[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 46 (Wednesday, April 12, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2147-H2148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 2328, THE CLEAN LAKES PROGRAM

  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 
call up House Resolution 468 and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 468

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 2328) to amend the Federal Water Pollution 
     Control Act to reauthorize the Clean Lakes Program. The first 
     reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. General debate 
     shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour 
     equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure. After general debate the bill shall be 
     considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. It shall 
     be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose 
     of amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the 
     nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure now printed in the bill. 
     Each section of the committee amendment in the nature of a 
     substitute shall be considered as read. Points of order 
     against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute 
     for failure to comply with clause 7 of rule XVI are waived. 
     During consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chairman 
     of the Committee of the Whole may accord priority in 
     recognition on the basis of whether the Member offering an 
     amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the 
     Congressional Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 
     of rule XVIII. Amendments so printed shall be considered as 
     read. The Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may: (1) 
     postpone until a time during further consideration in the 
     Committee of the Whole a request for a recorded vote on any 
     amendment; and (2) reduce to five minutes the minimum time 
     for electronic voting on any postponed question that follows 
     another electronic vote without intervening business, 
     provided that the minimum time for electronic voting on the 
     first in any series of questions shall be 15 minutes. At the 
     conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the 
     Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with 
     such amendments as may have been adopted. Any Member may 
     demand a separate vote in the House on any amendment adopted 
     in the Committee of the Whole to the bill or to the committee 
     amendment in the nature of a substitute. The previous 
     question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and 
     amendments thereto to final passage without intervening 
     motion except one motion to recommit with or without 
     instructions.

                              {time}  1330

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). The gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Reynolds) is recognized for 1 hour
  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield 
the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
During consideration of the resolution, all time is yielded for the 
purpose of debate only.
  (Mr. REYNOLDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks and include extraneous material.)
  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 468 is an open rule 
providing for the consideration of H.R. 2328, a bill to reauthorize the 
Clean Lakes Program. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The rule 
also makes in order the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill as an 
original bill for the purpose of an amendment.
  The rule waives clause 7 of rule XVI, prohibiting nongermane 
amendments against the committee amendment in the nature of a 
substitute and provides that the amendment in the nature of a 
substitute shall be open for amendment by section. Additionally, the 
rule authorizes the chairman of the Committee of the Whole to accord 
priority in recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments 
in the Congressional Record and to postpone votes during consideration 
of the bill and to reduce voting time to 5 minutes on a postponed 
question if the vote follows a 15-minute vote.
  Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or 
without instructions.
  Mr. Speaker, the Clean Lakes Program was included in the 1972 
amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly 
referred to as the Clean Water Act. This broad-based program helps 
communities to address a wide range of water quality issues and helps 
States through grants and technical assistance.
  Reauthorization of the Clean Lakes Program is a necessary measure 
that will provide much-needed financial and technical assistance to 
states to restore publicly owned lakes. It is important to note that 
this is the primary Federal program that places the national focus and 
priority on lakes, their monitoring, protection, and management.
  Mr. Speaker, the funding authorization for this program expired in 
fiscal year 1990. The program has not received funding since fiscal 
year 1995. Recently, the EPA has recognized the need to focus on clean 
lakes activities and has encouraged States to set aside monies from 
other programs to fund the Clean Lakes Program. In addition, various 
public and private organizations involved in lake water quality 
management have been seeking an increase in funding for this program.
  Over the past two decades, lake restoration techniques have improved 
dramatically, and are viewed by many as an important component in 
meeting the Clean Water Act's objective of having all our Nation's 
waters fishable and swimmable, including the 41 million acres of fresh 
water lakes.
  One of the most damaging contributing factors to the toxicity of 
these lakes in the Northeast is acid rain. Not only is it a costly 
problem to solve, but it can overwhelm State budgets. Funding the Clean 
Lakes Program is necessary to meet the States' needs in combatting the 
devastating effects of acid rain and other environmental pollutants.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, this legislation provides the opportunity for 
necessary partnerships among Federal, State, and local entities to 
focus both on the prevention and the remediation of pollution. Working 
together, Federal, State, and local governments can focus attention and 
resources on the special needs of our Nation's lakes.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Sweeney), the bill's sponsor, for his hard work on this measure. In 
addition, I would like to commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Shuster), the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure and the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota 
(Mr. Oberstar.)
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support both this rule and the 
underlying bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York for yielding me the 
customary 30 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the open rule. I would note that 
the underlying bill is noncontroversial and reauthorizes the Clean 
Lakes Program established under the Clean Water Act.
  This measure provides financial and technical assistance to States to 
restore publicly owned lakes. This is the

[[Page H2148]]

primary Federal program that focuses national attention on lakes, their 
monitoring, protection, and management.
  I was pleased that the committee selected two lakes in upstate New 
York, Otsego Lake and Lake Oneida, to receive priority consideration 
for demonstration projects in this bill.
  Otsego Lake in New York is at the headwaters of the Susquehanna 
River, the largest single fresh water source for the Chesapeake bay. 
Otsego Lake is biologically unique in that deep water oxygen 
concentrations provide habitat for cold water fisheries, such as lake 
trout, Atlantic salmon, brown trout, whitefish, and cisco, which are 
now in jeopardy because of the sustained loss of bottom oxygen in the 
late summer and fall.
  Oneida Lake in New York is the largest inland lake in the State and 
home to 74 species of fish. The lake watershed covers five counties and 
more than 800,000 acres. This lake is experiencing water quality 
problems and its use has been impaired. There are significant concerns 
regarding sediment and nutrient runoff to the lake from tributaries and 
agriculture and urban land use trends. In addition, algae, rooted 
vegetation, and invasive species are problems for this lake.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, this is a completely noncontroversial measure; 
and I do not oppose this open rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this open 
and fair rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further request for time, I yield back the 
balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________