart County, one shall be a resident
of Randolph County, one shall be a resident of Clay
County, one shall be a resident of Quitman County, one
shall be a resident of Early County, one shall be a
resident of Seminole County, and one shall be a resident
of Decatur County. In addition, there shall be three at-
large members who shall be selected from any three of the
Georgia member counties listed above. The Commission at
its discretion may appoint as many advisory members as it
deems necessary from any Georgia or Alabama County, which
is located in the Chattahoochee Valley area. The
contribution of each party State shall be in equal
amounts. If the party States fail to appropriate equal
amounts to the Commission during any given fiscal year,
voting membership on the Commission board shall be
determined as follows: The State making the larger
appropriation shall be entitled to full voting membership.
The total number of members from the other State shall be
divided into the amount of the larger appropriation and
the resulting quotient
[[Page H2070]]
shall be divided into the amount of the smaller
appropriation. The then resulting quotient, rounded to the
next lowest whole number, shall be the number of voting
members from the State making the smaller contribution.
The members of the Commission from the State making the
larger contribution shall decide which of the members from
the other State shall serve as voting members, based upon
the level of tourism, preservation, promotional activity,
and general support of the Commission's activities by and
in the county of residence of each of the members of the
State making the smaller appropriation. Such determination
shall be made at the next meeting of the Commission
following September 30 of each year. Members of the
Commission shall serve for terms of office as follows: Of
the 14 Alabama members, one from each of said counties
shall serve for two years and the remaining member of each
county shall serve for four years. Upon the expiration of
the original terms of office of Alabama members, all
successor Alabama members shall be appointed for four-year
terms of office, with seven vacancies in the Alabama
membership occurring every two years. Of the 14 Georgia
members, seven shall serve four-year terms and seven two-
year terms for the initial term of this compact. The terms
of the individual Georgia voting members shall be
determined by their place in the alphabet by alternating
the four- and two-year terms beginning with Chattahoochee
County, four years, Clay County, two years, Decatur
County, four years, etc. Upon the expiration of the
original terms of office of Georgia members, all successor
Georgia members shall be appointed for four-year terms of
office, with seven vacancies in the Georgia membership
occurring every two years. Of the three Georgia at-large
board members, one shall serve a four-year term and two
shall serve two-year terms.
``All board members shall serve until their successors are
appointed and qualified. Vacancies shall be filled by the
voting members of the Commission. The first chairman of the
commission created by this compact shall be elected by the
board of directors from among its voting membership. Annually
thereafter, each succeeding chairman shall be selected by the
members of the Commission. The chairmanship shall rotate each
year among the party States in order of their acceptance of
this compact. Members of the Commission shall serve without
compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for
actual expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of
the Commission.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas] and the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Reed]
will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas].
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the question recurs on the need for congressional action
on a compact that has heretofore been entered into between two States.
In this particular case, the instant legislation is one where a
contract or compact had been entered into between Alabama and Georgia
as required by our Constitution.
The problem was that in 1978 when they created this Historic
Chattahoochee Commission, a Bi-State Heritage and Tourism Agency which
serves 11 Georgia and 7 Alabama counties along the Lower Chattahoochee
River, the States recently found that they wanted to change the
nomination process for the commission's board, so in 1993 they each
enacted an amendment, Georgia on the one hand, Alabama on the other
hand. Their legislatures acted, and now they come to us to seek
approval through the constitutional process.
We in the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law heard
testimony on this legislation and reported it to the full Committee on
the Judiciary on October 19. The Committee on the Judiciary reported
favorably on the bill by voice vote, and we are here.
Neither I nor anyone that I know of has any objection to the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, again I rise in support of this legislation. I know of
no objections to this legislation. As the gentleman from Pennsylvania
has explained, H.R. 2064 amends the Chattahoochee compact between the
States of Alabama and Georgia to change the method for filling
vacancies on the Historic Chattahoochee Commission. The bill was
introduced by the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Everett], along with the
gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Bevill], the gentleman from Georgia [Mr.
Bishop], the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Browder], the gentleman from
Alabama [Mr. Cramer], and the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Hilliard].
Mr. Speaker, I urge its passage and I am glad that I can participate
in this historic event.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Everett], who was instrumental in bringing
this matter to the attention of the House of Representatives.
Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, the Historic Chattahoochee Commission is
involved in activities to promote tourism in the lower Chattahoochee
River area, that encompasses 7 counties in Alabama and 11 counties in
Georgia. The commission has been very successful in these endeavors,
which prompted the National Trust for Historic Preservation to identify
this commission as a model heritage tourism organization.
The legislation before the House, H.R. 2064, grants congressional
consent to approve the changes made by the Alabama and Georgia
Legislatures in 1993 to an interstate compact. The changes made to the
compact simplify the way the Historic Chattahoochee Commission appoints
its board members. Currently, the 28 board members, 14 from each State,
are appointed by a cumbersome process involving an historical
commission or similar body of each county to make the appointment.
The problem is that some counties do not have an historical
organization, while other counties have several historical
organizations, which has led to confusing and time consuming
proceedings.
This legislation amends the process by making the election of
commissioners to vacant seats by majority vote of the voting members of
the commission. Some members are nonvoting.
Since Congress originally approved this compact back in 1978, both
the Alabama and Georgia attorneys general have determined that the
Historic Chattahoochee Commission cannot use the amended appointment
process without the approval of Congress. This legislation is obviously
supported by the States of Alabama and Georgia, and I am aware of no
opposition.
Mr. Speaker, these changes will certainly enable the commission to
place more of their efforts on promoting tourism in this area of
Alabama and Georgia, and I urge the swift adoption of this legislation.
Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I note an overwhelming absence of other
speakers and, therefore, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas] that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2064.
The question was taken.
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
general leave
Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on the bill just considered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
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