[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H2050-H2051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 581, WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 135 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 135

         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. 581) to authorize the Secretary of the 
     Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to use funds 
     appropriated for wildland fire management in the Department 
     of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     2001, to reimburse the United States Fish and Wildlife 
     Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to 
     facilitate the interagency cooperation required under the 
     Endangered Species Act of 1973 in connection with wildland 
     fire management. The first reading of the bill shall be 
     dispensed with. Points of order against consideration of the 
     bill for failure to comply with section 311 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974 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 Resources. After general 
     debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 
     five-minute rule. The bill shall be considered as read. All 
     points of order against provisions in the bill 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. 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. 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 Washington (Mr. Hastings) 
is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, for the purpose of debate 
only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Frost), 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 only.
  (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, House Resolution 135 is an 
open rule providing for consideration of the bill H.R. 581, the 
Wildland Fire Management Act. The rule waives section 311 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 against consideration of the bill and 
provides for 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by 
the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Resources.
  The rule further provides that the bill shall be open for amendment 
at any point and waives all points of order against the bill. Finally, 
the rule authorizes the Chair to accord priority in recognition to 
Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Congressional 
Record, and provides one motion to recommit, with or without 
instructions.
  Madam Speaker, the Wildland Fire Management Act would authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to use funds 
appropriated for wildland fire management in the Department of the 
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2001 to reimburse 
several Federal agencies for costs associated with the interagency 
cooperation required under the Endangered Species Act when managing 
wildland fires.
  In response to devastating fire seasons in 1999 and 2000, Congress 
appropriated $2.9 billion to reimburse funds borrowed by agencies for 
wildfire emergency suppression efforts, to rehabilitate and restore 
damaged lands and waters, to increase wildfire fighting readiness, and 
to provide State and local community assistance.
  Subsequently, however, the U.S. Forest Service requested legislation 
to clarify that funds appropriated under the National Fire Plan can 
also be used for reviews of fire management plans required under the 
Endangered Species Act. Accordingly, H.R. 581 was introduced by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley) in February of this year, and it 
was reported favorably by the Committee on Resources without amendment 
on March 28, 2001.
  The Congressional Budget Office estimates that enacting H.R. 581 
would increase direct spending by $3 million in 2001 and decrease 
direct spending by the same amount in 2002. Because the bill would 
affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. Members 
should also be advised that the bill contains no governmental or 
private sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased that, consistent with the request of the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the Committee on Rules has reported 
an open rule on this bill so that Members wishing to offer amendments 
may have every opportunity to do so.
  As the fire season out West approaches, those of us who represent 
western States are particularly aware of the need for a coordinated 
Federal approach to wildfire suppression. The gentleman from Colorado's 
bill would certainly advance that important goal. Accordingly, I 
encourage my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying 
bill, H.R. 581.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FROST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 581, the Wildland Fire Management Act, is a 
worthy legislative proposal which will facilitate Federal interagency 
cooperation in the control and abatement of wildland fires and fuel 
load reduction. The Committee on Rules has reported an open rule and 
Democratic members of the committee have no objections. We would like 
to point out, however, this noncontroversial bill could have been 
considered under suspension but is being brought to the floor today to 
serve as filler in order to give the House some business to conduct.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 
minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley), the sponsor of the 
bill.
  Mr. HEFLEY. Madam Speaker, I stand in strong support of the rule and 
thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Frost) for their work in crafting this rule.
  H.R. 581 is a noncontroversial, I believe, and a nonpartisan bill 
that is strongly supported by the administration. It deserves our 
immediate consideration and support.
  It is imperative, especially for those of us who represent districts 
in the West and Northwest, that the U.S. Forest Service be able to 
transfer national fire program funds as soon as possible to the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service so that 
they can complete their consultation requirements under the Endangered 
Species Act. Once this work is complete, the Forest Service will have 
the opportunity to reduce dangerous high levels of fuel load.

[[Page H2051]]

  I urge adoption of the rule.
  Mr. FROST. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Madam Speaker, 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.

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