[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H1195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HUNTING IN NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL RIVER

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5137) to ensure that hunting remains a purpose of the New 
River Gorge National River.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5137

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

     SECTION 1. HUNTING IN NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL RIVER.

       Section 1106 of the National Parks and Recreation Act of 
     1978 (16 U.S.C. 460m-20) is amended in the first sentence by 
     striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from West Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, the New River Gorge National River in 
southern West Virginia was designated as a unit of the National Park 
System in 1978. At times referred to as the ``Grand Canyon of the 
East,'' we in West Virginia refer to the Grand Canyon as the ``New 
River Gorge of the West.''
  The national river is comprised of over 70,000 acres of mostly rugged 
terrain and is renowned as a destination for its world-class whitewater 
recreation, rock climbing, and other outdoor activities. But it is also 
a place where generations of West Virginians have hunted and fished.
  Unfortunately, the National Park Service, as part of the development 
of a new general management plan for the park unit, has included a no-
hunting alternative. It is doing so because legislation which 
establishes the New River Gorge National River states that hunting 
``may'' be permitted.
  The enabling statute for the nearby Gauley River National Recreation 
Area, on the other hand, states that hunting ``shall'' be allowed. In 
fact, this is the case for the vast majority of the 62 units of the 
National Park System in which hunting is permitted.
  The bill we are considering today simply changes the ``may'' to a 
``shall'' in the law which established the New River Gorge National 
River. While there is no doubt in my mind that the current 
superintendent of this park unit will do the right thing and allow 
hunting to continue in the final general management plan, this is too 
important of an issue to remain at the discretion of future managers of 
the park unit.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 5137, and I 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  When credit is earned, credit needs to be given where it is due, and 
Chairman Rahall has a wonderful bill. I am totally supportive of his 
efforts, and it's an excellent bill.
  This ensures that hunting rights will continue in this great area, 
the New River Gorge National River. I am encouraged to see that many of 
my colleagues on the other side appreciate the importance of hunting 
and the benefit it has on public lands even within the Park Service 
System. And I hope that the chairman will join with us as we work to 
ensure second amendment hunting rights on Federal lands are secured in 
the other 49 States as well. I am confident that we can build a 
consensus around State and local control of hunting and deliver the 
rights that this legislation ensures to the Federal land around this 
particular entity.
  As I said, I am totally in support of this bill. I think it's an 
excellent bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5137.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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