[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 36 (Friday, March 12, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1368-H1375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA RESEARCH AND CONTROL AMENDMENTS ACT OF
2010
Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the resolution just adopted, I
call up the bill (H.R. 3650) to establish a National Harmful Algal
Bloom and Hypoxia Program, to develop and coordinate a comprehensive
and integrated strategy to address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia,
and to provide for the development and implementation of comprehensive
regional action plans to reduce harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, and
ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1168, in lieu
of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the
Committee on Science and Technology printed in the bill, the amendment
in the nature of a substitute printed in part A of House Report 111-439
is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Harmful Algal Blooms and
Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA RESEARCH
AND CONTROL ACT OF 1998.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this
Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the
reference shall be considered to be made to a section or
other provision of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia
Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 note).
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after
section 602 the following:
``SEC. 602A. DEFINITIONS.
``In this title:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
``(2) Program.--The term `Program' means the National
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program established under
section 603A.
``(3) 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.
``(4) Under secretary.--The term `Under Secretary' means
the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in
section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is
amended by adding after the item relating to section 602 the
following new item:
``Sec. 602A. Definitions.''.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA PROGRAM.
(a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after
section 603 the following:
``SEC. 603A. NATIONAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA
PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (d),
the Under Secretary, through the Task Force established under
section 603(a), shall establish and maintain a National
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program pursuant to this
section.
``(b) Duties.--The Under Secretary, through the Program,
shall coordinate the efforts of the Task Force to--
``(1) develop and promote a national strategy to
understand, detect, predict, control, mitigate, and respond
to marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia
events;
``(2) integrate the research of all Federal programs,
including ocean and Great Lakes science and management
programs and centers, that address the chemical, biological,
and physical components of marine and freshwater harmful
algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(3) coordinate and work cooperatively with State, tribal,
and local government agencies and programs that address
marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(4) identify additional research, development, and
demonstration needs and priorities relating to monitoring,
prediction, prevention, control, mitigation, and response to
marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(5) encourage international information sharing and
research efforts on marine and freshwater harmful algal
blooms and hypoxia, and encourage international mitigation,
control, and response activities;
``(6) ensure the development and implementation of methods
and technologies to protect the ecosystems affected by marine
and freshwater harmful algal blooms;
``(7) integrate, coordinate, and augment existing education
programs to improve public understanding and awareness of the
causes, impacts, and mitigation efforts for marine and
freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(8) assist in regional, State, tribal, and local efforts
to develop and implement appropriate marine and freshwater
harmful algal bloom and hypoxia response plans, strategies,
and tools;
``(9) provide resources for and assist in the training of
State, tribal, and local water and coastal resource managers
in the methods and technologies for monitoring, controlling,
mitigating, and responding to the effects of marine and
freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events;
``(10) oversee the development, implementation, review, and
periodic updating of the Regional Research and Action Plans
under section 603B; and
``(11) administer peer-reviewed, merit-based competitive
grant funding to support--
``(A) the projects maintained and established by the
Program; and
``(B) the research and management needs and priorities
identified in the Regional Research and Action Plans.
``(c) Cooperative Efforts.--The Under Secretary shall work
cooperatively and avoid duplication of efforts with other
offices, centers, and programs within the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration and other agencies represented
on the
[[Page H1369]]
Task Force established under section 603(a), States, tribes,
and nongovernmental organizations concerned with marine and
freshwater aquatic issues related to harmful algal blooms and
hypoxia.
``(d) Freshwater Program.--With respect to the freshwater
aspects of the Program, the Administrator and Under
Secretary, through the Task Force, shall carry out the duties
otherwise assigned to the Under Secretary under this section
and section 603B, including the activities described in
subsection (e). The Administrator's participation under this
subsection shall include--
``(1) research on the ecology of freshwater harmful algal
blooms;
``(2) monitoring and event response of freshwater harmful
algal blooms in lakes, rivers, estuaries (including their
tributaries), and reservoirs;
``(3) mitigation and control of freshwater harmful algal
blooms; and
``(4) an identification in the President's annual budget
request to Congress of how much funding is proposed in that
request for carrying out the activities described in
subsection (e).
``(e) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Activities.--As part of the program under this section, the
Under Secretary shall--
``(1) maintain and enhance existing competitive grant
programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration relating to marine and freshwater harmful
algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(2) carry out marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom
and hypoxia events response activities; and
``(3) enhance communication and coordination among Federal
agencies carrying out marine and freshwater harmful algal
bloom and hypoxia activities, and increase the availability
to appropriate public and private entities of--
``(A) analytical facilities and technologies;
``(B) operational forecasts; and
``(C) reference and research materials.
``(f) Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System.--All
monitoring and observation data collected under this Act
shall be collected in compliance with all data standards and
protocols developed pursuant to the National Integrated
Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C.
3601 et seq.), and such data shall be made available through
the System established under that Act.
``(g) Action Strategy.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 12 months after the date
of enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research
and Control Amendments Act of 2010, the Under Secretary,
through the Task Force established under section 603(a),
shall transmit to the Congress an action strategy that
identifies--
``(A) the specific activities to be carried out by the
Program and the timeline for carrying out such activities;
and
``(B) the roles and responsibilities of each Federal agency
in the Task Force established under section 603(a) in
carrying out Program activities.
``(2) Federal register.--The Under Secretary shall publish
the action strategy in the Federal Register.
``(3) Periodic revision.--The Under Secretary shall
periodically review and revise the action strategy prepared
under this subsection as necessary.
``(h) Report.--Two years after the submission of the action
strategy, the Under Secretary shall prepare and transmit to
the Congress a report that describes--
``(1) the activities carried out under the Program and the
Regional Research and Action Plans and the budget related to
these activities;
``(2) the progress made on implementing the action
strategy; and
``(3) the need to revise or terminate activities or
projects under the Program.''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in
section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is
amended by adding after the item relating to section 603 the
following new item:
``Sec. 603A. National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program.''.
SEC. 5. REGIONAL RESEARCH AND ACTION PLANS.
(a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after
section 603A the following:
``SEC. 603B. REGIONAL RESEARCH AND ACTION PLANS.
``(a) In General.--The Under Secretary, through the Task
Force established under section 603(a), shall--
``(1) identify the appropriate regions and subregions to be
addressed by each Regional Research and Action Plan; and
``(2) oversee the development and implementation of the
Regional Research and Action Plans.
``(b) Contents.--The Plans developed under this section
shall identify--
``(1) regional priorities for ecological, economic, and
social research on issues related to the impacts of harmful
algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(2) research, development, and demonstration activities
needed to develop and advance technologies and techniques for
minimizing the occurrence of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia
and improving capabilities to prevent, predict, monitor,
control, and mitigate harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(3) ways to reduce the duration and intensity of harmful
algal blooms and hypoxia, including in times of emergency;
``(4) research and methods to address human health
dimensions of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(5) mechanisms, including the potential costs and
benefits of those mechanisms, to protect vulnerable
ecosystems that could be or have been affected by harmful
algal blooms and hypoxia events;
``(6) mechanisms by which data, information, and products
are transferred between the Program and State, tribal, and
local governments and relevant research entities;
``(7) communication, outreach, and information
dissemination methods that State, tribal, and local
governments and stakeholder organizations can undertake to
educate and inform the public concerning harmful algal blooms
and hypoxia; and
``(8) the roles that Federal agencies can play to assist in
the implementation of the Plan.
``(c) Building on Available Studies and Information.--In
developing the Plans under this section, the Under Secretary
shall--
``(1) utilize and build on existing research, assessments,
and reports, including those carried out pursuant to existing
law and other relevant sources; and
``(2) consider the impacts, research, and existing program
activities of all United States coastlines and fresh and
inland waters, including the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay,
and estuaries and tributaries.
``(d) Development of Plans.--The Under Secretary shall
develop Plans under this section with assistance from the
individuals and entities described in subsection (f).
``(e) Plan Timeline and Updates.--The Under Secretary,
through the Task Force established under section 603(a),
shall ensure that the Plans developed under this section are
completed not later than 24 months after the date of
enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research
and Control Amendments Act of 2010, and updated once every 5
years thereafter.
``(f) Coordination and Consultation.--In developing the
Plans under this section, as appropriate, the Under
Secretary--
``(1) shall coordinate with State coastal management and
planning officials;
``(2) shall coordinate with tribal resource management
officials;
``(3) shall coordinate with water management and watershed
officials from both coastal States and noncoastal States with
water sources that drain into water bodies affected by
harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; and
``(4) shall consult with--
``(A) public health officials;
``(B) emergency management officials;
``(C) science and technology development institutions;
``(D) economists;
``(E) industries and businesses affected by marine and
freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia;
``(F) scientists, with expertise concerning harmful algal
blooms or hypoxia, from academic or research institutions;
and
``(G) other stakeholders.''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in
section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is
amended by adding after the item relating to section 603A, as
added by section 4(b) of this Act, the following new item:
``Sec. 603B. Regional research and action plans.''.
SEC. 6. NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIA.
Section 604 is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 604. NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIA.
``(a) Task Force Initial Progress Reports.--Not later than
12 months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal
Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of
2010, the Administrator, through the Mississippi River/Gulf
of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, shall complete and
transmit to the Congress and the President a report on the
progress made by Task Force-directed activities toward
attainment of the goals of the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan 2008.
``(b) Task Force 2-Year Progress Reports.--After the
initial report required under subsection (a), the
Administrator, through the Task Force, shall complete and
transmit to Congress and the President a report every 2 years
thereafter on the progress made by Task Force-directed
activities toward attainment of the coastal goal of the Gulf
Hypoxia Action Plan 2008.
``(c) Contents.--The reports required by this section shall
assess progress made toward nutrient load reductions, the
response of the hypoxic zone and water quality throughout the
Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin, and the economic and
social effects. The reports shall--
``(1) include an evaluation of how current policies and
programs affect management decisions, including those made by
municipalities and industrial and agricultural producers;
``(2) evaluate lessons learned; and
``(3) recommend appropriate actions to continue to
implement or, if necessary, revise the strategy set forth in
the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan 2008.''.
SEC. 7. PACIFIC NORTHWEST, ESTUARIES, AND PUGET SOUND
HYPOXIA.
(a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after
section 604 the following:
``SEC. 604A. PACIFIC NORTHWEST, ESTUARIES, AND PUGET SOUND
HYPOXIA.
``(a) Assessment Report.--Not later than 12 months after
the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010, the
[[Page H1370]]
Task Force established under section 603 shall complete and
submit to Congress and the President an integrated assessment
of hypoxia in the coastal and estuarine waters of the Pacific
Northwest that examines the status of current research,
monitoring, prevention, response, and control efforts.
``(b) Plan.--The Task Force shall include in the regionally
appropriate Regional Research and Action Plan developed under
section 603B a plan, based on the integrated assessment
submitted under subsection (a), for reducing, mitigating, and
controlling hypoxia in the coastal and estuarine waters of
the Pacific Northwest. In developing such plan, the Task
Force shall consult with State, Indian tribe, and local
governments, and academic, agricultural, industry, and
environmental groups and representatives. Such plan shall
include incentive-based partnership approaches. The plan
shall also address the social and economic costs and benefits
of the measures for reducing, mitigating, and controlling
hypoxia.''.
(b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in
section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is
amended by adding after the item relating to section 604 the
following new item:
``Sec. 604A. Pacific Northwest, estuaries, and Puget Sound hypoxia.''.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Authorization.--Section 605 is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 605. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated--
``(1) to the Under Secretary to carry out sections 603A and
603B, $34,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015,
of which, for each fiscal year--
``(A) $2,000,000 may be used for the development of the
Regional Research and Action Plans and the reports required
by section 604A;
``(B) $3,000,000 may be used for the research and
assessment activities related to marine and freshwater
harmful algal blooms at research laboratories of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
``(C) $8,000,000 may be used to carry out the Ecology and
Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms Program (ECOHAB);
``(D) $5,500,000 may be used to carry out the Monitoring
and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms Program (MERHAB);
``(E) $1,500,000 may be used to carry out the Northern Gulf
of Mexico Ecosystems and Hypoxia Assessment Program (NGOMEX);
``(F) $5,000,000 may be used to carry out the Coastal
Hypoxia Research Program (CHRP);
``(G) $5,000,000 may be used to carry out the Prevention,
Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms Program
(PCM);
``(H) $1,000,000 may be used to carry out marine and
freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events response
activities; and
``(I) $3,000,000 may be used for increased availability,
communication, and coordination activities; and
``(2) to the Administrator to carry out sections 603A,
603B, and 604, $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011
through 2015.''.
(b) Extramural Research Activities.--The Under Secretary
shall ensure that a substantial portion of funds appropriated
pursuant to subsection (a) that are used for research
purposes are allocated to extramural research activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. After 1 hour of debate on the bill, as
amended, it shall be in order to consider the amendment printed in part
B of House Report 111-439 if offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr.
Flake) or his designee, which shall be considered read, and shall be
debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the
proponent and an opponent.
The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) and the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hall) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control
Amendments Act of 2009, as amended, is a good bipartisan bill. The bill
represents a timely and necessary step to address the large and growing
problems of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. The Harmful Algal Blooms
and Hypoxia Research and Control Act was first signed into law in 1998
and last reauthorized in 2004. Since the last reauthorization, there
has been an increase in the number, frequency, and type of algal blooms
and hypoxic events.
These events can terribly affect the marine and freshwater systems
where they occur. Large fish kills, closed beaches, and poisoned
seafood are all typical consequences of harmful algal blooms.
I listened to the debate on the rule prior to our debating the bill
itself; and as far as the question of why are we debating this, the
simple answer is, it can kill you. Indeed, it does kill some of our
citizens every year. It kills countless numbers of fish life, it
destroys tourism, and it costs hundreds of millions of dollars. That
seems to me a pretty good reason to take something up.
In addition, as my dear friend and colleague from Florida will
attest, his tourist industry, as mine, and as the gentlewoman from
Maine who spoke earlier and indeed the gentleman from California and my
colleague from Texas, all have beaches which are adversely affected. If
the issue we are concerned about is jobs, harmful algal blooms are
destroyers of jobs in addition to takers of lives.
In freshwater, harmful algal blooms present a toxin that is very,
very difficult to remove; and let me clarify why. All the normal means
we use to purify water don't work with harmful algal blooms. You cannot
boil it because boiling separates the toxin from the algae and actually
concentrates the toxin. Indeed, lab researchers use boiling as a way to
concentrate the toxin when they are trying to study it. You can't
filter it because filtering breaks down the bodies of the algae, and
that also releases the toxin. Chlorine doesn't work because chlorine is
designed to kill protozoa, and these are not protozoa. The toxin is not
caused by a protozoa.
So we've got a very dangerous problem. And beyond that, it is a
problem that is expanding in duration. Harmful algal blooms and hypoxic
events are starting earlier in the season and lasting longer. They are
growing in larger scale, and they are spreading around the country. We
have some ideas about why, and we have some ideas about how to control
them, but we don't know for certain. And that is why this bill matters,
and that is why my colleagues, Mr. Mack, Mr. Ehlers and others, have
worked on it. We have taken some important steps since 1998 and 2004.
And, again, I want to commend my colleague, Vern Ehlers, who has been
instrumental on this issue for many, many years.
The bill before us would establish a National Harmful Algal Bloom and
Hypoxia program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration tasked as the lead in overseeing the development of
these plans and the execution of this national program.
HABs, again, do not only affect our coastlines. From the waters and
streams of Virginia and West Virginia to the Great Lakes, throughout
this country, every single State in the Union, whether it is freshwater
or marine ecosystem, has been affected by harmful algal blooms. My own
State of Washington, the Puget Sound in Hood Canal, has a dead zone
that expands every year. Off our coast, we have increasing dead zones,
and red tides devastate the tourist industry when they stop the
clamming season from happening.
Legitimate questions have been raised about the authorized funding
levels in this bill. But the increased investment this legislation
calls for is necessary to address the harmful economic impacts and
health impacts that HABs pose to our country. Conservative estimates
back in 2006 estimated a minimum impact of $82 million per year.
This bill is the product of bipartisan collaboration and contains the
input of both Democratic and Republican Members. And as I mentioned,
Dr. Vern Ehlers, Dr. Connie Mack, as well as on our side Mr. Kratovil
and Ms. Castor, have all offered very valuable input.
The bill you have before you today is the product of two hearings, a
subcommittee markup, a full committee markup, post-markup negotiations
with the three House committees with jurisdiction over the bill, as
well as negotiations with the Senate Commerce Committee.
The bill represents a focused effort to address the specific issues
of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The bill before us today is the same bill that was before this body 3
days ago. As such, I don't have much to add today except to compliment
the gentleman from Washington and tell him that he has made a
difference in the time he has been here and he will be missed when he
leaves in November. And it is tough to go against a bill that I'm in
favor of the thrust that he has, but I have some concerns about it.
[[Page H1371]]
I will simply reiterate that I'm supportive of the underlying goals
of this legislation. It fosters continued research into the causes of
harmful algal blooms, explores ways to manage these events, and sets up
mechanisms to potentially predict when they might even occur. While
supportive of the goals of the measure, I and several of my Republican
colleagues, and there is a difference among us on this side, have some
concerns about the authorization levels in this bill as well as the
potential for unfunded mandates on States and localities.
This bill authorizes funding that is almost three times the amount
that had been appropriated in recent years and is 50 percent higher
than the last reauthorization in 2004. In authorizing legislation, we
must be mindful of fiscal constraints both at the Federal and the State
level.
I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Baird and my colleagues
on the House Science and Technology Committee as this bill moves
through the process.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BAIRD. I thank the gentleman for his comments.
Before recognizing Ms. Castor, I would just point out, as he is
aware--first of all, I want to thank him for his support of the
underlying issue here. I think the recognition of the severity of this
problem is much appreciated, as Mr. Mack will attest to in just a
moment.
Regarding the issue of unfunded mandates, the Congressional Budget
Office has looked at this legislation and determined specifically that
it does not impose any unfunded mandates, so I respect the concern but
would offer assurance that it is not considered a problem, at least by
CBO.
Regarding the authorization levels, we discussed these levels at some
length. Given the severity of the problem, we actually began with the
higher number. In consult with our friends on the other side of the
aisle, we actually lowered the number. And, furthermore, the number, of
course, is an authorizing number; it is not an appropriated amount. Our
premise is that the problem actually perhaps deserves substantially
more money than we have been spending on it because it is a deadly
threat and an economic loss. But we recognize that probably now actual
appropriated levels will fall below authorization. Having a greater
authorization allows us to up the effort should a situation arise that
needs that.
With that, I'm happy to yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor), who has been a champion of this,
as it affects so much of her State.
Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to rise in
strong support of H.R. 3650. I call this the ``red tide'' bill. I would
like to thank my colleague Mr. Baird for his great leadership on this
initiative.
{time} 1015
I've heard some discussion here in the Chamber and throughout the
Capitol the last couple of days, Why are we taking up time with algae?
Well, let's not diminish the issue because this is vitally important
for jobs throughout the great State of Florida. I am very pleased that
my colleague from Florida is in the Chair this morning to preside over
this.
We simply can't go backwards when it comes to jobs in our economy,
and red tide is a significant threat to the tourism economy in the
State of Florida. We depend in Florida upon people coming from all over
the country and all over the world to vacation, especially on the
beautiful beaches of the west coast of Florida, where you have the warm
waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There are no better beaches across the
entire world than there are on the west coast of Florida. Now, also, on
the Atlantic side it is quite lovely and the Florida Keys, but we face
a significant threat from red tide.
The tourism industry in Florida employs over 1 million people, and it
is estimated that tourism has a $65 billion impact on our State's
economy. Add on top of that recreational fishing, commercial fishing.
What happens when this red tide washes in, it's awful. The tourists
flee the beaches, and the folks that live and work and rely upon those
industries really suffer. This happened just a few years ago in 2005.
We had terrible red tide outbreaks on the west coast of Florida. And I
can tell you because I had my family there at the beach with about a
dozen other families where we go right after school is out. And what
happens is that it causes you a lot of difficulty breathing. Your eyes
start to water, the fish wash up on the shore, dead fish. And you can
forget about it. Our economy took a real hit because of red tide. The
tourists simply don't want to visit polluted beaches. We have
beautiful, clean, crystal clear water most of the time. But when this
red tide invades, it's absolutely awful. You can see where it's
directly tied to jobs because then the word spreads. There were news
stories over in England and Great Britain, where a lot of our tourists
come from, and they decided not take their vacation. Now, if that
happened in this economy, it would be very detrimental. So today's
legislation will help us combat that threat.
And I would like to especially thank my colleague from Florida,
Representative Connie Mack, who represents the Naples, Sanibel Island
area. There is simply no more beautiful place to vacation than maybe up
towards my district in Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. But
Congressman Mack and I have been working on this issue since 2007. He
was working on it before I arrived in Congress, and we introduced the
Save Our Shores Act to bring more attention to the research on red
tide. That's why I am so gratified that the Science Committee, Mr.
Baird and Mr. Barton, have really stepped up and promoted this. It's a
bipartisan effort. And it's important because it comes on the heels of
the tourism bill, the Travel Promotion Act that was signed into law by
President Obama just last week. It's another good bolstering of the
tourism economy and all those important jobs to the Sunshine State and
across the country.
Now, this legislation will ensure that we learn more about harmful
algal blooms so that we can protect our precious coastlines and the
tourism-related jobs that come with having healthy beaches. According
to the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, the national
economic impact of the red tide, the harmful algal blooms, is at least
$82 million annually. So if we can pump in a little bit of research
money and figure out what causes this--you see, that's the problem. We
don't really know what causes the red tide and the algal blooms. If
we're already suffering an $82 million hit, then it is very cost-
effective for us to put a little bit more money into research and
coordination. There's a lot of good research out there, but I don't
think that it's being shared widely. So this initiative will help do
that. And I think we'll be able to avoid devastating losses to tourism,
to recreation and to commercial fishing all across the country.
In 1971, Florida faced an exceptionally bad case of red tide, and
then again in 2005, and we think that that caused Florida to take a hit
of over $100 million. So the level of concern about red tide's cost to
tourism is still high even though it's been a couple of years since our
last big outbreak. But like I said, if we had an outbreak today in this
economy, it would severely hurt businesses at a time when we just can't
take it anymore. The unemployment rate in my community is about 13
percent, and we rely on folks needing some relaxation time and
vacations in the beautiful Sunshine State. So that's why I strongly
support this initiative.
Again, I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Mack from
Florida, Mr. Baird, the Science and Technology Committee, and I am
pleased to urge all my colleagues to vote for H.R. 3650.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. Mack).
Mr. MACK. I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Baird, for his work on
this important issue. I also want to thank the ranking member, Mr.
Hall, for his hard work and dedication.
I also want to recognize that in this bill, there may be a lot of
people who have concerns about the funding levels, and I'll just pick
up where the chairman talked about that this is an authorizing bill.
This is not the appropriations process. But it is important that we
recognize that for our researchers around the country, they need to be
able to plan looking forward, and if they constantly are relying on
funding to be done through the
[[Page H1372]]
appropriations process once a year, whether or not they're going to
have the research dollars or not, that is no way to conduct quality
research, especially on an issue that's so important, and I too call
this red tide.
This is an important issue for all of us, not just those that live
along the coast, but for all of us. It used to be thought that red tide
was only something that affected the marine life, but now we have seen
that this has crossed over and is affecting not only the quality of
life for people who live or vacation at the beach but also can cause
death. So I commend the committee for this bill.
Passing this important legislation is the first step in increasing
research on red tide while ensuring that scientists and experts in the
field, and not politicians, determine where research money is spent.
And this is an important fact because right now, all of my colleagues
and I, we try to make sure that we bring some money home for our local
research organizations, which we support. But in this legislation what
we're saying is, let's have a peer review group look at the research
projects that are out there, and let them decide. Let scientists decide
what's most important, what research is to be supported and funded.
This is very important for everybody at home. For those people who
want to make sure that we control spending, one of the best ways to
control spending through this bill is to make sure that peer review
groups are deciding where the money's going, not everyone and Members
of Congress fighting for their own little project in their backyards.
So I see this in that light as well. There are great organizations out
there, whether it's Woods Hole, or Mote Marine, or Florida Gulf Coast
University, and also Ocean Champions, who have been working hard on
this legislation, and we need to support them as well.
So on a last note, growing up in southwest Florida, I have spent my
whole life on the water in Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach and Captiva,
and we would have red tide maybe 1 week out of the year.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman from Florida has
expired.
Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
Mr. MACK. So we would have an outbreak maybe once a year for 1 week.
Not too long ago, we had 13 months of straight red tide off the coast
of Florida in southwest Florida. Clearly something is changing,
something is happening. And right now, frankly, I don't know that we
can trust all the research that's out there. This bill will ensure that
we can trust the research that's happening, that it's done through a
peer review group, through NOAA, and that we will have reporting to the
Congress on those findings so we can continue to monitor and hopefully
eliminate or begin to control red tide so the citizens of this great
country can enjoy the beaches, our economies can grow, and the quality
of life can improve.
Thank you for the time.
Mr. BAIRD. I want to commend the gentleman from Florida. His personal
story is one we hear so often. But he knows it firsthand, from his time
as a child, an occasional red tide where his parents probably said, No,
you can't go swimming today, son, to a 13-month period of red tide.
Earlier when I said we have seen an expansion in duration, in size, and
in breadth across the country, that's precisely what I'm referring to.
I'm sure this is true of both of my colleagues from Florida. If
you're a hotel owner, and you get notice that a red tide is forming off
your beach, that's it. You basically can kiss your entire season of
income--or at least a good part of it--goodbye. Where I'm from in the
Pacific Northwest, clamming, razor clams are one of the great things
that draws people to the coast. Our beaches just are covered with
folks, and they get up in the wee hours of the morning when the tide is
low and go out. It is a great family endeavor. It provides a wonderful
delicacy to people, and people look forward to it year-round, and it is
the high season at the coast. Except if a scientist is out there and
says, We've got an algal bloom forming, and it is not safe for people
to eat the shellfish or to swim in this water at this time.
Why isn't it safe? Well, first off, I want to underscore that most
shellfish from around our country is safe, but during these periods, it
is not. And here is why: The toxin that forms is a neurotoxin. It
attacks your brain. It's called paralytic shellfish poisoning. In some
areas, sometimes you will hear it as amnesic shellfish poisoning.
Amnesic shellfish poisoning attacks the part of your brain that turns
short-term memories into long-term memories. This is a bad thing. This
means that you can't learn new information. So when people say, Oh,
this is algae, what do we care about algae--I heard this a lot
yesterday. Why are we coming back into session to talk about algae?
Well, I hope people can remember that if they eat shellfish with
paralytic shellfish poisoning, they can die. Their brain can be
damaged. Their children's brains can be damaged. If somebody says, Oh,
Mom and Dad, it's just red tide, I'm going swimming anyway, you can't
let that happen. The kid will die. It's that serious.
Let me turn to the freshwater. A true story from my district. Imagine
you take your family dog, your beloved favorite pet, to the water that
you always take them to. You take the tennis ball and you fling it out
into the water. And your retriever jumps in the water, swims out, grabs
that tennis ball, swims back to the shore. You take the tennis ball
out, you turn to throw it, and the dog is dying before your eyes. That
really happened. It happened in my district in a lake that, when
there's not an algal bloom, people recreate in, they have sailboats,
they have boat races, they swim in it, they take their dogs there. From
one week when it was safe for that dog to go in the water, the owner
comes back the next week, and through no fault of their own, the dog
does everything it normally does, and it dies.
If I had a glass of clear water here, and someone were saying, Oh,
what a waste of time, what a waste of time to work on this, and it had
the toxin from blue-green algae, the person who drank that water would
die. If it's in your freshwater system, a large reservoir for your
municipality, and you get a blue-green algal bloom in that with toxin,
I would ask my colleagues who are skeptical about this, Tell me how you
get it out? There are mechanisms, but they're not easy, and they're
very costly. How do you get it out of there? And more importantly, tell
me how you're going to give the people who you represent clean drinking
water if your water system is contaminated. If you depend on surface
reservoirs, and you get a blue-green algal bloom, you are in deep, deep
trouble, and you are looking at a lot of money and possibly some deaths
of your constituents.
Mr. Mack talked a little bit about hypoxia, which is a huge problem
in the Gulf. Let me put this in terms we understand: Hypoxic zones are
areas where the algae has decomposed, and that decomposition has taken
the air out of the water, basically taken the oxygen out. Imagine if
you were walking your normal route to work or to your home, and
suddenly, invisibly, you went into an area where there was no oxygen in
the air. You're walking a route you normally take. No oxygen. What
happens? You suffocate. You die. That's what dead zones do. Hundreds of
thousands, millions of aquatic fish--the very fish that our fishermen
in our coastal communities depend on, the very fish we eat and enjoy--
they just flat die. They're swimming in their normal, maybe their
migratory route, maybe their reproductive areas. They go into this
area. They can't tell there is no oxygen in the water. They swim into
it, they have no oxygen, and they die in enormous quantities. Then they
wash up on the beaches as a pleasant attraction for our tourism
industry.
In this body, we stick around to honor sports teams, we praise movie
stars. This is something that can kill you, for goodness sakes.
I also want to make sure we thank the many scientists who have done
the work on this legislation. Scientists around the world are trying to
study the causes, trying to study the interventions. They literally
evaluate our beaches around the country and our freshwater systems on a
daily basis and give us the information we need to protect the public
safety and health. And I want to make sure I commend them.
At this point I will reserve the balance of my time.
[[Page H1373]]
{time} 1030
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.
In closing, I just want to point out once again to be guarding
against unfunded mandates on States and localities. This bill will
reach probably a conference committee somewhere down the road. I would
like to have that remembered.
In authorizing legislation, we have to still be mindful of fiscal
constraints both at the Federal and the State level. The President's
budget request for the NOAA program is $12.7 million. Forty-one million
dollars in authorization is significantly above the request. It is a
good program, a great thrust. I support the thrust. I just ask those
who vote upon it, for or against it, to remember the unfunded mandate
danger and the fact that it is well above.
I now see my colleague from Michigan, Dr. Ehlers, here, who is
probably going to disagree with me. I will yield him 5 minutes.
Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I am sorry I arrived late for this debate, but I was speaking at the
National Academy of Engineering.
I simply want to speak on the record in support of this bill. It is
essentially the same bill that I introduced several years ago when we
were in the majority, and it did pass then. The major change now is of
course increased funding because of the increased need that has
occurred.
The hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are
nationwide problems that have grown tremendously in the last decade,
not just in the Gulf of Mexico, but also in the Great Lakes, Chesapeake
Bay, California, the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere. This is a
problem that just simply has to be dealt with. It is hurting the
fishing industry tremendously.
I recognize that there is concern about the cost of the bill. First
of all, I am sure we will not be appropriating as much money as is
authorized. But secondly, you have to measure the effect on commerce of
this bill, particularly the commercial fishing industry, but also the
safety of the tourist industry. If we do not correct this problem and
it continues to spread, we will soon find the tourist industry off the
southern coast, particularly Florida and the Gulf States and also
Texas, will be injured because people will simply not be able to use
the waters and will vacation elsewhere.
This could create additional problems. I won't go into all the
details on that. I do have a prepared statement which I will submit.
But I just wanted to go on record as supporting this bill very
strongly. I have worked with Mr. Baird. I was the sponsor a few years
ago, and he helped me then. He is the sponsor now, and I have helped
him. And I just want to encourage the body to vote for this bill and
adopt it.
The cost issue is certainly a legitimate one. It always is. But I
think that is best addressed through the appropriations process. But
certainly there is the need to go after this HAB problem scientifically
and find out why the problem is becoming so much worse, and what we can
do to stop it. I am hoping that through research we can stop it at far
less cost than we are talking about in this bill. But we won't know
until we do the research and get into the details of the problem.
I again thank the ranking member, Mr. Hall, who has done yeoman work
on the committee this year. I thank him for yielding time to me, and
thank him for all the good work he has done.
I urge the body to adopt this particular bill.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today the House is considering H.R.
3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control
Amendments Act of 2010.
Hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are nationwide
problems that affect our coastal and Great Lakes communities. The
damaging effects of HABs and hypoxia are felt in locations including
the Chesapeake Bay, California, the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes,
and the Gulf of Mexico. Less than two weeks ago, the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a warning indicating the
potential for a major bloom in New England this summer that may
threaten the shellfish industry. These blooms have major economic
consequences for our country, and must be prevented.
In 1998, Congress passed a three-year bill authorizing HAB and
hypoxia research programs, with a focus on the ``dead zone'' in the
Gulf of Mexico and Pfiesteria in the Chesapeake Bay. The Act was
reauthorized in 2004, and added freshwater, such as the Great Lakes, as
an important area for HAB and hypoxia research. It also increased the
participation of local resource managers in developing HAB and hypoxia
research plans; ensuring that the research was prioritized to address
the questions facing people working with HABs and hypoxia on a daily
basis. Also, the bill required that all research funding be
administered through a competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed process.
The amendments we are considering today strengthen the algal bloom
research activities at NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), and improve the communication and coordination between the many
federal, state and local stakeholders. The bill would facilitate a
clear national strategy for research in both marine and freshwater
environments, and reauthorize activities through 2015.
One comment on the process; I am aware that modifications have been
made to the legislation since it was considered by the Science and
Technology Committee, and that some of these modifications fall within
this committee's jurisdiction. While I understand there are necessary
technical changes following markups, I do believe the consideration of
substantive changes should take place in a manner that all committee
members have the opportunity to voice their input. I understand that
Subcommittee Chairman Baird will detail these changes on the floor, and
I thank him for his efforts to share this information with all Members.
I am pleased that Chairmen Baird and Gordon and Ranking Member Hall
have worked diligently within the Science and Technology Committee and
other Committees of jurisdiction to bring this bill expeditiously to
the floor of the House. This bill will help us improve our
understanding of these phenomena so that we can accurately predict
their occurrence and develop tools for improved detection and
mitigation of these problems. I urge the House to pass this bill.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am so delighted that Mr. Ehlers is here for a number of reasons.
First of all, the history of harmful algal bloom legislation really
owes its existence to this gentleman. As a scientist, as someone who
cares passionately about the people of his State and the Great Lakes, I
will say without any hesitation the Great Lakes have had no stronger
champion in the Congress than this gentleman here, Dr. Ehlers. And for
that matter, I believe science itself has had no stronger champion.
If you look at his contributions on the Great Lakes, harmful algal
blooms I just mentioned. Invasive species. He has been a champion in
trying to fight the zebra mussel, which is also the kind of thing
someone could look at with derision and say why are we trying to fight
invasive species, a little tiny mussel? Well, it costs billions of
dollars a year in property loss and economic loss. Just yesterday we
were on a panel together and he was raising the very important issue of
the possible invasion of carp into the Great Lakes system, which would
devastate the sports fishing and other industries in the Great Lakes.
The other reason I think it is particularly appropriate that he is
here is when we speak about red tide, inland communities may say, we
don't have any marine waters, what do we care? The Great Lakes are a
classic example of an area where harmful algal blooms can affect fresh
waters as well as maritime waters. And so my hat is off to Dr. Ehlers,
and he has my gratitude for his leadership on this over the years.
In closing, I would like to again thank my friend and colleague from
Texas, my friend from Michigan, and Mr. Mack, Ms. Castor, and Mr.
Kratovil. I am very grateful for the time, and urge passage of this.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3650, the Harmful
Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010. I
am pleased to cosponsor this bill, which would help us address one of
the most underrecognized problems affecting our coastal communities,
damaging aquatic environments, and threatening human health.
Harmful algal blooms can devastate commercial fisheries and tourism.
Some blooming species produce potent neurotoxins that can kill marine
organisms and cause human illness--or even death--when contaminated
seafood is consumed. For this reason, blooms often necessitate
fisheries closures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
estimates that HABs cost the commercial fishing industry $38 million
per year. In cases
[[Page H1374]]
where the blooming organisms do not produce toxins, they can deplete
the water column of light and oxygen, causing dead zones. These often
drive off tourists at a cost of millions of dollars annually to our
coastal communities. All together, NOAA estimates that HABs cost the
United States economy $82 million per year.
The bill before us today would establish and maintain a National
Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program to develop a national strategy
to address this national problem. This would include a full analysis of
our research, development, and demonstration needs and priorities and
the creation of coordinated education programs. This is just the kind
of action we need to take more often. We need to provide our federal
science agencies the tools they need to gather the scientific data
necessary to help us develop an effective solution to this problem. I
am pleased to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do so as
well.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and
Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act, will address a growing
threat to the health of our aquatic environments and our coastal
communities.
H.R. 3650 establishes a program, led by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to reduce the environmental impact of
harmful algal blooms, HABs, and hypoxia.
Algal blooms, which are a rapid increase in the population of algae
in an aquatic system, are typically not threatening to their
environments. However, a growing percentage of algal blooms produce
toxins that can kill fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds, and
may cause illness in people. Non-toxic algal blooms may also have a
hypoxic effect on marine ecosystems. For example, when masses of algae
die and decompose, they can deplete oxygen in the water, causing the
water to become so low in oxygen that animals either leave the area or
die. HABs have been reported in almost every U.S. coastal state, and
their occurrence may be on the rise.
H.R. 3650 authorizes $41 million each year for the next four years
for NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to further
research the complex causes of HABs. The program will develop a
national strategy to address marine and freshwater HABs, hypoxia, and
the protection of affected ecosystems. It will educate coastal resource
managers and the general public with training and awareness programs.
The program will also identify further research needs, and provide
grant funding for research projects.
I strongly support this bill because it is a critical step towards
the preservation of our coastlines for future generations.
Mr. BAIRD. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
The Chair understands that the gentleman from Arizona will not be
offering his amendment.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1168, the previous question is ordered
on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on passage of H.R. 3650 will be followed by 5-minute votes
on the Speaker's approval of the Journal and the motion to suspend the
rules on H.R. 4506.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 251,
nays 103, not voting 76, as follows:
[Roll No. 109]
YEAS--251
Adler (NJ)
Andrews
Arcuri
Baird
Baldwin
Barrow
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boccieri
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Butterfield
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Cassidy
Castle
Castor (FL)
Chandler
Chu
Clarke
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Cole
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Courtney
Crenshaw
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Dahlkemper
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (TN)
DeGette
DeLauro
Dent
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Driehaus
Edwards (MD)
Edwards (TX)
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Fallin
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fleming
Fortenberry
Foster
Fudge
Garamendi
Gerlach
Giffords
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Gordon (TN)
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Halvorson
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Heinrich
Herseth Sandlin
Himes
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Kanjorski
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilroy
Kind
Kissell
Kline (MN)
Kosmas
Kratovil
Kucinich
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Lowey
Lucas
Lynch
Mack
Maffei
Markey (CO)
Markey (MA)
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McCotter
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McMahon
McNerney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Minnick
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy, Patrick
Nadler (NY)
Neal (MA)
Nye
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Paulsen
Payne
Perlmutter
Perriello
Peters
Peterson
Petri
Pingree (ME)
Platts
Polis (CO)
Posey
Price (NC)
Putnam
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Rehberg
Reichert
Richardson
Rooney
Ross
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Scalise
Schakowsky
Schauer
Schiff
Schrader
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shuler
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Snyder
Space
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Tanner
Taylor
Teague
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Titus
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch
Wilson (OH)
Wittman
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NAYS--103
Aderholt
Akin
Altmire
Austria
Bachmann
Bachus
Barrett (SC)
Bartlett
Blackburn
Boehner
Bonner
Boren
Brady (TX)
Bright
Broun (GA)
Burton (IN)
Camp
Cantor
Coble
Coffman (CO)
Conaway
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Dreier
Duncan
Emerson
Forbes
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Garrett (NJ)
Goodlatte
Granger
Graves
Griffith
Guthrie
Hall (TX)
Harper
Hastings (WA)
Hensarling
Herger
Hunter
Inglis
Jenkins
Jordan (OH)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Lamborn
Lance
Latham
Latta
Lee (NY)
Lewis (CA)
Linder
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Manzullo
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Olson
Owens
Pitts
Poe (TX)
Price (GA)
Radanovich
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (MI)
Royce
Schmidt
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (TX)
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Young (AK)
NOT VOTING--76
Ackerman
Alexander
Baca
Barton (TX)
Berman
Bishop (UT)
Blunt
Boswell
Brown (SC)
Buchanan
Burgess
Buyer
Calvert
Campbell
Cao
Carter
Chaffetz
Childers
Clay
Costello
Davis (AL)
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
Delahunt
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Flake
Frank (MA)
Gallegly
Gingrey (GA)
Grijalva
Heller
Higgins
Hill
Hoekstra
Issa
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Kagen
Kaptur
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kirk
Klein (FL)
LaTourette
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lujan
Maloney
Marchant
Marshall
Miller, Gary
Moran (KS)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy (NY)
Murphy, Tim
Napolitano
Paul
Pence
Pomeroy
Reyes
Rodriguez
Rogers (KY)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Rush
Schock
Shimkus
Sires
Smith (WA)
Speier
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Walden
Wamp
Young (FL)
{time} 1106
Messrs. SOUDER and WHITFIELD changed their vote from ``yea'' to
``nay.''
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, March 12, 2010, I was absent
during rollcall vote No. 109. Had I been present, I would have voted
``yea'' on passage of H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia
Research and Control Amendments Act.
[[Page H1375]]
Stated against:
Mr. HELLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 109, had I been present, I
would have voted ``nay.''
Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 109, had
I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''
____________________