[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8229-H8230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IRRIGATION PROJECT CONTRACT EXTENSION ACT OF 1998 AMENDMENT

  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2040) to amend the Irrigation Project Contract Extension Act 
of 1998 to extend certain contracts between the Bureau of Reclamation 
and certain irrigation water contractors in the States of Wyoming and 
Nebraska.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2040

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

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN IRRIGATION PROJECT CONTRACTS.

       Section 2 of the Irrigation Project Contract Extension Act 
     of 1998 (112 Stat. 2816, 114 Stat. 1441, 1441A-70) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``December 31, 2003'' 
     and inserting ``December 31, 2005''; and

[[Page H8230]]

       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``beyond December 
     31, 2003'' and inserting ``beyond December 31, 2005''; and
       (B) in the second sentence, by striking ``prior to December 
     31, 2003'' and inserting ``before December 31, 2005''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Calvert) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. 
Napolitano) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2040, introduced by the gentleman from Nebraska 
(Mr. Osborne), extends specific water contracts between the Bureau of 
Reclamation and water contractors in Nebraska and Wyoming. This 
legislation responds to continuing work on a multiparty agreement aimed 
at restoring habitat for endangered species on the Platte River.
  While these good-faith efforts take place, the irrigators have asked 
for repayment certainty until a clear regulatory water-use road map is 
put in place. This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this consensus-based bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2040 would extend for 2 years the term of 10 water 
contracts between the Bureau of Reclamation and several irrigation 
districts in Nebraska and Wyoming. This is the third time Congress has 
been asked to extend these contracts. This bill would enable the 
Department of the Interior to complete an environmental impact 
statement containing information relevant to the renewal of the water 
contracts. This EIS is expected to recommend an alternative that will 
allow the irrigation districts to receive water and satisfy the 
consultation and recovery requirements under the Endangered Species 
Act.
  We support the bill and recommend its adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), the author of this bill, to explain this 
legislation.
  Mr. OSBORNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2040. As has been 
mentioned, this extends irrigation contracts between the Bureau of 
Reclamation and the irrigation contractors in Nebraska and Wyoming.
  A proposed cooperative agreement between Nebraska, Colorado, and 
Wyoming was established in 1997. Parenthetically, I might just mention 
that this agreement was to provide additional water in a 50-mile 
stretch of Platte River in Central Nebraska. This water is to provide 
habitat for the whooping crane, the least tern, the piping plover and 
the pallid sturgeon, all of which are either endangered or threatened, 
according to the Endangered Species Act.
  However, less than 2 percent of the whooping crane population ever 
visits the Platte River during their migration. As a matter of fact, 
many years the whooping crane is not seen at all on the Platte River. 
The least tern and the piping plover do not seem to nest in this area 
of the river, and the pallet sturgeon is located 150 miles away in the 
Missouri River. Therefore, there is considerable confusion as to 
whether this is really critical habitat.
  Therefore, the cooperative agreement, which has been formed to 
preserve water for critical habitat, is under study. We currently have 
a National Academy of Sciences study, which you have graciously 
encouraged and we appreciate that. Until this study is completed, the 
cooperative agreement really cannot move forward.
  Therefore, we are requesting this 2-year extension. Because of the 
delays in finalizing the cooperative agreement, it is necessary to 
extend existing irrigation contracts until such time as the cooperative 
agreement is finalized. So I urge passage of 2040.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman and ranking member 
for their support and urge passage.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and 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. Calvert) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2040.
  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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