[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5516-H5517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      AUTHORIZING HYDROGRAPHIC SERVICES FOR LOSS OF ICE IN ARCTIC

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2864) to amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 
1998 to authorize funds to acquire hydrographic data and provide 
hydrographic services specific to the Arctic for safe navigation, 
delineating the United States extended continental shelf, and the 
monitoring and description of coastal changes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2864

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

[[Page H5517]]

     SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 306 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 
     1998 (33 U.S.C. 892d) is amended--
       (1) by inserting before the text the following: ``(a) In 
     General.--''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) Arctic Programs.--Of the amount authorized for each 
     of fiscal years 2011 and 2012--
       ``(1) $5,000,000 is authorized for use to acquire 
     hydrographic data, provide hydrographic services, conduct 
     coastal change analyses necessary to ensure safe navigation, 
     and improve the management of coastal change in the Arctic; 
     and
       ``(2) $2,000,000 is authorized for use to acquire 
     hydrographic data and provide hydrographic services in the 
     Arctic necessary to delineate the United States extended 
     Continental Shelf.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Lummis) 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 within which 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 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, recent scientific findings have shown that the Arctic 
sea ice is shrinking with significantly smaller amounts of summer sea 
ice cover. Consequently, more open water space in the Arctic Ocean will 
be available for ship travel, which will present a changed landscape 
for international marine commerce and national security interests and 
greater accessibility to natural resources. These activities are likely 
to create substantial new demands on the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to provide hydrographic data and 
hydrographic services in the near term.
  I support this noncontroversial legislation to amend the Hydrographic 
Services Improvement Act to give NOAA specific authorization to conduct 
hydrographic surveys and to provide other hydrographic services in the 
Arctic, and I urge Members on both sides to do likewise.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2864 would authorize hydrographic surveys in the 
Arctic region, an area which lacks up-to-date survey data. The last 
major survey in the Arctic occurred more than 60 years ago after World 
War II. Since the majority of U.S. foreign trade by weight moves by sea 
and the Arctic has the potential to become a viable shipping corridor, 
it is essential that we support these surveys to help create accurate 
nautical charts.
  I compliment the author of this measure, Congressman Don Young, for 
his leadership. This bill has been scored by the CBO as having no cost.
  I urge support of the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. I thank the good lady for yielding.
  Just yesterday, the Alaska Dispatch chronicled the increased tourist 
and commercial vessel traffic in the Arctic and the challenges the 
Coast Guard is facing in ensuring safe navigation. For example, the 
Coast Guard recently announced that the Polar Sea icebreaker will be 
out of service until next year and the Polar Star icebreaker won't be 
fixed until 2013. As a result, there are no adequate icebreakers to 
patrol in the Arctic or come to the aid of anyone in need. Simply, safe 
navigation in the U.S. Arctic is in a precarious state.
  My bill would amend the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act to 
authorize much-needed funds for hydrographic surveys and coastal 
mapping of the Arctic regions.
  Sadly, we still have a long way to go before we finish the job on 
nautically charting critical navigation regions throughout this 
country. The Arctic region in particular has been ignored and lacks 
survey data. It is my understanding, as the good lady said, the last 
major hydro survey campaign in the Arctic was conducted following World 
War II, over 60 years ago.
  Currently, base hydrographic data in the Arctic is woefully 
inadequate and not sufficient to support current, let alone future, 
marine activity. With the reduction of sea ice, there's increased 
vessel traffic and opportunities for more drilling, and up-to-date 
nautical charts or coastal maps are critical for these activities.
  H.R. 2864 is an effort to move this process forward by directing NOAA 
to acquire additional hydrographic data and provide hydrographic 
services to the Arctic region.
  Alaska is the only Arctic State in this Nation. It makes this bill 
both critically important for my State and our Nation, and I urge 
Members to support this legislation.
  Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, we should take this time to congratulate 
my colleague, Mr. Young, for his work on this legislation. Also, I 
would like to thank the gentlelady from Wyoming. I've enjoyed managing 
the bills this afternoon with her.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support the bill, and 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. 2864, 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, 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 and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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