[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 114 (Monday, July 27, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H8831-H8832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2009

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 509) to reauthorize the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 
2004, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 509

       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 ``Marine Turtle Conservation 
     Reauthorization Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO PROVISIONS PREVENTING FUNDING OF 
                   PROJECTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

       (a) In General.--The Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 
     is amended--
       (1) in section 2(b) (16 U.S.C. 6601(b)), by striking ``in 
     foreign countries'';
       (2) in section 3(2) (16 U.S.C. 6602(2))--
       (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``in foreign countries''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``of foreign 
     countries''; and
       (3) in section 4 (16 U.S.C. 6603)--
       (A) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting ``State or'' 
     before ``foreign country''; and
       (B) in subsection (d), by striking ``in foreign 
     countries''.
       (b) State Defined.--Section 3 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 6602) 
     is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(7) State.--The term `State' means each of the several 
     States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
     American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands, any other territory or possession of the United 
     States, and any Indian tribe.''.

     SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS ON EXPENDITURES.

       Section 5(b) of the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 
     (16 U.S.C. 6604(b)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$80,000'' and inserting 
     ``$150,000''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) Limitation on projects in the united states.--Not 
     more than 20 percent of the amounts made available from the 
     Fund for any fiscal year may be used for projects relating to 
     the conservation of marine turtles in the United States.''.

     SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION ACT 
                   OF 2004.

       Section 7 of the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004 (16 
     U. S. C. 6606) is amended by striking ``each of fiscal years 
     2005 through 2009'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2009 
     through 2014''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.

[[Page H8832]]

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, marine sea turtles are threatened by 
intentional and accidental capture in fisheries, by the destruction of 
essential nesting habitat through coastal development, by the poaching 
of eggs, meat and shells, by the entanglement in marine debris, by ship 
strikes, and by ocean pollution.
  The Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2009, 
introduced by my friend and ranking member, Mr. Brown of South 
Carolina, provides a simple extension of an existing program which 
helps enhance our conservation of marine turtle species. While progress 
has been made, the status of these turtle species remains tenuous, 
justifying the need to reauthorize this act.
  So I ask my colleagues, Members on both sides of the aisle, to 
support its passage.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 509, which was introduced by the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Brown), a member of the resources committee, will 
extend the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to issue 
conservation grants to assist highly endangered marine sea turtles.
  Under this measure, the authorization of appropriations is extended 
an additional 5 years at existing funding levels. Since 2004, 78 
conservation projects have been approved to assist the imperiled green, 
hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, and Olive Ridley marine sea 
turtles. These projects are making a real difference in the ongoing 
struggle to save these species.
  I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 509. Again, I want to compliment my 
friend and colleague from South Carolina, Mr. Brown.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I support this bill to restore 
and to protect marine sea turtles, and I urge Members to support both 
the turtles and the otters.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 509, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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