[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 164 (Thursday, November 18, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H12845-H12846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          JOHN H. CHAFEE COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM ACT

  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Resources be discharged from further consideration of the Senate 
bill (S. 1866) to redesignate the Coastal Barrier Resources System as 
the ``John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System,'' and ask for 
its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to 
object, I take this time for the purpose of asking the gentleman from 
New Jersey for an explanation of his unanimous consent request.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton).
  Mr. SAXTON. Mr. Speaker, finally, we are considering S. 1866, the 
John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Act. The late Senator 
John Chafee was instrumental in the creation of this program in 1982, 
and he remained one of the program's biggest supporters up until his 
untimely death earlier this year.
  The late Senator Chafee, in his role as ranking member and later 
chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, was a 
guardian of this System's integrity, and worked tirelessly to prevent 
any unnecessary encroachment into the System.
  Senator Chafee served the people of Rhode Island with great 
distinction for over 20 years. It is a fitting tribute to his name to 
name the Coastal Barrier Resources System in his honor. I urge my 
colleagues to vote aye on this measure.
  (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to 
revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, further reserving my 
right to object, with the recent passing of Senator John H. Chafee, 
Congress has lost a compassionate and persuasive advocate for the 
protection and conservation of our Nation's natural heritage. Senator 
Chafee's many legislative contributions, including his leadership in 
authorizing and improving keystone environmental legislation such as 
the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Endangered Species Act 
to only name a few, leave a legacy of accomplishment that is both 
daunting and admirable. As many people know, Senator Chafee deeply 
loved the coastal barrier beaches and islands of his beloved Ocean 
State. Perhaps this lifelong affection explains why Senator Chafee 
worked so tirelessly to create the Coastal Barrier Resource System in 
1982, and why he fought so strenuously to protect it in the intervening 
years.

  If there really is a way to pay tribute to this modest and self-
effacing man, I can think of no better testimonial than to re-name the 
Coastal Barrier Resources System in his honor. It will serve as a 
lasting tribute to the man, and a reminder to us all of the important 
work that still remains unfinished in order to protect our Nation's 
environment. I support this bill and urge all Members to vote for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:
       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``John H. Chafee Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) during the past 2 decades, Senator John H. Chafee was a 
     leading voice for the protection of the environment and the 
     conservation of the natural resources of the United States;
       (2) Senator Chafee served on the Environment and Public 
     Works Committee of the

[[Page H12846]]

     Senate for 22 years, influencing every major piece of 
     environmental legislation enacted during that time;
       (3) Senator Chafee led the fight for clean air, clean 
     water, safe drinking water, and cleanup of toxic wastes, and 
     for strengthening of the National Wildlife Refuge System and 
     protections for endangered species and their habitats;
       (4) millions of people of the United States breathe cleaner 
     air, drink cleaner water, and enjoy more plentiful outdoor 
     recreation opportunities because of the work of Senator 
     Chafee;
       (5) in 1982, Senator Chafee authored and succeeded in 
     enacting into law the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 
     U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) to minimize loss of human life, wasteful 
     expenditure of Federal revenues, and damage to fish, 
     wildlife, and other natural resources associated with the 
     coastal barriers along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts; and
       (6) to reflect the invaluable national contributions made 
     by Senator Chafee during his service in the Senate, the 
     Coastal Barrier Resources System should be named in his 
     honor.

     SEC. 3. REDESIGNATION OF COASTAL BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM IN 
                   HONOR OF JOHN H. CHAFEE.

       (a) In General.--The Coastal Barrier Resources System 
     established by section 4(a) of the Coastal Barrier Resources 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 3503(a)) is redesignated as the ``John H. 
     Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Coastal Barrier Resources System shall be deemed to be a 
     reference to the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources 
     System.
       (c) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Section 2(b) of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 
     U.S.C. 3501(b)) is amended by striking ``a Coastal Barrier 
     Resources System'' and inserting ``the John H. Chafee Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System''.
       (2) Section 3 of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 
     U.S.C. 3502) is amended by striking ``Coastal Barrier 
     Resources System'' each place it appears and inserting ``John 
     H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System''.
       (3) Section 4 of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 
     U.S.C. 3503) is amended--
       (A) in the section heading, by striking ``COASTAL BARRIER 
     RESOURCES SYSTEM'' and inserting ``JOHN H. CHAFEE COASTAL 
     BARRIER RESOURCES SYSTEM''; and
       (B) in subsection (a), by striking ``the Coastal Barrier 
     Resources System'' and inserting ``the John H. Chafee Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System''.
       (4) Section 10(c)(2) of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 3509(c)(2)) is amended by striking ``Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System'' and inserting ``System''.
       (5) Section 10(c)(2)(B)(i) of the Coastal Barrier 
     Improvement Act of 1990 (12 U.S.C. 1441a-3(c)(2)(B)(i)) is 
     amended by striking ``Coastal Barrier Resources System'' and 
     inserting ``John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources 
     System''.
       (6) Section 12(5) of the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 
     1990 (16 U.S.C. 3503 note; Public Law 101-591) is amended by 
     striking ``Coastal Barrier Resources System'' and inserting 
     ``John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System''.
       (7) Section 1321 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 
     1968 (42 U.S.C. 4028) is amended--
       (A) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
     following:


          ``john h. chafee coastal barrier resources system'';

     and
       (B) by striking ``Coastal Barrier Resources System'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``John H. Chafee Coastal 
     Barrier Resources System''.

  The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the 
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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