[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H12023-H12032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page H12023]]



         OMNIBUS PARKS AND PUBLIC LANDS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1996

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4236) to provide for the administration of certain 
Presidio properties at minimal cost to the Federal taxpayer, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:
  [The bill was not available for printing. It will appear in a future 
issue of the Record.]
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska [Mr. Young] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller] each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young].
  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the chance to bring 
to the floor the biggest and most important parks and public lands 
package since 1978. In addition to provisions for protection of some of 
the most important natural landmarks, historic places and landscapes in 
the country, it includes a landmark bipartisan effort led by 
Representative Bill Baker to protect the California Bay-Delta, a 
priority for both sides of the aisle. This package is chock full of 
solutions to local problems which have been brought to the attention of 
the committee by individual Members of the House or the other body.
  Before a brief outline of the bills' many fine points, I am compelled 
to give a short history of how we arrived at such a massive package at 
this point in the session. Frankly, it was a few Members of the other 
body's fault. Though the Resource Committee has sent scores of 
individual bills to the Senate, holds by certain Members on these 
measures stopped the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources from 
moving individual or even small groups of bills for months. This 
hostage taking became so bad that when a large package of bills was 
finally freed in that body and attached to a Presidio bill we sent 
them, we made a conscious decision to try to place many of the bills 
stuck over there in this package. They followed suit.
  As a result, many items were considered through this process, and 
some remain while others were dropped. I believe we have achieved a 
package which will benefit many Members, States and people throughout 
the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I will also say I have Members that have been 
disappointed, such as myself, because I think this administration deals 
with a forked tongue. Every time we reach an agreement, they would move 
the goalposts. I am not sure, maybe my good friend, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Miller], knows we reached an agreement, and already the 
White House has tried to undo it. Already there are phone calls being 
made from the White 
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[[Page H12024]]


House to individual Members saying ``Oh, this has to be changed,'' 
after they signed off. That is not the way we should be doing business 
in this body.
  A few highlights are in order: As I mentioned before, this bill has 
the monumental authorization for the environmental enhancement of the 
San Francisco Bay-Delta introduced by Congressman Bill Baker.
  In addition, it creates new units at Tallgrass Prairie National 
Preserve in Kansas; Nicodemus National Historic site in Kansas; New 
Bedford National Historic Park in Massachusetts and Boston Harbor 
Islands in Massachusetts.
  It also protects important Historic Sites like Manzanar National 
Historic Site in California and Independence Hall in Philadelphia 
through boundary adjustments. It celebrates the Selma to Montgomery 
civil rights march trail and reauthorizes the National Council on 
Historic Preservation.
  It provides for the protection of Sterling Forest to protect the 
watershed for New Jersey and New York.
  It finalizes a creative approach to the management and funding for 
the new Presido Park in San Francisco; it protects rivers, from the 
Columbia in Washington to the Lamprey in New Hampshire; it helps out 
Olympic effort in the 2002 Olympics in Utah with its solution to the 
Snowbasin facility problems; it also resolves long standing necessary 
administrative reforms in the National Park Service; and it also solves 
many, many longstanding local problems, from helping the children of 
the Alpine School District in J.D. Hayworth's district with a land 
grant in Arizona, to solving a problem in Congresswoman Seastrand's 
district by rounding out the Channel Islands National Park.
  While I am pleased we have the bill before us, let me say that just 
as important as the things in the bill, are the things which are not in 
the bill. Many of our Members, including myself, would have liked to 
have more in the bill, but we have deleted many provisions, based upon 
Administration and Member objections. This includes a grazing provision 
very important to family ranchers and the Representatives in the public 
land west and a provision to save over 1,000 jobs in my district in 
Alaska in the timber industry.
  Mr. Speaker, this is late in the session. I hope though Members will 
understand, each and every one of the them, we will be back. As long as 
I am chairman, and I believe that will happen, we will again address 
those issues we were unable to obtain in this legislation, and it will 
happen very early in the session. We hope we will be able to urge our 
Senators to act with a little more responsibility.
  Again, may I suggest there are over 43 Republican projects in the 
bill and there are over 54 Democrat projects in this bill, and if that 
is not a bipartisan effort, I do not know what is.
  Mr. Speaker, many good provisions have been dropped from this bill to 
ensure its passage at this late hour, largely in response to concerns 
expressed by the Clinton White House, the minority and other Members. 
That is a shame, because many of these provisions were real but we 
intend to bring them back as soon as possible next year and fix them. I 
urge Members to support the bill.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to all of you to understand one 
thing. We are going to vote on this legislation. I hope I do not see 
the fingerprints of the administration. Then it goes over to the other 
body to act on this legislation, and it is probably the only chance we 
have. There is a slight chance that we may have the conference up yet 
before this session is over, if we do not get out of here tonight, and 
God help us, I hope we get out of here tonight.
  The Congress has been told that this will be vetoed by this 
administration. I do not think they will veto this. If they do, they 
are being very, very foolish.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment the staffs that were working on 
this very hard. I want to say this to the minority and majority side: I 
think we have worked out something that every Member will have some 
responsibilities for and can take home and say we have done our job.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds].
  (Mr. STUDDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I mostly would like to thank a number of my 
colleagues: the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], the gentleman 
from Alaska [Mr. Young], the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Regula], the 
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen], and many, many others.
  For those who think that the only true reflection of this House is 
some of the partisan fire that preceded this debate a few moments ago, 
I would ask them to reflect on what is transpiring now. This is the 
House at its best. This is substantive, nonpartisan legislating about 
things that matter, where people who have been colleagues and friends 
for many, many years come together to do things that we are all here to 
do.
  The gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], I know what he meant when he 
said there are so many Republican projects and so many Democrat 
projects in this bill. What he meant, I know, is that this has been 
approached in an utterly bipartisan fashion. I do not know a project in 
this bill that can be characterized frankly as a Republican or Democrat 
project. I know the many projects in Alaska. I know the Boston Harbor 
islands in my own State to which the gentleman referred. There are 31 
islands there, and so far as I know none of them has a partisan 
registration affiliated with it.
  What we do here speaks to history, speaks to culture, speaks to 
aesthetics and speaks the environment; speaks to everything that is 
best in this House. And in this, undoubtedly my final moments of 
speaking on the floor after more years than I would care to reflect, I 
extend a warm personal thank you to Don Young of Alaska, George Miller 
of California, Jim Hansen of Utah, Ralph Regula of Ohio, and Sherwood 
Boehlert of New York. Many, many others have worked on this bill, so 
many others for so many years. This is this institution at its 
nonpartisan best, and Members ought to be very, very proud of what we 
do now.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with that real pride that I do something which 
many of us find very hard to do which is sit down.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Skaggs].
  Mr. SKAGGS. Mr. Speaker, I am very glad that we are again acting to 
protect an extraordinary stretch of wild lands in Colorado, the North 
St. Vrain Creek watershed, extending from its headwaters in the Rocky 
Mountain National Park into the national forests area west of Longmont 
in the mountains.
  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work of the gentleman from Alaska and 
of the many others who have gone through one of the more extraordinary 
dances of parliamentary maneuvering in getting this package put 
together in the last minutes of this Congress. I am delighted that we 
are now going to be able to protect this area, not just for Coloradans 
on the Front Range, but all Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit the following for the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, I'm very glad that we are again acting to approve 
legislation that includes provisions to protect North St. Vrain Creek, 
the largest remaining roadless canyon along Colorado's Front Range.
  The effect will be to prevent construction of new dams on North St. 
Vrain creek as it flows through Rocky Mountain National Park and the 
Roosevelt National Forest, and will clarify public land ownership along 
the creek. Both of these provisions are based on freestanding 
legislation that I introduced last year, and I appreciate the inclusion 
of the North St. Vrain Protection Act in this bill.
  North St. Vrain Creek, fed by countless rivulets and wild 
tributaries, is the primary stream flowing from the southeastern 
portion of Rocky Mountain National Park. From its beginnings at the 
continental divide, in snowfields near Long's peak, it courses through 
waterfalls and cascades in the Wild Basin area of the park. After 
leaving the park, the creek cuts a narrow, deep canyon until it reaches 
the Ralph Price Reservoir.
  The watershed includes habitat for bighorn sheep, deer, elk, and 
mountain lions; for peregrine falcons, owls, hawks and songbirds; for 
native fish, insects, and other small creatures; and for a dazzling 
diversity of aquatic, riparian, and mountain plants. It provides 
popular hiking, fishing, and hunting terrain relatively near to some of 
Colorado's larger cities.

[[Page H12025]]

  The stream, surrounded by a thousand shades of greenery cooled by the 
mist of tumbling water, provides a profound sense of refreshment, of 
inspiration, and of wonder. This joining of land and water is 
exceptional, even for Colorado--which is no small distinction.
  The North St. Vrain should be kept free of additional dams and 
impoundments. To that end, my bill's provisions, now included in this 
bill, incorporate the recommendations of a citizens' advisory 
committee, which I appointed in conjunction with the Boulder County 
Commissioners. That committee spent over 5 years developing a consensus 
proposal on how to protect the creek and canyon while protecting local 
property and water rights.
  Thus, these provisions represent a great deal of work by Coloradans--
especially the 50 people who took part in 103 advisory committee 
meetings and performed over 300 hours of independent research. Another 
600 people attended 12 public hearings on the proposal. I've never 
known such a dedicated and conscientious group of public servants as 
the unpaid members of this North St. Vrain Advisory Committee. They 
know the creek and its environs as thoroughly as any group of citizens 
anywhere knows a particular area in the United States.
  The advisory committee reached four principal conclusions:
  First, that the North St. Vrain Creek is deserving of National Wild 
and Scenic River status, but that it would be premature to seek 
legislation to so designate it, pending development of consensus on 
that point. This bill would not preclude such a designation later.
  Second, that, for now a permanent prohibition should be placed on 
Federal approval or assistance for the construction of dams on the 
creek and on any part of its national park tributaries.
  Third, that the National Park Service and the Forest Service should 
move promptly to reach agreement with the city of Longmont, CO, 
regarding Federal acquisition of lands the city owns along the creek.
  And, fourth, that a series of the committee's recommendations should 
be followed in managing the Federal lands along the creek.
  Three of these proposals are specified in the bill's language. I have 
submitted, as part of the hearing record, two documents related to the 
fourth proposal, regarding management of the relevant lands. One is a 
copy of the advisory committee's final report, and the other is a copy 
of the advisory committee's management plan outline. I will also 
present these documents to the Forest Service and National Park Service 
when they develop future management plans for the creek and adjoining 
lands.
  The primary theme of these documents is that Federal management 
decisions should retain the current types and levels of recreational 
uses of the public lands in the corridor along North St. Vrain Creek. 
This can be done by restricting the expansion of trails and 
campgrounds, and through strategic land acquisitions to protect natural 
features from damage that would come from expanded or excessive uses. 
The documents also support continued good stewardship on private lands 
in the corridor under the guidance and control of Boulder County's 
land-use regulations, as well as continued protection against trespass.
  Mr. Speaker, I introduced this legislation not only because of my 
belief in the importance of protecting the North St. Vrain, but also 
because of my firm conviction that the hundreds of Coloradans who have 
worked toward that goal have crafted a sound, effective consensus 
measure. Its provisions are good, clear, and straightforward, and they 
have the strong support of the people in the area. I urge the House to 
approve this bill, so that, with its enactment into law, the wonder of 
North St. Vrain Creek will be protected for all time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Utah [Mr. Hansen].
  (Mr. HANSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HANSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to the chairman of the full 
committee for yielding to me. I appreciate the kind words of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts, who has been a gentleman to deal with on 
the committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that I do not know if Members 
of this House realize how many hundreds and hundreds of hours have gone 
into this. In the committee that I chair, the Subcommittee on National 
Parks, Forests and Lands, we have looked at over 100 pieces of 
legislation. We have held countless, countless hearings and markups, 
and it is sad that a lot of those things cannot come to pass. We wish 
they could, but they do not in this bill, but this is a good bill. This 
has a lot of good things in it.
  I hope the folks realize that 37 out of the 50 States will be 
affected by this piece of legislation. Over 100 Members will be 
affected by this piece of legislation: things that many of us have been 
waiting to see come to pass in California, the Presidio bill, something 
we wondered, how do we handle this park that has been turned over by 
one sentence put in there by Phil Burton many years ago? In the event 
that the Army ever gives this up, what are going to do with it? It goes 
to the park system. However, it is not a park but it costs us $25 
million a year. In here, we have a piece of legislation that takes care 
of this problem, which I compliment my friends California and others 
working in a bipartisan manner in handling this particular area.
  We have some things about the 2002 winter games. It was not too long 
ago that over in Budapest all of those folks from America, all over the 
48 lower States, were standing there and the gentleman got up and he 
made the statement, and he said the winter games for 2002 shall go to 
the City of Salt Lake. The place erupted, and who got on the television 
to talk about it? President Clinton go on, bless his heart, and he said 
``I will do everything in my power to expedite the 2002 winter games.''
  We will surely appreciate him signing this piece of legislation so a 
very, very minor land exchange can come about which will facilitate 
that, and 3 billion people around the globe will stand there and look 
at the downhill. For 100 years people will say so-and-so won the day 
going down this great, glorious and probably the best in the world 
downhill that we have got in the 2002 winter games, another piece of 
good legislation that is in this particular package.

                              {time}  1800

  There are just countless pieces of things that many Members are 
interested in. I am a little concerned about some of the phone calls 
many of us are getting regarding what we colloquially refer to as 
heritage areas. In most of thee heritage areas this language is in 
there.
  I hope the folks from the West who are concerned are listening to 
this. No provision of this title shall be construed to impose any 
environmental, occupational safety or other rule, regulation standards 
or permit process that is differential from those that would be 
applicable had a national heritage area not been established.
  So these great concerns of somebody swooping in and immediately 
taking over their ground is not really going to happen. I hope my good 
friends from that area totally understand that.
  We have boundary adjustments in here. We have things of historical 
significance and we have things about civil areas. So we are very proud 
of this legislation. No one is ever 100 percent happy. Politics is the 
art of compromise. I look around this room and look at all the people 
who have compromised on this bill, and I know how that occurs.
  I just want to say that on this thing I am very pleased to be a part 
of it. I appreciate all the people from the minority and majority side, 
Chairman Young, Ranking Member Miller, and others who have worked 
diligently with us on this piece of legislation.
  I urge its support.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Montana [Mr. Williams].
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I want to note for my colleagues as well 
as my fellow Montanans that a long sought after land exchange called 
the Lost Creek land exchange involving directly approximately 14,000 
acres of bighorn sheep habitat in a critical area in Montana is 
included in this bill. The trade is not without significant support and 
some opposition in Montana. I recognize that opposition.
  I note for my colleagues, however, that the trade has received the 
bipartisan agreement of the two Democrats and the one Republican who 
make up the Montana congressional delegation. I and my two colleagues 
in the Senate will be working with the Forest Service to try to 
mitigate any concern that some in the timber industry have about this 
land exchange, but it clearly is in the best interest of the land, the 
people and the bighorn sheep of Montana. I thank my colleagues for 
agreeing to do this in the House. It turned out to be impossible to get 
it done in the Senate.

[[Page H12026]]

  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes and 30 
seconds to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi].
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  I, too, want to join my colleagues in commending the leadership of 
the committee for the bipartisan cooperation and effort that has been 
made to bring this legislation to the floor. To say that our 
differences have been hammered out is probably a good word to use, but 
they have and we are here.
  I want to particularly acknowledge the leadership of the gentleman of 
Alaska, Chairman Young, and the gentleman from Utah, Chairman Hansen, 
as well as the gentleman from California, George Miller, our champion 
for the Presidio. Of course we would not be here today without the full 
cooperation of the gentleman from Ohio, Chairman Ralph Regula, and the 
gentleman from Illinois, Sid Yates, the ranking member. I am grateful 
to them for all of their assistance in keeping the Presido going so 
that we this day can cross over a point where we reduce the cost to the 
taxpayer.
  I also want to state that the support for the Presidio as it is 
bipartisan, it is bicameral and we have a great deal of support in the 
other body under the leadership of two great Senators, Senator Barbara 
Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein. In our community the support is 
bipartisan as well.
  One of our strongest and most staunch supporters, unfortunately, will 
not be able to enjoy this day with us. His name is Jim Harvey, a former 
chairman of the board of the TransAmerica Corporation, who died in 
early June. Jim was largely responsible for creating the Presidio 
council in 1991 which organized national support and philanthropic as 
well as pro bono donations to the Presidio as a national park.
  I will for the record, Mr. Speaker, present some of the 
accomplishments of Jim Harvey. I just want to say that it is as though 
Jim Harvey truly appreciated what Thoreau asserted many years ago: 
Goodness is the only investment that never fails. Jim Harvey was a good 
man. He will be pleased with our progress today.
  This legislation is important in terms of the Presidio as it 
recognizes the Presidio's worth as a national park as well as the need 
to streamline the management into a cost-effective structure for the 
American taxpayer. The Presidio trust brings a new approach to the 
Presidio that incorporates the best of the National Park Service and 
the best at real estate management into an alliance that will realize 
the best of the Presidio.
  Under this trust we will be able to give maximum access to the 
American people to enjoy the Presidio as a national park with minimum 
cost to the American taxpayer.
  The most eloquent spokesperson for the Presidio is the Presidio 
itself. So I hope that all of our colleagues will visit to see its 
magnificent scenic beauty, enjoy the military history and, for the 
history buffs here, also the great environmental worth that the 
Presidio has.
  Passing the Presidio trust bill as part of this omnibus bill is not 
the final act, but does open the curtain to a wonderful production that 
we can all be proud of. Phillip Burton's legacy lives on.
  The gentleman, Mr. Hansen, recognized the goal of Phillip Burton in 
authorizing the Presidio as a national park. I feel as the person who 
serves in Congress in Phillip Burton's seat that we have a 
responsibility to Phillip's legacy to make this a great national park. 
In doing so, and in closing, I want to acknowledge the work of Judy 
Lemons of my staff. Many staff people worked very, very hard on this. 
But Judy was present at the birth of Golden Gate national recreation 
area of which the Presidio will become a part. She has worked every day 
to preserve the integrity of the Presidio as a national park. This 
victory today is a triumph for Judy Lemons. I want to thank Judy and to 
all who have been faithful to the effort and part of our success today.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Arizona [Mr. Hayworth], a member of the committee.
  (Mr. HAYWORTH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for 
this time.
  I rise in support of this legislation to echo what the gentlewoman 
from California [Ms. Pelosi] said. Here we have a wonderful opportunity 
for a bipartisan piece of legislation for projects that benefit the 
American people.
  In the Sixth District of Arizona, Mr. Speaker, there are two sites in 
particular. We will take them alphabetically, the Alpine school 
district needs land, a tiny school district asking for the conveyance 
of fewer than 40 acres to build school sites and athletic fields. The 
tax base has dwindled. Resource based industries for one reason or 
another have not been allowed to operate. This is a wonderful chance to 
truly put children first and help education in the Alpine school 
district.
  Second, Mr. Speaker, the Walnut Canyon National Monument outside 
Flagstaff, regardless of partisan dispensation or political stripe, the 
people of Flagstaff, indeed the people of the Sixth District of Arizona 
hope to see the boundaries expand on this great natural landmark and 
national monument. We have a chance to do that. So I urge passage of 
this bill.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may 
consume to the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Kelly].
  (Mrs. KELLY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4236.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4236, and draw 
particular attention to the provision in the bill to authorize the 
Federal acquisition of the Sterling Forest watershed in New York and 
New Jersey.
  Acquisition of the important 17,500 acres Sterling Forest reserve, 
located in southern New York and northern New Jersey represents perhaps 
the most important environmental issue for our region, and represents 
an outstanding environmental accomplishment for the 104th Congress.
  Sterling Forest is at the headwaters of a system of reservoirs which 
provide water for 1.8 million metropolitan area residents. It is 
heavily forested, accommodating a wide variety of wildlife and plant 
species, and also includes a portion of the Appalachian Trail. Twenty-
six million Americans live within a 2-hour drive of this important 
environmental resource.
  The acquisition of the Sterling Forest represents a unique 
partnership between the Federal Government, the States of New York and 
New Jersey, and environmental and other private sector interests. 
Protecting the Sterling Forest makes sense from an environmental 
standpoint, it makes sense from a recreational standpoint, and it 
represents a good deal for the taxpayer.
  The modest Federal investment authorized by this legislation will 
protect the Sterling Forest watershed for generations to come, and do 
so in a very cost-effective and environmentally sound manner.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important 
legislation.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio [Mr. Regula], chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior of the 
Committee on Appropriations.
  (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  We all know the words to the song, I am proud to be an American, that 
Lee Greenwood's sings so eloquently. Today, I am proud to be a Member 
of this body and proud to be an American. We have put aside our 
differences, our partisan parties. We worked with the White House, we 
developed a team effort to do something good for America. I speak to in 
our case the heritage corridor. Young men and women, Boy Scouts, Girl 
Scouts, 4-H Club kids, college kids will be able to walk a canal 
corridor 87 miles, long that is rich in history. Ohio was built by the 
canals. They will learn the story of yesterday's turnpikes. They will 
learn the story of the ecological development of our State because they 
will follow a river, they will follow the towpath of the canal.
  What a wonderful opportunity this will be for young people to 
appreciate their heritage as young citizens of Ohio. It will happen 
because of what is being done today in this body and being done on a 
bipartisan basis with everybody being on the team.
  I am grateful to all who had a part in shaping this legislation, and 
I hope

[[Page H12027]]

that it gets very strong support by all the Members. A great gift today 
for Americans in so many different ways.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone].
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to thank the committee and 
the ranking member for including in this legislation the text of H.R. 
3911, which establishes the Great Falls Historic District in Paterson, 
NJ. I had introduced this bill earlier this session at the request of 
Assemblyman Bill Pascrell who is also the mayor of Paterson, NJ. It was 
a major piece of legislation that former Congressman Herb Klein had 
tried to get through this House. It is very important for the people of 
New Jersey, Passaic County and particularly, of course, for the 
residents of Paterson, NJ.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that the previous 
speaker remember one thing, that there is a chairman, and he may not be 
recognized the next time in the committee.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Goss].
  Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I want to join the accolades to Mr. Young and 
Mr. Studds. I have had many happy years in this Congress, but among the 
happiest is when I served with them both on something that used to be 
known as the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. I never thought I 
would see the day when we were standing here in such comity. I am 
delighted that it is here.
  I address much that is good in the bill and support it, of course, 
but I want to focus on the Coastal Barrier Islands provisions. 
Preserving the proper balance between protection of our natural 
resources and our private property rights is a critical point. I know 
how much this means to my home State of Florida with its miles and 
miles of fabulous beaches and outdoor recreational areas and 
opportunities on our barrier islands. I know that what we are doing 
here is going to continue that tradition and make possible enjoyment 
for more people in those wonderful areas.
  I also would note that this is something that the legislative 
delegation, the people of Florida, the Governor, Senators from Florida, 
all are in accord on. It is wonderful when everybody is in agreement on 
something and it actually happens. I congratulate the Members who have 
made this happen.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson], ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands.
  (Mr. RICHARDSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks).
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman for 
yielding me the time.
  This is a good bill. We have a lot of good national parks legislation 
besides the Presidio Trust. We have got the Tallgrass Prairie National 
Preserve, the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, the Colonial 
National Historic Park, Wupatki National Monument Boundary Adjustment, 
Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, the Zion National Park Boundary 
Adjustment, the Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor Center, the Walnut 
Canyon National Monument Boundary Adjustment, the Delaware Water Gap 
National Recreation Area, the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic 
Site, the Women's Rights National Historic Park, the Big Thicket 
National Preserve.
  And, Mr. Speaker, it would be incomplete if I did not mention two 
initiatives in my own State of New Mexico, one the Rio Puerto Watershed 
Act, which cleans up the water and the boundaries in that area and, of 
course, the Taos Bottleneck legislation.
  This is an historic bill that turns over 765 acres of the Wheeler 
Peak Wilderness to management by the Taos Pueblo as part of the Blue 
Lake Wilderness Act legislation signed by President Richard Nixon in 
1970 returning to the Taos Pueblo all lands that had been seized by the 
Federal Government. There was a sect of land that was not turned over 
to the pueblo. This bill does it. It is a good piece of legislation.
  It is critically important that this passage now move through the 
other body. I want to commend Chairman Young for his leadership and 
Chairman Hansen and, of course, the Honorable George Miller for their 
work. This is an important piece of legislation with a lot of bills for 
a lot of Members, bipartisan. We should get it passed.

                              {time}  1815

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from New Jersey [Mr. Martini], who has done an excellent job.
  Mr. MARTINI. Mr. Speaker, and I thank the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. 
Young] and the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] and the minority 
ranking members for this excellent bill.
  Today is indeed an historic day, not just for New Jersey and New York 
but for all Americans concerned about clean drinking water and 
preserving the environment. Persistence and hard work has brought 
Sterling Forest here today again for another vote.
  Unlike other issues we consider in this body, there is literally no 
tomorrow for preserving Sterling Forest. The contract for the purchase 
of the land would expire, and if we did not act tonight as we are 
doing, the safe drinking water for over millions of New Jersey citizens 
would be in jeopardy.
  I am pleased to say that by the action tonight this body is showing 
its responsibility and assuring that we have safe drinking water for 
over 2 million New Jersey citizens.
  In addition to drinking water, Sterling Forest serves as a sanctuary 
for millions of people in that area. This is the last pristine area 
that will serve millions of people for future generations to come.
  Let me, if I may, thank the other Members who have worked so hard to 
bring this to fruition tonight: of course the gentlewoman from New 
Jersey, Mrs. Roukema, to whom I will yield, if I may, but also 
Representatives Boehlert, Zimmer, Gilman, Freling- 
huysen, Franks, and Kelly, and finally, first and foremost, to our 
Speaker, who made a commitment back in December to preserve Sterling 
Forest. He has fulfilled that promise today.
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. MARTINI. I yield to the gentlewoman from New Jersey.
  (Mrs. ROUKEMA asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I associate myself with the remarks of my 
colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Martini. This is truly a monument to 
patience, perseverance, common sense, consensus and compromise, and I 
want to thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for 
this wonderful work.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to associate myself with the comments of my 
colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Martini, the chairman and ranking 
member.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this omnibus parks package 
and urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this 
important legislation. It is my understanding that the controversial 
measures included in previous versions of this bill have been removed 
and that this measure has been agreed to by both sides of the aisle and 
the Administration. This legislation is surely a monument to the 
patience, common sense, consensus and compromise wisdom of our 
colleagues who worked for so many months on this parks package.
  This agreement is good news for the people of New Jersey and New 
York. Included in this legislation are provisions that will open the 
door toward the purchase of Sterling Forest. Enactment of this 
legislation is essential, if the Federal Government is to play a role 
in this public private partnership. This legislation along with the $9 
million included in the omnibus budget package represents a big step 
toward our commitment to the preservation and protection of Sterling 
Forest once and for all.
  First, I want to thank Chairman Hansen for recognizing the overriding 
interest of the Nation--and for his willingness to understand that 
Sterling Forest is more than just a pristine piece of open space for 
camping, skiing, hiking, and fishing. It is the source of clean, safe 
drinking water for some 3 million northern New Jersey residents. If we 
allow that drinking water to be contaminated by development, we will 
pay the purchase price many times over in cleanup cost and the cost of 
building new water treatment plants. With this legislation, we are not 
being penny wise and pound foolish. Instead of reacting to a crisis 
after the fact, we are anticipating the problem now and taking steps to 
avoid it. This legislation is good public policy.
  As you know, Sterling Forest is one of the largest tracts of 
privately-owned, undeveloped

[[Page H12028]]

forest land in the mid-Atlantic United States. This is heavily forested 
land--10 percent of which is located in my district in northern New 
Jersey and the remaining 90 percent of which is located in Orange 
County, New York, our colleague, Ben Gilman's district. It currently 
provides countless recreational opportunities to millions of nearby 
residents and visitors. However, it is not recreation that brings me 
here today, but something far more fundamental: water.

  As the primary source of drinking water to over 3 million residents 
of my State, preservation of Sterling Forest is essential. Numerous 
tributaries and feeder streams flow south from Sterling Forest right 
into the Wanaque Reservoir, which supplies drinking water for 25 
percent of all residents of New Jersey.
  Consequently, the protection of this unique natural resource in a 
region struggling to grapple with urban sprawl is a matter of utmost 
importance. This is a critical issue for the most densely-populated 
area of the nation's most densely-populated state, northern New Jersey.
  Simply put, preserving Sterling Forest protects the drinking water 
supply of northern New Jersey and New York, and it is imperative for 
the 104th Congress to take action.
  At the State level, the support for preserving Sterling Forest is 
equally strong. Governor Whitman has already signed into law 
legislation that commits our State to spending $10 million to help with 
the purchase of the Forest. In addition, Governor Pataki has committed 
his administration in Albany to match New Jersey's contribution dollar-
for-dollar.
  Here in Congress, legislation to protect Sterling Forest has enjoyed 
bipartisan support in both the New Jersey and New York delegations, as 
witnessed by the presence of those Members who are speaking today.
  In these times of tight budget constraints, it is simply unrealistic 
to expect the government to carry the burden by itself. From the 
beginning, the coalition behind Sterling Forest firmly believe that the 
best method to use in preserving and protecting Sterling Forest was a 
public-private partnership, with its purchase price being funded using 
private, State, and Federal funds. That is why I introduced H.R. 194 in 
1995 and have consistently supported H.R. 400 as passed by the Senate 
last July is the most expeditious solution to seeing that Sterling 
Forest was protected.
  To date, at least $5 million in private contributions have been 
committed towards helping protect Sterling Forest. These efforts will 
continue, and private funds are expected to play an important role in 
the purchase of this land. And, as I've already mentioned, New Jersey 
and New York have committed to spending $10 million each.
  I want to emphasize something about these Federal funds: this is a 
one-time funding request, because this legislation provides for the 
Palisades Interstate Park Commission [PIPC] and the State of New York 
to accept financial responsibility for the long-term management of the 
Sterling Forest.
  I also want to thank Chairman Regula. For years, I have worked with 
him in an effort to secure appropriate funding levels for this 
important project. I am happy to report that this year Chairman Regula 
was instrumental in seeing that language was included in the Interior 
Appropriations bill which ranked Sterling Forest as one of the Nation's 
top two priorities for land acquisition and recommended that Sterling 
Forest receive $9 million as a down payment on the Federal Government's 
$17.5 million share of the purchase price.
  Finally, I want to thank the Speaker for his strong endorsement of 
this important project to New Jersey. In March, Speaker Gingrich 
visited Sterling Forest and promised that Congress would pass 
legislation to protect Sterling Forest this year. Clearly, his advocacy 
has been an important factor in reaching this point today, and I want 
to express my appreciation for his assistance.
  On behalf the 3 million New Jersey residents who depend on this area 
for clean safe drinking water and the millions of recreational users 
who treasure this pristine open space, I urge your support.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Hinchey].
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, as we have just hard, this bill will 
authorize the Federal Government to participate in the purchase of 
Sterling Forest, the last piece of open space in the Metropolitan New 
York Area. It is a critically important thing to do, protects the 
watershed of 2 million people in New Jersey, an additional number in 
southeastern New York. That alone makes this bill extremely important.
  Also, this bill sets aside a number of American Heritage Areas around 
the country, and I would particularly like to note the fact that the 
Hudson River Valley, probably the most historic area in the Nation, is 
recognized as an American Heritage Area in this legislation. The Hudson 
Valley of course contains West Point, it contains Washington's 
headquarters, the first national historic site in the Nation, and a 
wealth of other historic places recognized by this American Heritage 
Area.
  I want to thank my leader, the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Miller], the ranking member of the committee. I want to thank also the 
chairman the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], and the chairman of the 
subcommittee, the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen], for their work on 
this bill. This is a very worthy product, and I appreciate the hard 
work that has gone into this by all the Members, and I would urge the 
Members in the other House to pay attention to this piece of 
legislation. It is critically important for millions of Americans and 
deserves to be passed by this Congress.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Vento].
  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the chairman and 
ranking member, Mr. Young and Mr. Miller, and Mr. Hansen, the 
subcommittee chairman, as well as Mr. Richardson and all the sponsors.
  I actually do not have a measure in this particular bill with 116 
sections, but I feel a little bit of ownership because many of these 
issues, as my colleagues will understand, are issues that did not 
develop just in this Congress but have spanned many Congresses. In 
fact, some of them, unfortunately, have become old friends because we 
sent them to the other body before and they did not come back or we 
were not able to get our act together.
  But I think that generally while many may find some provision in here 
that they do not agree with, that by and large this is a good bill, and 
I hope that the outcome by sending this to the Senate is going to be 
positive, and I think that the President, I hope that the President, 
can be convinced to in fact sign this into law.
  Unfortunately, we normally have not done business like this with so 
many measures in one issue at the end. I hope in the future that we can 
do this in a more orderly manner. These are important issues. I 
especially feel keenly about the Heritage Areas and the generic 
language that is in each particular Heritage Area, and I know how 
important it is that we do this work so that we as a Congress have been 
very zealous about guarding the responsibilities with regards to land 
use questions, and in acting in this way we can, of course, continue to 
earn that particular responsibility.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from California [Mr. McKeon].
  (Mr. McKEON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bill, and I 
commend the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] and the gentleman from 
Utah [Mr. Hansen] for their leadership in bringing it to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the conference 
report on the Omnibus Parks and Public Land Management Act.
  This legislation is important for numerous reasons; many of which 
impact California. For example, this conference report creates a 
public-private Presidio Trust to manage hundreds of historical 
buildings which cover more than 1,400 scenic acres at the foot of the 
Golden Gate Bridge. Both residents of my district and throughout the 
State of California have visited this site and enjoyed its beauty. With 
passage of this bill, that will continue to happen for years to come.
  Additionally, this conference report also contains a provision which 
I have worked hard for in behalf of my constituents in the Santa 
Clarita Valley. I have included language which protects a pristine 
canyon contained in the Angeles National Forest. For many years, some 
have wanted to destroy this beautiful treasure by constructing a 190-
million ton landfill.
  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to announce today that the 
Omnibus Parks bill will preserve and protect Elsmere Canyon and prevent 
its destruction; not only for the residents of the Santa Clarita 
Valley, but for all residents of southern California.
  I urge an ``aye'' vote on this historic, environmental legislation. 
It truly reflects a commitment to preserve our natural resources both 
today and in the future.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Illinois [Mr. Weller].
  (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)

[[Page H12029]]

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, of course I want to rise in support of this 
important parks legislation and commend the bipartisan leadership of 
the chairman, and the ranking members and the committee members for 
moving this legislation.
  I want to take a moment and note that this legislation contains a 
provision important to the south side of Chicago and the south suburbs 
of Chicago, a provision that directs the National Park Service to look 
at the feasibility of establishing an ecological park, a series of 
green ways linking the Indiana Dunes with the heritage corridor, a 
significant proposal because of its potential for establishing an urban 
park, open space and wildlife habitat and a rapidly growing older 
industrial area.
  This proposal has locally strong bipartisan support from local 
conservation groups, elected officials and economic development 
organizations. Like the newly established tall grass prairie, the 
former Joliette Arsenal, the ecological park will become a major 
investment in the future of Illinois and the children of Illinois by 
setting aside open space and important wildlife habitat in an old urban 
area as well as a rapidly developing suburban area.
  I thank the chairman and committee for their support, and I urge 
bipartisan support for this legislation.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to rise in support of this legislation, 
the Omnibus Park bill. This is, as many have already said, a product of 
bipartisan negotiations throughout many months, although it came down 
to the eleventh hour today, but throughout many months, over the 
provisions of this bill, and it makes some important additions and 
changes to our historic areas from San Francisco to Boston, from Alaska 
to Alabama.
  I want to commend my colleagues and the chairman of the House 
Committee on Resources, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] for his 
work and his patience, his patience in this effort. I know how he feels 
when we send bills to the Senate 1 year ago and 8 months ago and 6 
months ago and they are never heard from until the eleventh hour. But 
because of his patience we are here tonight with this bill.
  I want to thank the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Richardson , the 
ranking member of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and 
Lands, the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen] for his effort as the 
chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Lands, to 
the gentleman from New York [Mr. Boehlert], who was involved in 
brokering and helping to negotiate this, and to the gentleman from Ohio 
[Mr. Regula] for his involvement and his perseverance on the matter of 
the Heritage Areas.
  I also want to say that this bill also deals with the matter that is 
important to me, and that is that it authorizes $400 million to assure 
the implementation of crucial ecosystems restoration efforts to improve 
water quality, fishery and resources of San Francisco and Sacramento-
San Juaquin Delta. This is an important step in implementing the Bay 
Area Accords that highlights the continuing success of the Central 
Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992 and moves us toward a consensus 
instead of conflict in California water policy, and I am particularly 
grateful for the bipartisan support that has been garnered for this 
effort.
  Finally, let me say, Mr. Speaker, that this legislation started out 
as a single bill at one point, and that was to authorize the Presidio 
National Park in San Francisco, and I think every Member of this House 
knows how hard the gentlewoman from San Francisco [Ms. Pelosi] has 
worked on this effort. She has been absolutely tireless and relentless 
in her pursuit to see this, and I mean relentless as a compliment, in 
her pursuit to see this matter become law and to give a gift to this 
Nation of what is going to be one of the great, great national parks 
for visitors from across this Nation and from around the world as they 
visit this.
  This is an effort to try to make sure that we can lessen the burden 
on the taxpayer and the operation of that park. And I also want to 
thank our Senators, Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein, for all of 
their effort, and I too want to recognize the effort of Judy Lemons in 
her support for this and her working on this and to John Lawrence and 
to Rick Healy for their negotiations today and to the minority staff.
  Finally, let me say to the Members who are in strong support of this 
legislation, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] knows that we were 
here in the last night of the last Congress and we lost many of these 
same projects, and we lost that effort. Those of my colleagues who are 
rising in strong support of this legislation, I would ask them to put 
in a kind word with their Senator on behalf of this legislation so 
these parks in some cases can be expanded or created and heritage areas 
can succeed, and I think this will turn out to be a major gift in terms 
of public lands management and to the people of this Nation.

  Again, I want to thank all those who worked so terribly hard to get 
us here tonight and to Jeff Petrich, who worked very hard certainly on 
the Alaska provisions and was involved in these last hours of 
negotiations.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Boehlert].
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, how proud we should be of what we are 
about because this bill is exactly what the American people want, a 
parks bill that will benefit all areas of the country, a parks bill 
that will increase recreational and educational opportunities, a parks 
bill that will enhance environmental protection and most importantly 
for the long run, a parks bill that will ensure that future generations 
will have pristine areas to enjoy.
  It is not easy putting this kind of package together. There are 
almost an infinite number of interests to balance. It is of necessity a 
lengthy and very difficult process.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] and his staff 
for sticking to it, for continuing to work against all odds, for coming 
up with a final package that only the hypersensitive could quibble with 
on environmental grounds.
  This is good legislation, this is a proud moment for this historic 
104th Congress, and I urge my colleagues to give this measure the 
support it deserves.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Gilman].
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of this measure, and 
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the measure 
along with my colleagues, the gentlewoman from New Jersey [Mrs. 
Roukema], the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Martini], the gentlewoman 
from New Jersey [Mrs. Kelly], and the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. 
Zimmer]. We have all worked long and hard for passage of this 
legislation that preserves Sterling Forest.
  This 18,000-acre tract of land which stretches along the New York-New 
Jersey border is the last largely undeveloped forest in the New York 
Metropolitan Area, and it is our last chance to protect the watershed 
for the New Jersey-New York area. This legislation provides payments in 
lieu of taxes for those municipalities involved, which will be done by 
authorizing the Palisades Park Commission that managed Sterling Forest.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], the chairman 
of the committee, the ranking minority leader, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Miller], as well as the gentleman from Utah [Mr. 
Hansen], the gentleman from Ohio, [Mr. Regula], who have all worked 
hard in bringing this together, and I know it has been a difficult 
task, and I commend them for their work, as well as the gentlewoman 
from California [Ms. Pelosi], who brought us all together on her 
measure that made this measure move forward at this time.

                              {time}  1830

  Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to fully support this 
measure.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Texas [Mr. Frost] for a somewhat related matter.

[[Page H12030]]

  (Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to speak out of order and 
to revise and extend his remarks.)


            congratulating Texas Rangers on Landmark Season

  Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago the Washington Senators baseball 
team moved to Arlington, TX, in the heart of the 24th Congressional 
District.
  For 25 seasons, that team--the Texas Rangers--played baseball without 
reaching the post-season playoffs. This Texas drought ended last night 
when the Texas Rangers won the Western Division of the American League.
  No current team in major league baseball had played as many 
consecutive seasons without ever reaching post-season play.
  There is joy today deep in the heart of Texas. I want to take this 
occasion to recognize the terrific season-long play of the Texas 
Rangers, the quiet steady leadership of their manager Johnny Oates and 
the skill of their front office headed by Club President Tom Schieffer.
  The Rangers combined clutch hitting, excellent defense and improved 
pitching to take their first division crown. They enjoyed tremendous 
fan support in their new stadium, the ballpark, and now anxiously await 
their first post-season playoff series against the New York Yankees.
  Congratulations Rangers on a landmark season.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Kansas [Mr. Roberts].
  (Mr. ROBERTS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, I have asked permission to revise and 
extend my remarks for the last time.
  Mr. Speaker, like others before me, I rise to voice my strong support 
for the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Act, and I also want to thank my 
chairman, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young], who has been an 
outstanding leader in this effort, the subcommittee chairman, the 
gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen], a distinguished gentleman and friend, 
and that great athlete, the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller], for 
his help in regards to this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I am interested in this because it contains a particular 
park designation, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Act, that 
will create the first and only unit of the national park system solely 
devoted to the preservation of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
  Mr. Speaker, like others have already stated on the floor, if the 
good Lord and certain Senators are willing, we will get this package 
through. I would urge my colleagues to contact everyone in the other 
body to that goal.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time for the last time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Massachusetts [Mr. Blute].
  Mr. BLUTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this parks bill, 
which I believe and I think people on both sides believe is one of the 
finest parks bills to ever pass this Congress in the long history of 
our great country.
  I want to commend the chairmen, the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. 
Young], the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Hansen], the gentleman from Ohio 
[Mr. Regula], and everyone on both sides of the aisle who worked so 
hard to put this package together. I urge its passage here, and I urge 
its passage in the U.S. Senate.
  In my district, the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage 
Corridor has been reauthorized in this bill for 10 years. It is a 
tremendous public-private partnership that has done tremendous things 
for the environment, for economic development, for job creation. Now 
the great city of Worcester will be included in the headwaters, as the 
headwaters of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
  Near the southern tip of my district, the New Bedford Historical 
Whaling Park that myself and the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. 
Frank] and so many others have supported for so long will now come to 
fruition if we can get this passed through the Senate.
  Mr. Speaker, I think this is a tremendous bill for the entire country 
and it is a great environmental bill because these parks and heritage 
corridors will keep land open, and open space for our citizens for 
years and years and decades to come. I rise in strong support.
  I think we all owe a great debt of gratitude to everyone on both 
sides of the aisle who worked on this bill, but particularly Chairman 
Young, Chairman Hansen, and Chairman Regula, who really went to the mat 
for this bill and worked very, very hard. I also commend the ranking 
member and the administration for coming along with us.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from California [Mr. Baker], one of the leaders in this effort.
  Mr. BAKER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 
omnibus parks bill. This bill includes provisions which are vital to 
the heritage and habitat of the San Francisco Bay area.
  H.R. 1296 includes my bill, H.R. 4126, the California Bay Delta 
Environmental Enhancement and Water Security Act. I thank the chairman, 
the gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] for including these provisions of 
Federal matching funds for proposition 204 on the ballot this November 
in California.
  This historic agreement will authorize $430 million for fiscal year 
1998 through 2000 for ecosystem protection and restoration of the San 
Francisco Bay Delta region. I have worked with the environmental 
community and California water districts to craft H.R. 4126, which is 
cosponsored by 48 California Members.
  Further, I have worked closely with the gentlewoman from California 
[Ms. Pelosi] in support of the Presidio provisions of this bill, which 
will protect the Presidio in a sound and cost-effective manner. These 
provisions will preserve the Presidio of California for generations to 
come. I appreciate her leadership.
  I hope that the Members will join this bipartisan contingency of bay 
area legislators who see this bill as key to the environment and 
historic preservation of northern California.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by saying this: What Congress in 
the last 50 years has included more park projects for the opposing 
party than this bipartisan 104th Congress?
  Again, Mr. Speaker, my thanks to Chairman Young and the ranking 
member, the gentleman from California, Mr. Miller, my neighbor to the 
north, for this wonderful bill. I fully support it and hope that the 
Senate will join us.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from California [Ms. Pelosi].
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I am so delighted that the Presidio bill, 
which has been on the floor over and over again, is finally, hopefully, 
going to become law. I am glad it is such a strong engine to bring some 
other things along.
  It was said about the Presidio in its life as an Army base that a 
shot was never fired in anger from the Presidio, or at the Presidio. As 
much as I thought we would come close, that seems to be true about the 
Presidio legislation again, thanks to the calm nature of the chairman 
and the ranking member of the committee.
  Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, again I want to thank the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Miller] and all those who have worked very hard on this legislation. It 
is not everything I wanted. As I stressed before, we will be back. 
MacArthur said that, and he came back, and I will come back with a 
bigger and better army, and we will achieve those goals.
  I think it is important to understand one thing. There is little in 
this bill for this chairman. Most of this is, very frankly, in areas 
that passed the House, and as the gentlewoman from San Francisco said, 
this is a strong train with the Presidio, but most all of this 
legislation already passed the House.
  It is the unworkable situation that occurs in the other body, where 
the holds can be put on and on and on, that really, I think, hurts the 
process. Somewhere and somehow we have to expedite that process so when 
the House speaks, at least there should be a time limit to return the 
bill to the floor. It is unfair to tie everything, very frankly, to one 
horse. It is not the correct way to legislate. We have done

[[Page H12031]]

that. Hopefully the Senate will see the wisdom of adopting it, and we 
will go on next year and hope to do bigger and greater things.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 
4236, the omnibus parks bill. This bipartisan legislation will improve 
the lives of thousands of Americans. I am particularly interested in 
this legislation because it includes a provision, the Hanford Reach 
Preservation Act, which impacts my district directly. I want to thank 
my fellow colleagues on the House Resources Committee, in particular 
Chairman Young and Subcommittee Chairman Hansen, for their hard work on 
this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Hanford Reach Preservation Act makes permanent the 
current moratorium on dam building, channeling, and navigational 
projects along the stretch of the Columbia River known as the Hanford 
Reach. Located in the heart of my Central Washington Congressional 
District, the Hanford Reach is regarded by many as the last free 
flowing stretch of the Columbia River. Running through the Hanford 
Nuclear Reservation, the Reach is also the location of some of the 
healthiest salmon runs anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
  For the past 8 years, the Federal Government has played an important 
role in protecting the Reach by prohibiting its agencies from 
constructing dams, channels, and other projects on this part of the 
River. The provision included in this bill permanently extends the 
current moratorium on these activities that is set to expire November 
6, 1996.
  The Hanford Reach Preservation Act will make a significant 
contribution to the continued protection of this pristine area. While 
more needs to be resolved within the local community before this area 
is completely protected, this language is a positive step in the right 
direction.
  H.R. 4236 also includes a number of other positive proposals which 
improve the condition of our national parks, schools, and rivers. I 
also support this bill for what is not included in the package, namely 
a provision to establish a National Heritage Area program. While I have 
serious concerns about the individual heritage area designations in 
this bill, I am relieved that private property owners in my district 
will not have to worry about such designations infringing upon their 
Fifth Amendment rights.
  Again, I thank my colleagues for their assistance and strongly urge 
the House to vote in favor of this measure. I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mrs. CHENOWETH. Mr. Speaker, there are few people in this Congress 
that I have more respect for than the chairman of the House Resources 
Committee, Don Young, and some of the other hardworking members of the 
Committee.
  But I must oppose this so-called Presidio Package, H.R. 4236. 
Although there are many good things in this bill--badly needed boundary 
adjustments and local land exchange benefiting many worthy communities, 
to name a few--I simply cannot vote for a bill that creates five (5) 
new national parks, establishes as many as eleven (11) heritage areas, 
and facilities any number of other Federal designations that expand 
Federal ownership and control over public and private property. I would 
consider anything but a ``No'' vote on H.R. 4236 a dereliction of my 
duty as a Member of Congress from Idaho who came to this body promising 
to rein in our ever-expanding Federal Government. Although my Chairman 
and other Members speak eloquently of this compromise package, when 
boiled down to its essence, this bill expands the Federal Government's 
control on our land base.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to object to the method by which this 
more than 600 page bill was brought to the Floor. H.R. 4236 was 
introduced yesterday. Although it was debated passed and considered in 
a Conference Committee as H.R. 1296, H.R. 4236 included provisions I've 
never seen. For example, the last version of H.R. 1296 made available 
to me or my staff included only two (2) heritage areas. However, it is 
my understanding that today's H.R. 4236 includes as many as eleven 
(11). Heritage Areas are a concern for me. In fact, from my 
perspective, H.R. 4236 has been crafted with a great deal of secrecy. I 
must ask Mr. Speaker, what else is included?
  Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I am compelled to point out that, although there 
are five (5) specified Idaho projects, H.R. 4236 represents a 
compilation of measures supported by Members with very little interest 
or understanding of our public lands. I recognize that this so-called 
Omnibus Parks Bill is the result of a long difficult process. However, 
it has been pointed out that an Omnibus Bill was necessary because 
concerns, Senatorial holds, environmental community opposition and 
other legislative hurdles plugged the bills' legislative process. In 
total, it was argued tonight, an Omnibus bill was necessary to gain the 
legislative momentum to clear all hurdles. But I would ask, Mr. 
Speaker, that the Members would take a few moments to reflect on the 
difficulty by which this bill came to the Floor, and then to translate 
that difficulty to what a public lands state faces every time it must 
deal with the Federal Government. It is no different, and arguably 
worse.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I must oppose this measure and would hope the 
Members consider where we are going as a nation when we look up our 
resources.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this omnibus parks 
bill. It is good for the environment, preserves our natural, historic, 
and cultural resources, protects and improves our National Park System, 
and benefits tourism and business throughout the country. I urge its 
swift passage in the other body, and urge the President to sign this 
important legislation.
  We are in the final hours of the 2d session of the historic 104th 
Congress and still have a good deal of business to conduct. I want my 
colleagues to know, on both sides of the isle, that I appreciate your 
hard work and tireless efforts as the Nation's business comes to a 
close. I want to recognize the efforts of Representatives Young, 
Hansen, Regula, and Miller for working together on a compromise package 
that should be signed by the President. I also appreciate the efforts 
of Senators Warner and Robb and Congressman Goodlatte. Finally, I want 
to recognize the effort of the staff who worked on this legislation and 
who share our commitment to passing a meaningful parks bill this 
Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I recall the waning hours of the 103d Congress when the 
so-called Vento parks package was stalled. There were many talks and 
negotiations in the final hours, much like the negotiations which 
occurred last night and today. Members of Congress and staff were 
running back and forth from House to House and office to office trying 
to find a workable compromise. We were so close, but, at about midnight 
on the last day of the session, the gravel dropped and Congress 
adjourned without passing a parks bill.
  That was a disappointing night. It was disappointing because all the 
hard work residents and leaders in the valley have put into preserving 
these important sites had to wait for another day. After that day, the 
citizens of the valley and I became even more determined to see this 
project through to the end. This is the culmination of years of work in 
the valley and it is a credit to their hard work.
  So here we are, in the final hours of the 104th Congress, poised to 
pass legislation which would create the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields 
National Historic District. This is the culmination of 5 years of work, 
and it is my sincere hope that the Senate will pass this compromise in 
the coming days before the Congress adjourns sine die.
  Mr. Speaker, I introduce legislation in the beginning of the 103d 
Congress and 104th Congress to protect these valley battlefield sites. 
Senators Warner and Robb introduced companion legislation in the 
Senate. After working with the administration, and other Members of 
Congress, a compromise was fashioned which passed the House in 
September 18, 1995, by a vote of 377 to 31 (H.R. 1091). As the body 
knows, Congressmen Young and Hansen were on the floor week after week 
after week passing park related measures, but the other body, for one 
reason or another, did not pass these bills. Finally, a package was put 
together with over 130 parks related provisions, the conference closed, 
and a veto threat issued.
  Many thought the bill was doomed, but as I already stated, a group of 
members and staff stuck it out late at night to fashion a compromise. 
This legislation, if passed, will create the Shenandoah Valley 
Battlefields National Historic District--a one of a kind affiliated 
unit of the National Park Service. This legislation forms a partnership 
with Federal, State, and local governments to preserve, conserve, 
protect, and interpret the historically significant Shenandoah Valley 
Civil War sites. Specifically, it will protect the two major valley 
campaigns--the Thomas J. ``Stonewall'' Jackson Valley campaign of 1862 
and the decisive Philip Sheridan campaign of 1864--are the major Civil 
War battlefields not yet preserved.
  Mr. Speaker, I, again, would like to thank and congratulate all 
parties for their hard work and urge support for this legislation and 
its swift passage. In particular, I would like to thank, William 
Moschella of my staff. Without his perseverance in negotiations, skill 
at legislative drafting, and willingness to find solutions to new 
problems, we would not be here today.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Burton of Indiana). 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. 4236, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and yeas.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.

[[Page H12032]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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