[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H7661-H7662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 2330
OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 2006
Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5690) to adjust the boundaries of the Ouachita National
Forest in the States of Oklahoma and Arkansas.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 5690
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 ``Ouachita National Forest
Boundary Adjustment Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT, OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST,
OKLAHOMA AND ARKANSAS.
(a) Boundary Adjustment.--The boundaries of the Ouachita
National Forest in the States of Oklahoma and Arkansas are
hereby modified as generally depicted on the following maps,
all dated May 15, 2001, and more particularly delineated and
described according to the final boundary adjustment maps and
boundary descriptions filed in the Office of the Chief of the
Forest Service:
(1) The map entitled ``Ouachita National Forest Boundary
Extension for the Broken Bow Area''.
(2) The map entitled ``Ouachita National Forest Boundary
Extension for the Southern Tiak Area''.
(3) The map entitled ``Ouachita National Forest Boundary
Extension for the Northern Ouachita Area''.
(4) The map entitled ``Ouachita National Forest Boundary
Extension for the Southern Ouachita Area''.
(5) The map entitled ``Ouachita National Forest Boundary
Extension for the Eastern Ouachita Area''.
(b) Availability and Correction.--The maps referred to in
subsection (a) shall be on file and available for public
inspection in the Office of the Chief of the Forest Service.
The Secretary of Agriculture may make minor corrections to
the maps.
(c) Management of Acquired Land.--Any federally-owned lands
that have been or hereafter may be acquired for National
Forest System purposes within the boundaries of the Ouachita
National Forest, as modified by subsection (a), shall be
managed as lands acquired under the Act of March 1, 1911
(commonly known as the Weeks Act), and in accordance with the
other laws and regulations pertaining to the National Forest
System. Nothing in this subsection shall limit the authority
of the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust the boundaries of
the Ouachita National Forest pursuant to section 11 of such
Act (16 U.S.C. 521).
(d) Relation to Land and Water Conservation Fund Act.--For
purposes of section 7 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Act of 1965 (16 U.S.C. 460l-9), the boundaries of the
Ouachita National Forest, as modified by subsection (a),
shall be considered to be boundaries of the Ouachita National
Forest as of January 1, 1965.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Gohmert) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 5690 simply makes a technical correction to
section 305 of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of
1996. The Act provided for a land exchange between the Ouachita
National Forest and private lands but did not establish the new
boundaries for the National Forest. This bill remedies the problem by
adjusting the National Forest boundary and also allowing future land
management adjustments to proceed without the continuing need for
future boundary adjustments.
I urge support for this measure.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield at this time such time as he may
consume to the chief sponsor of this important legislation, my good
friend from the great State of Oklahoma (Mr. Boren).
Mr. BOREN. Madam Speaker, I introduced the Ouachita National Forest
Boundary Adjustment Act to provide a technical correction to section
305 of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996.
Section 305 provided for a land exchange between the Ouachita
National Forest and Weyerhaeuser Timber Company but did not fully
establish the new boundaries of the forest. My legislation would make
this technical correction so that the boundaries of the forest would
accurately reflect the land exchange.
This correction would allow the Forest Service to better manage the
land, because the boundaries of the forest would be more uniform and
would allow future land management adjustments without the need to
continuously adjust the boundaries.
H.R. 5690 has the support of the administration, the local Forest
Service office, Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, Plum Creek, and the
members of the Arkansas delegation whose district would be affected.
The Forest Service is a valuable partner in preserving and managing
the resource for Oklahoma and Arkansas, and I urge my colleagues to
support this legislation that will make managing the Ouachita easier
for the Forest Service.
Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page H7662]]
Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, I also urge support for this and would
thank the gentleman from Oklahoma. But I can't recognize my dear friend
from Oklahoma without commenting that he has also got Texas ties that
we are proud of.
Madam Speaker, I have no additional 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 Texas (Mr. Gohmert) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 5690.
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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