[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 64 (Monday, May 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H3275-H3276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  AUTHORIZING THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR TO CONTRACT WITH CITY OF 
   CHEYENNE, WYOMING, FOR WATER STORAGE IN KENDRICK PROJECT, WYOMING

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 1046) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract with 
the City of Cheyenne, Wyoming, for the storage of the city's water in 
the Kendrick Project, Wyoming.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1046

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

     SECTION 1. WATER STORAGE CONTRACTS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this Act:
       (1) City.--The term ``city'' means--
       (A) the city of Cheyenne, Wyoming;
       (B) the Board of Public Utilities of the city; and
       (C) any agency, public utility, or enterprise of the city.
       (2) Kendrick project.--The term ``Kendrick Project'' means 
     the Bureau of Reclamation project on the North Platte River 
     that was authorized by a finding of feasibility approved by 
     the President on August 30, 1935, and constructed for 
     irrigation and electric power generation, the major features 
     of which include--
       (A) Seminoe Dam, Reservoir, and Powerplant; and
       (B) Alcova Dam and Powerplant.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of 
     Reclamation.
       (4) State.--The term ``State'' means the State of Wyoming.
       (b) Contracts.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into 1 or more 
     contracts with the city for annual storage of the city's 
     water for municipal and industrial use in Seminoe Dam and 
     Reservoir of the Kendrick Project.
       (2) Conditions.--
       (A) Term; renewal.--A contract under paragraph (1) shall--
       (i) have a term of not more than 40 years; and
       (ii) may be renewed on terms agreeable to the Secretary and 
     the city, for successive terms of not more than 40 years per 
     term.
       (B) Revenues.--Notwithstanding the Act of May 9, 1938 (52 
     Stat. 322, chapter 187; 43 U.S.C. 392a)--
       (i) any operation and maintenance charges received under a 
     contract executed under paragraph (1) shall be credited 
     against applicable operation and maintenance costs of the 
     Kendrick Project; and
       (ii) any other revenues received under a contract executed 
     under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the Reclamation Fund 
     as a credit to the construction costs of the Kendrick 
     Project.
       (C) Effect on existing contractors.--A contract under 
     paragraph (1) shall not adversely affect the Kendrick 
     Project, any existing Kendrick Project contractor, or any 
     existing Reclamation contractor on the North Platte River 
     System.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Renzi) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Renzi).

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 1046 provides long-term water supplies to the City of Cheyenne, 
Wyoming. This important bill authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to 
enter into a long-term water contract with Cheyenne. Due to uncertainty 
in the law, the Federal Government cannot enter into long-term, non-
project water contracts with municipal entities without the express 
consent of Congress. This bill simply provides that authority.
  I urge my colleagues to support this non-controversial bill that 
seeks to provide much needed long-term water use certainty.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  (Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Resources and 
the 108th Congress approved legislation identical to H.R. 1046. We have 
no objection to this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Daniel E. Lungren of California). The 
question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Renzi) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1046.
  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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