[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 112 (Tuesday, September 12, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H6385-H6386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: September 12, 2006 (House)]
[Page H6385-H6386]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr12se06-104]
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2006
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 5539) to reauthorize the North American
Wetlands Conservation Reauthorization Act, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 5539
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``North American Wetlands
Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 7(c) of the North American Wetlands Conservation
Act (16 U.S.C. 4406(c)) is amended by striking ``fiscal year
2007'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2008 through
2012''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.
General Leave
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days 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, I am pleased to present H.R. 5539 introduced by the
distinguished chairman of the House Committee on Resources, Congressman
Richard Pombo. First enacted in 1989, the North American Wetlands
Conservation Act has become one of our Nation's most effective
conservation programs. Since the first wetlands grant was awarded, more
than 1,500 conservation projects have been funded involving more than
3,200 partners. As a direct result, more than 23 million acres of
wetlands and associated habitat have been protected, restored, or
enhanced in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Wetlands are among the world's most productive environments. They are
critical to the survival of not only thousands of wildlife species but
also to the people who live along our coasts. Without these wetlands,
the impact of the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico would have been far
worse in terms of loss of human life and destruction of private
property.
Since the inception of this program, the amount of private
nongovernmental matching money has been remarkable. It now stands in
excess of $2.1 billion. It is, therefore, not surprising that this
legislation has been enthusiastically supported by more than 40 major
conservation organizations.
For the past 5 years, Congress has appropriated about $40 million
each year for this program. Under H.R. 5539, existing funding levels
would be extended for an additional 5 years. The North American
Wetlands Conservation Act has been remarkably effective in conserving
wetlands. I want to thank Chairman Pombo for his extraordinary
leadership on this most important conservation issue.
I urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation.
{time} 1515
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, this week will mark the 20th anniversary
of the creation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, a
joint conservation strategy implemented by both the United States and
Canada to protect and restore wetland habitat stretching across North
America.
Soon after the establishment of this comprehensive strategy in 1986,
the Congress, led by the Dean of the House, John Dingell, authorized
the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to establish a matching-
grant program to take the goals of the North American plan off the
drawing board and
[[Page H6386]]
into the landscape of the North American continent.
As many Members know, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act
has demonstrated time and time again that it is one of our greatest
wetlands conservation success stories.
Grants under the act have not only generated hundreds of millions of
non-Federal matching funds; these contributions have been converted
into acquisition, conservation, protection and restoration of millions
of acres of wetlands across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Few
Federal programs deliver such a bang for the buck.
Although the current authorization of appropriations does not expire
until next year, there is no reason why we should not reauthorize this
highly popular and effective conservation program to ensure its future
success.
I commend the sponsors of this legislation, most notably Resources
Chairman Pombo, ranking Resource Committee Democrat Member Nick Rahall
and Congressman John Dingell, for their steadfast interest in this act
and for their leadership in wetlands conservation.
I urge every Member to support this reauthorization.
Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my support for the
reauthorization of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. In my
home State of Louisiana, we certainly understand the vital role that
our wetlands serve for wildlife. Over five million waterfowl utilize
the Louisiana wetlands during migration, while there are 79 individual
endangered species that reside there. Louisiana's wetlands also provide
our country with substantial economic benefits. Over 30 percent of the
Nation's seafood is harvested from our wetlands, and the network of
interconnected waterways provides ample routes for waterborne commerce.
I would also like to highlight the importance of Louisiana's coastal
wetlands as our first line of defense against hurricanes. As we lose 25
square miles of wetlands per year, we lose the buffer that these
wetlands provide against storm surge. The destructive effects of
hurricanes were made abundantly clear last year with Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita. A healthy wetland system, combined with improved levees and
other flood control projects, will help minimize the damage to south
Louisiana when future storms arrive. With about two million people--
over half the State's population--living in Louisiana's coastal
parishes, we cannot afford to underestimate the importance of our
wetlands. Had I I been present for the vote, I would have voted
``yea.''
Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. JONES of North Carolina. 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 North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5539, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to
reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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