[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 48 (Tuesday, April 25, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2866-S2870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Ms. SNOWE:
S. 2455. A bill to enhance Department of Education efforts to
facilitate the involvement of small business owners in State and local
initiatives to improve education; to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
small business employment and education enhancement act of 2000
Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to introduce legislation, the Small
Business Employment and Education Act of 2000, which is designed to
enhance federal efforts to facilitate the involvement of small business
owners and entrepreneurs in state and local initiatives to improve the
quality of education programs for our young people.
Mr. President, last year, the Small Business Committee, of which I am
a member, held a hearing on the challenges facing the small business
community as a result of the failure of many of our educational
institutions to teach students the basic skills that are necessary to
succeed in today's work environment. The committee heard testimony from
a number of small businesses and organizations about this growing
problem.
And just how big is the problem? A 1999 American Management
Association survey on workplace testing found that approximately 36
percent of employees tested for basic skills were found to be deficient
in these skills, and small businesses reported deficiency rates well
above the national average. Sixty percent of AMA-member companies
reported that the availability of skilled manpower was scarce, and 67
percent believe that the shortages will continue.
A 1999 NFIB report found that 18 percent of NFIB members report that
finding qualified labor is the single most important problem facing
their business today.
Likewise, a 1999 poll of U.S. Chambers of Commerce found that 83
percent reported the ability--or lack thereof--to find qualified
workers was among their biggest concerns, and 53 percent said education
is the single most pressing public policy issue to them.
This information clearly illustrates that the business community, and
small businesses in particular, have an important stake in the
education of our youth. One of the most fundamental needs that any
growing business faces is the need for employees with basic skills, and
concerns have been expressed by the small business community that many
students are not graduating with the basic skills in reading, writing,
mathematics, and science--skills that need to succeed in today's
workplace or become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
The fact of the matter is, Mr. President, the growth of high-skilled
jobs is outpacing growth in all other fields. We must not allow basic
skills to slip away if we are to remain competitive in an increasingly
aggressive and technology-based global market.
Small business is the driving force behind our economy, and as we
authorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we must take into
account the needs of businesses, and small businesses in particular. To
that end, locally-driven initiatives are crucial. In order to create
jobs, we must encourage small business expansion and foster small
business entrepreneurship, and I believe that education initiatives are
key to this.
Under the Small Business Employment and Education Enhancement Act,
the Department of Education would disseminate information and
facilitate the sharing of information designed to assist small
businesses in working with school systems to improve our education
institutions. For example, the agency would publish guidance materials,
best practices, checklists and other materials on the World Wide Web,
in Department of Education publications and articles, letters, links to
related World Wide Web sites, public service announcements, and through
other means at the Department's disposal.
The Department of Education would establish a centralized database of
materials and act as a clearinghouse for information on initiatives
that have proven successful.
The Secretary of the Department of Education would also establish an
Office of Small Business Education to promote efforts to address the
needs of small businesses through education programs. This division
would work to remove any existing impediments to partnerships between
school systems and small businesses, and propose solutions to
education-related problems facing small businesses.
The goal of the bill I am introducing today is to facilitate
partnerships between communities and businesses. I believe it should be
easy for communities that are interested in designing business/school
partnerships to get the information they need on how to do so. With
access to kinds of sources envisioned in this legislation, communities
would be able to model a program after a proven approach.
In addition, my bill authorizes technical assistance to be
administered by the Office of Small Business Education to be used to
provide guidance to small businesses, small business organizations,
schools systems, and communities working cooperatively to enhance the
teaching of basic skills.
The bill would also establish tax credits to encourage companies to
provide work study, internship, or fellowship opportunities for
students and teachers.
Finally, the bill includes a provision directing the Department of
Education to conduct a study and report to Congress on the challenges
facing small businesses in obtaining workers with adequate skills; an
assessment of the impact on small businesses of the skills shortage;
the costs to small businesses associated with this shortage; and the
recommendations for the Secretary on how to address these challenges.
Mr. President, I hope this legislation will provide a foundation for
cooperative initiatives between small businesses and school systems,
and I look forward to working with the Senate Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions Committee and others as we prepare to reauthorize the
elementary and secondary education act.
______
By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself and Mr. Kohl):
S. 2458. A bill to designate the facility of the Unites States Postal
Service located at 1818 Milton Avenue in Janesville, Wisconsin, as the
``Les Aspin Post Office Building''; to the Committee on Governmental
Affairs.
legislation naming the janesville post office in memory of les aspin
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I am introducing legislation to
rename the United States Post Office in my home town of Janesville,
Wisconsin in honor of Les Aspin. I am joined by my colleague from
Wisconsin, Senator Kohl. This bill is a companion to legislation
introduced in the House by Congressman Paul Ryan, who represents the
First District of Wisconsin, which includes Janesville.
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Les' first campaign for
the First Congressional District seat in Wisconsin. I was a junior at
Janesville Craig High School at the time, and I signed up as a
volunteer on Les' campaign. He won that election after a tough recount
in the primary, defeating the incumbent Congressman.
Following the campaign, I interned in his district office in
Janesville during the summers of 1971 and in 1972. I am proud to say
that during the next 25 years, Les and I had a continuing friendship,
as he carved out a distinguished career in the United States House of
Representatives, eventually rising to become the Chairman of the Armed
Services Committee, while I prepared for and began my own career.
Les Aspin served his country ably in many capacities. As an Army
captain, he worked as an analyst in the Pentagon; he served on the
staff of President John F. Kennedy's Council of Economic Advisors; he
represented Wisconsinites for 22 years in Congress; he enthusiastically
took on the giant task of steering the Defense Department into the
uncharted waters of the post-Cold War era. Mr. Aspin served as
Secretary of Defense under President Clinton and, at the time of his
death in 1995, he was the chair of the President's Foreign Intelligence
Advisory Board, working on needed reforms in our intelligence
communities.
Mr. President, Les Aspin was a man I deeply respected and admired,
and I felt a profound sense of loss at his passing. Renaming the
Janesville post office in his honor is a fitting way to remember a man
who spent his life serving the people of Wisconsin and of the
[[Page S2867]]
United States. I hope my colleagues will support this legislation.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the
Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 2458
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF LES ASPIN POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 1818 Milton Avenue in Janesville,
Wisconsin, shall be known and designated as the ``Les Aspin
Post Office Building''.
(b) Referrences.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Les Aspin Post Office Building''.
Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues from
Wisconsin in introducing this legislation to honor the memory of Les
Aspiin. Long before I entered politics, Les Aspin was a good friend of
mine. I had the good fortune to serve with Les Aspin in Congress and to
work with him when he served as Secretary of Defense. Les Aspin was
truly dedicated to public service. He was genuinely challenged by the
policy making process, and he was not hesitant in bringing his great
intellectual gifts to bear on the problems of our time. He was a master
of the Sunday morning talk shows, expounding on the issues of the day
with his trenchant analyses. As chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, Les Aspin was one of the most influential voices on U.S.
defense policy.
His ascension to the chairmanship of the House Armed Services
Committee was not without rancor, but even those who disagreed with Les
respected his verve and determination.
When we lost Les Aspin, we lost a man of great vision. He was one of
the few who realized that we needed a completely new way of thinking
about national security policy in the post-cold-war era. He had the
capacity to think through the difficult issues involved in developing
such a policy. And, he was unrelenting in making us deal with those
issues.
Even though Les Aspin became a powerful national figure, he never
forgot his roots. Les represented the 1st Congressional District for 22
years and he cared deeply about the people of his district. He was
aggressive in pursuing projects that would benefit the people of
Wisconsin and he left no stone unturned in helping resolve constituent
problems. He especially recognized the importance of reliable postal
service in small and big towns alike. He was known to become personally
involved in responding to complaints from constituents about postal
service, often attending meetings across the district on postal issues.
Les became intimately involved when the Janesville Postal Office was
moved from downtown, working to ensure that service was retained for
all, especially small businesses and other postal patrons who relied on
the downtown post office. Thus, naming the Janesville Post Office after
Les Aspin is a most fitting tribute to his many years of service to the
people of the First Congressional District.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and hope for its
speedy passage.
______
By Mr. COVERDELL (for himself, Mr. Lott, Mr. McCain, Mr.
Thurmond, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Helms, Mr. Warner, Mr. Murkowski,
Mr. Jeffords, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Collins,
Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr.
Inhofe, Mr. Burns, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Grams, Mr. Mack,
Mr. Craig, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Enzi,
Mr. Grassley, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Smith of New
Hampshire, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Gorton, and Mrs.
Hutchison):
S. 2459. A bill to provide for the award of a gold medal on behalf of
the Congress to former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy
Reagan in recognition of their service to the Nation; to the Committee
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
the reagan congressional gold medal
Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, it is with a deep sense of honor that I
rise today to introduce legislation awarding former President and Mrs.
Ronald Reagan the Congressional Gold Medal. Very few Americans have had
as profound an impact upon this Nation and the world as this remarkable
couple have.
In his eight years in office, President Reagan restored American's
sense of pride and set us squarely on the course of prosperity we still
enjoy today. He was instrumental in the collapse of the Soviet Empire
that brought an end to the Cold War. Who could forget his ringing
challenge from Berlin's Bradenburg Gate, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down
this Wall!'' By 1989, to the amazement of the world, Germany was
unified, and the Wall became a memory. Reagan's character, wit, and
eloquence as the ``Great Communicator'' brought honor to the Office of
the President and endeared him to us all.
As First Lady, Nancy Reagan's contributions were equally significant
in their own right. She not only bestowed elegance and grace upon the
White House, but she also brought critical leadership to righting the
scourge of illegal drugs. Tirelessly encouraging our Nation's youth to
``Just Say No,'' Mrs. Reagan was instrumental in successfully reducing
the rate of illegal drug use among our children.
The Reagans have continued to inspire us even after their years in
the White House. President and Nancy Reagan have confronted his
Alzheimer's disease with the same dignity and bravery they displayed in
office. Their fight inspires hope in millions of Americans who also
must struggle with this disease. Our thoughts and best wishes for them
are constant.
The leadership and dedication that President and Mrs. Reagan provided
this Nation will undeniably endure throughout the course of human
events. It is now time for a grateful people and Nation to say, ``Thank
you.'' I am very appreciative of my many colleagues who join me today
in sponsoring this legislation and invite others to join us in honoring
President and Nancy Reagan.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of this bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 2459
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Both former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy
Reagan have distinguished records of public service to the
United States, the American people, and the international
community.
(2) As President, Ronald Reagan restored ``the great,
confident roar of American progress, growth, and optimism'',
a pledge which he made before being elected to office.
(3) President Ronald Reagan's leadership was instrumental
in uniting a divided world by bringing about an end to the
cold war.
(4) The United States enjoyed sustained economic prosperity
and employment growth during Ronald Reagan's presidency.
(5) President Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy not only served as
a gracious First Lady but also as a proponent for preventing
alcohol and drug use among the Nation's youth by championing
the ``Just Say No'' campaign.
(6) Together, Ronald and Nancy Reagan dedicated their lives
to promoting national pride and to bettering the quality of
life in the United States and throughout the world.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate
shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on
behalf of the Congress, of a gold medal of appropriate design
to former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan
in recognition of their service to the Nation.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purpose of the
presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of
the Treasury (in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'')
shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and
inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the
gold medal struck pursuant to section 2 at a price sufficient
to cover the costs of the medals (including labor, materials,
dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses) and the cost
of the gold medal.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals for
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
[[Page S2868]]
SEC. 5. FUNDING AND PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authorization.--There is hereby authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund
an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the
medals authorized by this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of
duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in
the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
______
By Mr. FEINGOLD:
S. 2460. A bill to authorize the payment of rewards to individuals
furnishing information relating to persons subject to indictment for
serious violations of international humanitarian law in Rwanda, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
expansion of rewards program to include rwanda
Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill to
authorize payment of rewards to individuals furnishing information
relating to persons subject to indictment for serious violations of
international humanitarian law in Rwanda. This bill would add the
masterminds of the Rwandan genocide to the list of individuals our
rewards program is helping to track down, and this legislation will
send those individuals a clear message--that there is no impunity for
genocide, that the world will not forget, and that they cannot evade
justice forever.
Six years ago today, a headline ran on the front page of the New York
Times reading--``Rwandan Refugees Describe Horrors After a Bloody
Trek.'' The lead-in read as follows:
Their clothes are blood-soaked, and their wounds are eerily
similar. Pursued by fear, the 450 or so men, women and
children in the makeshift hospital here made the same journey
across the border from Rwanda, nursing the deep gouges made
by the machetes that struck their skulls, necks and hands.
Six years ago today the media was just waking up to the horror
unfolding in Rwanda, although the killing had been going on for weeks.
Six years ago today, the reporters filing their stories from Burundi
and Zaire were still cautious about the word ``genocide.'' They still
referred to ``ancient tribal hatreds'' as the source of the
incomprehensible violence engulfing the tiny central African country.
Six years ago today, the death toll in the Rwandan genocide continued
to mount while the international community stood by and watched,
despite clear warnings, and despite the International Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that committed
signatories to act. Six years ago, U.S. leadership failed, the
international community floundered, and the global bond of basic human
decency broke, leaving the people of Rwanda to face terror alone.
Mr. President, we know today that the genocide was not a series of
spontaneous acts; it was not about crowds gone wild or tribal
bloodlust. It was carefully planned and centrally directed. Extra
machetes had been imported, militias groups were in place, and
incitements to murder had become a regular element of programming on
the hate-radio station. The planners targeted not only ethnic Tutsis,
but also politically moderate Hutus who threatened their grip on power.
We know today that individual people--leaders and planners--are
responsible for the deaths of some 800,000 people, and that the blame
for these atrocities cannot be heaped on some imagined cultural failing
or the flaws of the human heart in general.
Holding those individuals responsible for the genocide accountable
for their actions is the only remaining opportunity for the
international community to do the right thing with regard to the events
of 6 years ago. For this reason, I have consistently supported the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, known as the ICTR. The ICTR
was created by the United Nations Security Council in November 1994 to
prosecute persons responsible for genocide and other serious violations
of international humanitarian law committed in Rwanda during 1994. Its
structure mirrors that of the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia, the ICTY.
I have come to this floor in the past to raise the issue of parity
between the ICTY and the ICTR. In particular, I have pointed out that
whereas the ICTY has the authority to prosecute individuals for serious
violations of international humanitarian law committed since 1991
through the present, the ICTR's mandate covers only those acts
committed within Rwandan borders during 1994. Last year, the Senate
approved an amendment that I offered to the State Department
authorization bill requiring a report on the merits of expanding the
mandate to the ICTR in space and time, both to deter further abuses and
to hold the perpetrators of the continuing atrocities in the Great
Lakes accountable for their actions.
Even if we accept the confines of the current mandate, I fear that
the ICTR is being given short shrift. Under current U.S. law, the
Secretary of State can confer with the Attorney General and, through
the rewards program that offers incentives to turn in terrorists and
other international villains, pay a reward to any individual furnishing
information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of any
person who is the subject of an indictment of the ICTY. Similarly, the
reward may be made to any individual furnishing information leading to
the transfer to or conviction by the International Criminal Tribunal
for the Former Yugoslavia. But there is no such provision for the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
It is situations like these that feed perceptions of a double-
standard in American foreign policy, wherein African lives are somehow
less valuable than European ones, and African atrocities are somehow
more acceptable. That perceived double-standard undermines American
credibility and casts doubt on our commitment to the values we hold
most dear, the values at the very foundation of our national identity.
The ICTR is not perfect, but it has been responsible for the first
convictions for the crime of genocide ever to be issued by an
international court. It has been the first international body to
recognize rape as a crime of genocide. And knowledgeable observers
agree that it has made a great deal of progress since its early days,
and that it has gone further to bring ``big fish" to justice than the
ICTY. But more needs to be done. I will submit for the Record an
article from the most recent issue of The Economist, headlined ``Still
Wanted,'' which details some of the challenges the international
community faces in bringing the perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide to
justice. The United States should assist in these efforts. And the
existing law that I propose amending ensures that the State Department
and the Department of Justice--not the U.N.--will govern the offering,
administration, and payment of rewards. Six years after the Rwandan
genocide, six years after the slaughter of 800,000 people, including
those indicted by the ICTR in the rewards program is the very least we
can do.
I yield the floor, and ask unanimous consent that the bill and
article be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
S. 2460
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXPANSION OF REWARDS PROGRAM TO INCLUDE RWANDA.
Section 102 of the Act of October 30, 1998 (Public Law 105-
323) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``OR RWANDA''
after ``YUGOSLAVIA'';
(2) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting ``or the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda'' after
``Yugoslavia''; and
(3) in subsection (c)-
(A) by inserting ``(1)'' immediately after ``Reference.--
''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) For the purposes of subsection (a), the statute of
the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda means the
statute contained in the annex to Security Council Resolution
955 of November 8, 1994.''.
____
[From the Economist, Apr. 22, 2000]
Still Wanted
Will Felicien Kabuga or Tharcisse Renzaho ever be brought
to justice? They are still at large, among several hundred
other senior Rwandans who in 1994 planned and promoted the
genocide of up to 1m people. Mr. Kabuga was a businessman who
financed the murderous Hutu militias, supplied them with
machetes and was part owner of Radio Mille Collines, the
radio station that broadcast the orders for genocide. Colonel
Renzaho was the governor of the capital, Kigali. He directed
the killing squads there, ordering them to make sure that
``none can escape'', and he was a member of the committee
that co-ordinated the slaughter throughout the country.
So far, 44 people have been detained by the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda,
[[Page S2869]]
based in Arusha in Tanzania. Seven have been convicted, of
whom six are on appeal. The prosecutor is still looking for
about 35 people. Although names are not published for fear of
alerting men on the run, Mr. Kabuga and Colonel Renzaho are
almost certainly on the list. Arrested or hunted, they are
still only a small proportion of the people who planned and
executed the fastest and most orderly genocide in history.
While the UN tribunal grinds on in Arusha, the Rwandan
government is busy bringing genocide criminals before its own
courts. If the main perpetrators are to be caught, and the
evidence found to convict them, the two should co-operate.
But their relationship, though it now shows signs of
improvement, has long been unhappy. The government objects,
among other things, to the money spent on the tribunal, which
it feels could have been better used to rebuild a justice
system in Rwanda.
The government has so far detained more than 120,000 people
accused of genocide, of whom over 2,000 have been convicted
and 300 sentenced to death. At the end of last year, it
produced a list of 2,133 people suspected of planning or
directing the genocide. Most of them are still at large.
Many of the missing villains are in Congo. Senior military
officers fled there after their genocidal government was
defeated by the Rwandan Patriotic Front, which now rules the
country. In Congo, they regrouped soldiers and militiamen
responsible for the killing. Since Rwanda became involved in
Congo's civil war, many of the Rwandan militiamen are
fighting on the side of president Laurent Kabila, against the
Congolese rebels who, in their turn, are backed by the
Rwandan government. So long as Congo's fighting continues,
the missing Rwandans will be difficult to arrest--and they
are making sure that the war continues.
Others are in Tanzania. Hutus from both Rwanda and Burundi
are well established in the administration of western
Tanzania from where, probably without the knowledge of the
central government, they protect some of the killers. Others,
again, are scattered around the world, some with false
identities. Mr. Kabuga was said to have been spotted in
Switzerland but is now thought to be in Kenya. Colonel
Renzaho is probably in Congo. Governments do not seem to be
making much effort to find them. Those who have been
discovered--in Britain, America, France, Belgium and
Denmark--have often been unmasked by journalists.
By contrast, western security services expend considerable
energy on tracking down war criminals from the conflicts in
former Yugoslavia. The Yugoslav war-crimes tribunal in The
Hague has so far issued over 90 indictments, and arrested
more than 40 suspects, of whom 15 have been sentenced. It has
named 29 people it is still looking for. So far as is known,
they are all still in the region, either in power in Serbia
or hiding in Bosnia.
It is much harder to find the dispersed Rwandans. Moreover,
even if they were caught and sent to the tribunal, gathering
evidence to prosecute them would be difficult. Persuading
witnesses to leave their homes and come to Arusha to give
evidence, and then providing them with protection when they
return, is fraught with trouble. The horrible fact is that
the only living witnesses to some of the worst Rwandan
massacres are the perpetrators themselves.
______
By Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself and Mr. Breaux):
S. 2462. A bill to provide for the establishment of the Cat Island
National Wildlife Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana; to the
Committee on Environment and Public Works.
legislation establishing the cat island national wildlife refuge
Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my
distinguished colleague from Louisiana, Senator John Breaux, in
introducing legislation that would establish the Cat Island National
Wildlife Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. Cat Island is one
of the last remaining tracts in the Lower Mississippi River Valley that
is still influenced by the natural dynamics of the river. The 36,500
acre site supports one of the largest densities of virgin bald cypress
trees in the entire Mississippi River Valley. The site is also the home
of the nation's largest cypress tree. Cat Island is important habitat
for several declining species of songbirds and thousands of wintering
waterfowl. The site is also home to the Louisiana black bear and high
populations of deer, squirrel, turkey, and furbearing mammals such as
mink and bobcats. We introduce this important legislation with the
purpose of preserving and enhancing this valuable natural resource for
our nation and generations to come.
Mr. President, I recently had the good fortune of visiting Cat Island
with Senator Breaux and representatives from the U.S. Department of the
Interior, and I must tell you I was overwhelmed by the breathtaking
beauty and bountiful natural resources of this site. Cat Island truly
represents one of the most valuable and productive wildlife habitats in
the United States. The site has high value for public uses such as
outdoor recreation, environmental education, ecotourism, hunting, and
fishing.
There has been a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for protecting and
enhancing the natural resources of Cat Island. Citizens and elected
officials from the State of Louisiana, representatives from national
environmental conservation organizations and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service have supported our efforts in developing this important
legislation. The Police Jurors of West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana,
have passed a resolution in support of establishing the Cat Island
National Wildlife Refuge. The Governor of Louisiana and the Secretary
of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have endorsed
creating the refuge. The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana has generously
agreed to underwrite the operation and maintenance cost for the Fish
and Wildlife Service during the first three years of operation of the
refuge. The conservation organization will also facilitate the
acquisition of the site and the transfer of ownership to the Fish and
Wildlife Service. Most recently, the President allocated $4 million in
his fiscal year 2001 budget for land acquisitions at the Cat Island
site.
Mr. President, Cat Island clearly represents one of the best examples
of Louisiana's unique natural heritage and is deserving of inclusion in
the National Wildlife Refuge System. This legislation supports the aims
of the Lower Mississippi River Aquatic Resources Management Plan and
the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture under the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be
printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the
Record, as follows:
S. 2462
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) as the southernmost unleveed portion of the Mississippi
River, Cat Island, Louisiana, is 1 of the last remaining
tracts in the lower Mississippi Valley that is still
influenced by the natural dynamics of the river;
(2) Cat Island supports some of the highest densities of
virgin bald cypress trees in the Mississippi River Valley,
including the champion cypress tree of the United States,
which is 17 feet wide and has a circumference of 53 feet;
(3) Cat Island is important habitat for several declining
species of forest songbirds and supports thousands of
wintering waterfowl;
(4) Cat Island supports high populations of deer, turkey,
and furbearing mammals, such as mink and bobcats;
(5) forested wetland on Cat Island--
(A) represents 1 of the most valuable and productive
wildlife habitats in the United States; and
(B) has high recreational value for hunters, fishermen,
birdwatchers, nature photographers, and others; and
(6) protection and enhancement of the resources of Cat
Island through the inclusion of Cat Island in the National
Wildlife Refuge System would help meet the habitat protection
goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, signed
by the Minister of the Environment of Canada and the
Secretary in May 1986.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS:
In this Act:
(1) Refuge.--The term ``Refuge'' means the Cat Island
National Wildlife Refuge established by section 3(a).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT AND ACQUISITION OF REFUGE.
(a) In General.--There is established a unit of the
National Wildlife Refuge System to be known as the ``Cat
Island National Wildlife Refuge'' in West Feliciana Parish,
Louisiana.
(b) Inclusions.--The Refuge shall consist of the land and
waters (including any interest in the land or waters)
acquired by the Secretary for the Refuge under--
(1) subsection (d); or
(2) any other law.
(c) Notice of Establishment.--The Secretary shall publish a
notice of the establishment of the Refuge--
(1) in the Federal Register; and
(2) in publications of local circulation in the vicinity of
the Refuge.
(d) Acquisition.--The Secretary shall seek to acquire for
inclusion in the Refuge, by purchase, exchange, or donation,
approximately 36,500 acres of land and adjacent waters
(including interests in the land or adjacent waters) of Cat
Island, Louisiana, as depicted on the map entitled ``Cat
Island National Wildlife Refuge, Proposed'', dated
[[Page S2870]]
February 8, 2000, which shall be available for inspection in
the appropriate offices of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service.
SEC. 4. PURPOSES OF REFUGE.
The purposes of the Refuge are--
(1) to conserve, enhance, and restore the native bottomland
community characteristics of the lower Mississippi alluvial
valley (including associated fish, wildlife, and plant
species);
(2) to conserve, enhance, and restore habitat to maintain
and assist in the recovery of animals (such as the Louisiana
black bear) and plants that are listed as endangered species
or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(3) to conserve, enhance, and restore habitats as necessary
to contribute to the migratory bird population goals and
habitat objectives as established through the Lower
Mississippi Valley Joint Venture under the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4401 et seq.);
(4) to achieve the habitat objectives of the Lower
Mississippi River Aquatic Resources Management Plan, prepared
by the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee;
(5) to authorize the Secretary, through consultation with
Federal, State, and local agencies and adjacent landowners,
to assist in the restoration of forest habitat linkages
between refuge land and other land to reverse past impacts
associated with habitat fragmentation on wildlife and plant
species;
(6) to provide compatible opportunities for hunting,
fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and
environmental education and interpretation; and
(7) to encourage the use of volunteers and to facilitate
partnerships among the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, local communities, conservation organizations, and
other non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the
resources of the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge and the
National Wildlife Refuge System (including public
participation in the conservation of those resources).
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall administer all land
and waters (including any interest in land or waters)
acquired under section 3(d) in accordance with--
(1) the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act
of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.);
(2) Public Law 87-714 (commonly known as the ``Refuge
Recreation Act'') (16 U.S.C. 460k et seq.); and
(3) the purposes of the Refuge described in section 4.
(b) Use of Other Authority.--The Secretary may use such
additional statutory authority as is available to the
Secretary to conduct projects and activities at the Refuge in
accordance with this Act, including projects or activities to
conserve or develop--
(1) wildlife and natural resources;
(2) water supplies;
(3) water control structures;
(4) outdoor recreational activity programs; and
(5) interpretive education programs.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary
such sums as are necessary for--
(1) the acquisition of interests in land and waters
described in section 3(d)(1); and
(2) the development, operation, and maintenance of the
Refuge.
Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Landrieu in
offering legislation to establish the Cat Island National Wildlife
Refuge in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.
The Mississippi River has provided for the commerce, transportation,
and nourishment that has sustained Louisianians for over 300 years.
Over time, communities have adapted to the unique environment that
exists near the River. Today marks a milestone in the effort to
preserve one of the last remaining tracts in the lower Mississippi
Valley that is still influenced by the natural dynamics of the great
River.
The area known as Cat Island is the southernmost unleveed portion of
the Mississippi River. It is actually a peninsula of bottomland
hardwood forest adjacent to the River and located thirty miles north of
our state capital at Baton Rouge. It supports one of the highest
densities of virgin bald cypress trees in the entire Mississippi River
Valley, including the nation's champion cypress tree, which is 17 feet
wide and 53 feet in circumference. By designating this area as a
National Wildlife Refuge, we aim to protect the habitat of several
declining species of forest songbirds, thousands of wintering
waterfowl, and breeding ground for Wood Ducks. The area also supports
high populations of deer, squirrel, turkey, and furbearers such as
bobcat and mink.
The Cat Island Project represents a collaborative effort among
several entities who have remained committed to its conservation. The
Nature Conservancy spearheaded the effort, marshaled public support
from Louisianians of all stripes, and worked diligently to secure the
necessary funding for the initial acquisition of land from commercial
and private landowners in the area. In fact, the Migratory Bird
Commission provided the seed money to begin the acquisition process.
Senator Landrieu and I have worked hard to find appropriate sources of
federal funding to contribute to the cause, and we are delighted that
the President has included $4 million for the Cat Island Project in his
budget request for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We have enjoyed
the support of officials from the Department of the Interior as well.
Assistant Secretary David Hayes visited the site of the planned refuge
along with Senator Landrieu and me in February. As I said, this project
is the result of the good faith, dedication and continued cooperation
of many players. I express my sincere gratitude and congratulations to
all who have been involved.
The final piece in the completion of this project is the designation
of the land as a National Wildlife Refuge. I am proud to offer
legislation that will ensure the conservation of wild Louisiana for
future generations to experience.
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