[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 19, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H1963-H1964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SAN GABRIEL RIVER WATERSHED STUDY ACT
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 519) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
study of the San Gabriel River Watershed, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 519
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SAN GABRIEL RIVER WATERSHED STUDY.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``San
Gabriel River Watershed Study Act''.
(b) Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior (hereafter
in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall
conduct a special resource study of the following areas:
(A) The San Gabriel River and its tributaries north of and
including the city of Santa Fe Springs.
(B) The San Gabriel Mountains within the territory of the
San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains
Conservancy (as defined in section 32603(c)(1)(C) of the
State of California Public Resource Code).
(2) Study conduct and completion.--Section 8(c) of Public
Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) shall apply to the conduct and
completion of the study conducted under this section.
(3) Consultation with federal, state, and local
governments.--In conducting the study under this section, the
Secretary shall consult with the San Gabriel and Lower Los
Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy and other
appropriate Federal, State, and local governmental entities.
(4) Considerations.--In conducting the study under this
section, the Secretary shall consider regional flood control
and drainage needs and publicly owned infrastructure such as
wastewater treatment facilities.
(c) Report.--Not later than 3 years after funds are made
available for this section, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and
the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives a
report on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of
the study.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
[[Page H1964]]
California (Mr. Pombo) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo).
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 519, introduced by the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Solis), would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a
special resource study of the San Gabriel River Watershed in the State
of California.
While I will defer to the minority and the bill's sponsor to explain
the merits of the legislation, I would express that we greatly
appreciate the efforts of the bill's sponsors and the minority to
address some early concerns about this bill. These concerns were
addressed during the last Congress, and the bill successfully passed
the body as part of a larger package, although it ultimately did not
become law. This bill now enjoys the broad support of both the majority
and the minority, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 519, sponsored by the gentlewoman
from California (Ms. Solis), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
to study the feasibility and suitability of establishing a unit of the
National Park System which would include parts of the San Gabriel
River, as well as a portion of the San Gabriel Mountains. The study
would include parts of Los Angeles County, as well as a part of the
City of Los Angeles itself.
During the hearings on this measure held during the previous
Congress, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) provided
testimony and photographs demonstrating that, although this proposed
study area is in the midst of a very urban area, some green space has
been preserved and might be appropriate for a park unit.
Clearly, such an urban setting raises conservation and management
challenges, and we look forward to the results of this study regarding
these issues. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) on her legislation and her
diligence in moving her bill through the legislative process. She has
been extremely patient while working very hard to move the bill
forward. I urge Members to approve H.R. 519.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman
from California (Ms. Solis).
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for working with us.
I also thank the ranking member, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr.
Rahall), and the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo) and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich). When we were discussing the
bill last year, we went through different versions of the bill. We did
try to accommodate the concerns of all Members who were involved in
this effort.
I truly think this is a hallmark because it is a bipartisan bill that
was working its way through last year, but unfortunately met some
barriers on the Senate side. I know this is something that many people
in urban areas are looking for as a model. We hear from Members on both
sides of the aisle talking about providing open space in urban areas.
This will hopefully provide some type of relief for over 2 million
people that reside along the San Gabriel River. I grew up there as a
child and spent many Saturday afternoons and vacations in this area.
Something that we like to talk about is the fact that so many people in
that area come from largely low-income, underrepresented areas, and do
not have the ability or economic means to go to Sequoia, to go to
Yosemite, to even go to the beach. Some people in my district have
never had the luxury of going to the beach. Their recreation occurs in
their particular geographic area.
The San Gabriel Mountains are only 20 minutes away from a lot of the
residents that I represent. The gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier)
and I have worked on this issue. Many of his constituents feel very
strongly about the need to provide open space for all communities. This
is a step in the right direction. The Department of the Interior will
conduct a study, and hopefully they will come up with some good
planning so we can move forward. I thank all of the Members for working
with me.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Carter).
(Mr. CARTER asked and was given permission to speak out of order and
to revise and extend his remarks.)
Give the American People Fair Taxes
Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, over the course of our Presidents' Day work
period, I held nine town hall meetings and listened to over 800 of my
constituents express their opinions about issues important to them.
Time and again they mentioned fair taxes. The American people want an
economy that is sound and that can offer them jobs. We can give the
people what they want by passing the President's growth plan.
The double taxation of dividends is not only unfair, it is obscene.
Every year, nearly 2 million Texans and 35 million Americans are being
cheated by their own government. By simply eliminating the second tax,
investments will increase, resulting in 2.1 million jobs being created
within the next 3 years and could potentially boost the national wealth
by nearly $1 trillion.
Instead of giving the American people a $300 payoff, let us give them
a real plan, a plan that will result in jobs, a steady economy, and
dollars back in the hands of the taxpayers. For those who say we cannot
afford the President's growth plan, I say we cannot afford to not pass
his plan.
Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my California colleague for
all of the hard work the gentlewoman put into this legislation over the
past couple of years, thank her again for working with the majority and
the minority in order to work this bill out. I think it is a good piece
of legislation that deserves the support of the House, and I urge an
``aye'' vote.
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 California (Mr. Pombo) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 519.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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