[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2557-H2558]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1106, ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCES ACT
OF 2000
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call
up House Resolution 485 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 485
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. 1106) to authorize the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to make grants to State
agencies with responsibility for water source development for
the purpose of maximizing available water supply and
protecting the environment through the development of
alternative water sources. The first reading of the bill will
be dispensed with. Points of order against consideration of
the bill for failure to comply with clause 4(a) of rule XIII
are waived. 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. The committee amendment in the nature of a
substitute shall be considered as read. 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.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) is
recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the
customary 30 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Hall), my friend and colleague, pending which I yield myself such time
as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time
yielded is for the purpose of debate on this issue only.
[[Page H2558]]
Mr. Speaker, this is a very fair, simple rule, as we have just heard
described to us. It provides for adequate and appropriate consideration
of H.R. 1106, the Alternative Water Sources Act. It is a wide open rule
that will accommodate any Member's interest in the amendment process
who wishes to come forward on it.
H.R. 1102 would provide Federal grants to State and local governments
so that they can move forward on developing alternative water sources.
This is a critically important issue for my home State of Florida and
for States across the country. We have always had water wars in
America, but with an ever-increasing population and the accompanying
heightened demand for water that we see in our communities, we are
sure, I am afraid, we are going to see more of these disputes.
So H.R. 1102 aims to spur the development of alternate water sources
which will help meet the increased demand. It is proactive. It is
forward thinking. I thank my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Florida
(Mrs. Fowler) and the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert) and
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Chairman Shuster) of the committee for
their work to bring this forward at this time.
I certainly encourage my colleagues to support the rule and the
underlying legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) for
yielding me the customary time.
Mr. Speaker, this is an open rule. As my colleague from Florida has
described, this rule provides for 1 hour of general debate to be
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority
member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The rule permits amendments under the 5-minute rule, which is the
normal amending process in the House. All Members on both sides of the
aisle will have the opportunity to offer germane amendments.
The bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to provide
grants for water reclamation, reuse, and conservation projects.
America's growing population has created an increased demand for
water, and this legislation will help States, local governments,
private utilities, and nonprofit groups develop new water resources to
meet these critical needs.
The bill was approved by a voice vote of the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure with bipartisan support. It is an
open rule.
I urge adoption of the rule.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) who has the adjoining
district and shares the same interest I do in South Florida.
{time} 1100
Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Goss), a member of the Committee on Rules, the champion of the
Everglades, for giving me the opportunity to once again to speak under
another rule, to talk about an issue again critical to the State of
Florida and again dealing with the importance of water. And if anyone
has traveled to Florida, whether it be the Keys or to Okeechobee County
or to Palatka or Jacksonville or the Panhandle, they recognize with
some 45 million annual visitors a year and a population in excess of 14
million people we clearly have water on our mind. It is everywhere. It
is bountiful. It is plentiful, but it is diminishing. Obviously, it is
not all available for consumption. We are surrounded by both the Gulf
and the Atlanta Ocean which is, of course, saltwater incapable of being
used for nourishment or thirst-quenching, unless it has been
desalinated and that, of course, is an expensive proposal.
I want to first thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) and others who have
allowed this bill to come to the floor today, and I want to thank my
colleagues, the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman), the
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Fowler), the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Mica), and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) for their hard work
on H.R. 1106.
Many States, especially my home State of Florida, currently face a
water supply crisis. Our populations continue to grow but our water
levels continue to decrease. If nothing is done, it is estimated that
water demand will exceed supply as early as 2020. Congress must act now
before this problem escalates to that dangerous level leading to
potential economic and environmental crises.
I will stop there for just a moment to recognize the actions on the
floor of the legislature in unanimously passing the bill provided to
them by Governor Jeb Bush regarding the Florida Everglades which, of
course, is a key part and component of the long-term solutions of
saving Florida and obviously providing an abundant supply of water.
That bill provides $123 million over the course of the next several
years in order to accomplish environmental restoration. That is
critical to be acknowledged on the floor today because we will
ultimately take up the restudy bill, which is a bill that has been
strongly championed by the Florida delegation in order to get money
necessary to complete the important replumbing of the Florida
Everglades and surrounding environments.
Congress has recognized a similar problem before in Western States
and in the United States territories. A limited number of State
governments are now eligible for funding to develop alternative water
resources through the Bureau of Reclamation. We need to answer the call
of high-population growth States such as Florida now with a comparable
plan. Florida has taken aggressive steps through conservation and
identification of alternative water sources. Unfortunately, these steps
are clearly not enough.
High-population growth States need action by Congress now to prevent
disastrous consequences later. So I urge my colleagues both to vote for
the rule and vote for the underlying legislation, H.R. 1106, the
Alternative Water Resources Act of 1999.
Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOSS. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the rule. I yield back the
balance of the 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.
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