[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 19, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H948-H949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL PARK OF AMERICAN SAMOA BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT

  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1712) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to make 
minor adjustments to the boundary of the National Park of American 
Samoa to include certain portions of the islands of Ofu and Olosega 
within the park, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1712

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK OF 
                   AMERICAN SAMOA.

       Section 2(b) of the Act entitled ``An Act to establish the 
     National Park of American Samoa'' (16 U.S.C. 410qq-1(b)), 
     approved October 31, 1988, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``(1)'', ``(2)'', and ``(3)'' and inserting 
     ``(A)'', ``(B)'', and ``(C)'', respectively;
       (2) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``Included.--''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) The Secretary may make adjustments to the boundary of 
     the park to include within the park certain portions of the 
     islands of Ofu and Olosega, as depicted on the map entitled 
     `National Park of American Samoa, Proposed Boundary 
     Adjustment', numbered 82,035 and dated February 2002, 
     pursuant to an agreement with the Governor of American Samoa 
     and contingent upon the lease to the Secretary of the newly 
     added lands. As soon as practicable after a boundary 
     adjustment under this paragraph, the Secretary shall modify 
     the maps referred to in paragraph (1) accordingly.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. 
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 1712, introduced by our committee colleague, the gentleman from 
American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), would authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to make adjustments to the boundary of the national park of 
American Samoa to include certain portions of the islands of Ofu and 
Olosega within the park.
  Created in 1988, the national park of American Samoa preserves the 
tropical forests and archeological and cultural resources of American 
Samoa and its associated coral reefs. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the 
national park of American Samoa preserves the only paleotropical rain 
forest in the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, expanding the park's boundaries to include land and 
water on the islands of Ofu and Olosega would protect additional coral 
communities that harbor great diversity of species, including the 
endangered hawsbill, preserve high concentrations of medicinal plans, 
and offer increased scuba diving and hiking opportunities, while at the 
same time preserve subsistence fishing, which is protected by the 
park's enabling legislation.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, unlike all other units in our national park 
system, the National Park Service would lease, rather than purchase, 
the additional lands. Currently, the park service manages 9,000 acres 
of land and water on the islands of American Samoa through a 50-year 
lease. The additional lands and waters would also be leased by the park 
service.

[[Page H949]]

  Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1712, as 
amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to certainly thank the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) for his eloquent statement in 
support of this legislation. I also want to thank the Republican and 
Democratic House leadership, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and 
the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), our full committee 
leaders, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich) and the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), with the 
Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands, for their 
support in bringing this bill to the floor today. H.R. 1712 will make 
adjustments to the boundary of the national park of American Samoa.
  Mr. Speaker, the U.S. territory of American Samoa is located 
approximately 2,400 miles directly south of Hawaii. The national park 
in American Samoa is located on three separate islands: Tutuila, Ofu 
and Ta'u. The islands of Ofu and Olosega, portions of which would be 
added to the park under this legislation, are small islands which lie 
adjacent to each other and are connected by a short bridge.
  In 1998, I received a request from the village chiefs of Sili and 
Olosega, on the island of Olosega, to include portions of their village 
lands within the national park. The chiefs noted the important role the 
park plays in preserving the natural and cultural resources of the 
territory, and indicated that the village councils believed there are 
significant cultural resources on village lands which warrant 
consideration for addition to the park.
  About 2 years ago I had asked the National Park Service to conduct 
studies to determine if there were cultural and natural resources on 
the island which warranted inclusion in the park. The park service 
completed reconnaissance surveys on the islands of Olosega and a 
portion of the island of Ofu and reported on both.
  The National Park Service concluded in part: the archaeological 
significance of Olosega Island cannot be understated. Sites on the 
ridgeline and terraces may offer an important opportunity for the study 
and interpretation of ancient Samoa. The number and density of star 
mounds (31), the great number of modified terraces, about 46 sites, and 
homesites of about 14, the subsistence system, and the artifacts 
available are all important findings. This is particularly significant 
in that they were recorded in only 3 days of visual surveys on only a 
portion of the island.
  The National Park Service researchers also discovered that on top of 
this particular island of Olosega, were several acres of medicinal 
plants that are found nowhere else in the Samoan islands. This leads me 
to my next point, Mr. Speaker, about the importance of this unique 
national park.
  One of the world's most renowned ethnobotanists, Dr. Paul Cox, who is 
currently the director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden on the 
island of Kauai in the State of Hawaii, conducted a series of research 
and study of several of the ancient Samoan medicinal plants. From one 
of these plants a substance called protrastin has now been discovered. 
It has been found that protrastin may have beneficial properties for 
the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
  About two weeks ago, my district was privileged to host one of the 
world's most renown marine ocean scientists, Dr. Sylvia Earle. Believe 
it or not, Dr. Earle continues to explore the ocean as a scuba diver, 
and in doing so, found that one of the rarest giant clams in the world 
can only be found in the Samoan islands.
  Mr. Speaker, the national park of American Samoa is continuing to 
develop. Established in 1988 by Public Law 100-571, the park took 
several years to become operational. Today, however, tourists are 
visiting and schoolteachers are using the park as an educational 
resource to help the students learn more about Samoan history and 
ancient culture, the environment and ecological conservation. The park 
is preserving the area within its boundaries; but as the population 
grows, from about 22 percent, considerable pressure has been placed on 
these undeveloped areas.
  The additions proposed by this legislation will preserve important 
sections of the remaining natural and cultural resources of the 
territory.
  Again, because of the historical significance of this park, I 
respectfully request and ask my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I appreciate the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) 
going into more detail about this unique national park and exactly the 
treasures there, the opportunities there and things that are worth 
saving there within the confines of that park and why it is necessary 
to move forward in this legislation. I would join him in earnest 
bipartisan support for this because I think it is a scientific treasure 
for us and one that, as he has pointed out, with the medicinal value of 
plants and other things there, things that may hold the key to medical 
miracles and marvels yet to come.
  It is in that spirit that I would urge passage of the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) for his eloquence and his remarks.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1712, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote, and pending 
that, I make the point of order that a quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8, rule XX, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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