[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 30 (Monday, March 14, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H1375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ADJUSTING THE NUMBER OF FREE ROAMING HORSES PERMITTED IN CAPE LOOKOUT 
                           NATIONAL SEASHORE

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 126) to amend Public Law 89-366 to allow for an 
adjustment in the number of free roaming horses permitted in Cape 
Lookout National Seashore.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 126

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

     SECTION 1. ADJUSTMENT IN NUMBER OF FREE ROAMING HORSES 
                   PERMITTED IN CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE, 
                   NORTH CAROLINA.

       (a) In General.--The first subsection (b) of section 5 of 
     Public Law 89-366 (16 U.S.C. 459g-4) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``100 free roaming 
     horses'' and inserting ``not less than 110 free roaming 
     horses, with a target population of between 120 and 130 free 
     roaming horses,'';
       (2) in paragraph (3), by striking subparagraph (B) and 
     inserting the following new subparagraph:
       ``(B) unless removal is carried out as part of a plan to 
     maintain the viability of the herd; or''; and
       (3) in paragraph (5), by striking ``100'' and inserting 
     ``110''.
       (b) Repeal of Duplicate Subsection.--Section 5 of Public 
     Law 89-366 is further amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``(a)'' after ``(a)''; 
     and
       (2) by striking the second subsection (b).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).


                             General Leave

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 126, introduced by me, would allow for the 
adjustment in the number of free-roaming horses permitted in the Cape 
Lookout National Seashore. Specifically, H.R. 126 would permit the 
number of free-roaming horses to increase to 110 from its current level 
of 100, with a targeted population between 120 and 130 horses, and 
would not permit the removal of the horses unless the removal is 
carried out as part of a plan to maintain the viability of the herd.
  H.R. 126 is identical to legislation that was supported by the 
majority and minority and passed the House of Representatives during 
the 108th Congress.
  I urge adoption of the bill.
  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, as the majority has explained, H.R. 
126 makes a number of slight adjustments in the management of the herd 
as a means to assure their long-term survival.
  Over the course of the last several hundred years, a herd of wild 
horses has established itself on the Shackleford Banks area of Cape 
Lookout, North Carolina. The herd developed on the banks because of 
shipwrecks and abandonment. When the National Seashore was established, 
there were approximately 100 wild horses on the barrier island. Since 
that time, the National Park Service has taken steps to control the 
herd size to prevent damage to park resources.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 126 is a workable solution to the wild-horse 
management needs at Cape Lookout, and we support adoption of this 
legislation by the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 126.
  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.

                          ____________________