[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 165 (Tuesday, December 14, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H8304-H8305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1440
   LONGFELLOW HOUSE-WASHINGTON'S HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE 
                            DESIGNATION ACT

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 1405) to redesignate the Longfellow National Historic Site, 
Massachusetts, as the ``Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters 
National Historic Site''.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1405

       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 ``Longfellow House-
     Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site Designation 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. REDESIGNATION OF LONGFELLOW NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, 
                   MASSACHUSETTS.

       (a) In General.--The Longfellow National Historic Site in 
     Cambridge, Massachusetts, shall be known and designated as 
     ``Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National 
     Historic Site''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     Longfellow National Historic Site shall be considered to be a 
     reference to the ``Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters 
     National Historic Site''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) 
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 bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from West Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the pending legislation would rename the Longfellow 
National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as the Longfellow 
House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site to better 
reflect the many chapters of American history which unfolded at this 
historic home.
  This bill is one of the last measures sponsored by the late Senator 
from Massachusetts, Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was instrumental 
in securing the funds needed to preserve this national historic site, 
and it is fitting that we pass his legislation renaming a site which 
meant so much to him.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this small, final piece 
of a legislative legacy left to us by one of the true giants to ever 
serve in this Congress.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, S. 1405 has been adequately explained by the majority, 
and we support the legislation. We see no reason to oppose it.
  I just want to briefly thank the chairman. I am a freshman here in 
this body. I appreciate the leadership that he gave and the way that he 
conducted the Natural Resources Committee. I understand he is going to 
be a ranking member or in leadership on, perhaps, a different 
committee. I didn't want to let this time pass and this opportunity 
pass without thanking him for his leadership, for his fairness and for 
being able to share things with young folks like myself who are new to 
the House. I just want to wish him all the best and thank him for his 
leadership.
  I look forward to spending Christmas Eve here with you, 
unfortunately. Hopefully not.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. Before I respond to that, Mr. Speaker, I am going to 
yield 2 minutes to my colleague from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega).
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I would also like to compliment the gentleman from Utah's statement.
  Mr. Speaker, this probably will be the last opportunity that I will 
have to offer my compliments and my utmost respect and commendation for 
the way that the gentleman from West Virginia has conducted the affairs 
of our Natural Resources Committee under his chairmanship, of which I 
am deeply honored to be a part. He is second to none in terms of his 
leadership, his service, and his commitment to serving our Nation.
  I wanted to say that for the record, and I want to thank my good 
friend from Utah for his compliments as well.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RAHALL. I do want to extend my appreciation to the gentleman from 
Utah for his comments.
  Mr. Speaker, this may very well be the last time that our Committee 
on Natural Resources will have bills on the floor of the House in this 
111th Congress. I wish to take just a moment of personal reflection to 
thank, not only the gentleman from Utah, but my ranking member--the 
gentleman from the State of Washington, Doc Hastings, as well.
  I talked to Mr. Hastings this morning. He is not sleepless in Seattle 
but is snowed in in Seattle and is unable to be here today, but I did 
want to acknowledge his position on our committee and wish him the best 
next year as he assumes the reins of leadership as chairman of our 
committee.
  It has been, I think, a good couple of terms under my chairmanship. 
We have worked in a nonpartisan manner as much as feasible and as much 
as possible. On not every bill have we seen eye to eye, but we have 
respectfully agreed to disagree where we have disagreed.

[[Page H8305]]

  I want to thank the members on the majority's side. My colleagues 
from all over this country and from the American territories have been 
very helpful in drafting important legislation that has fallen in line 
with our vital responsibilities as stewards of our public lands.
  I also want to say a word of commendation to the staffs on both 
sides. We have brought numerous bills--I don't even have a final tally 
in front of me--to the floor of this House. Many are still languishing 
over in that other body. I commend the work of the staffs on both the 
majority's and the minority's sides and the manner in which they have 
worked cooperatively and in a bipartisan fashion over these 4 years 
that I have chaired this committee. In particular, the gentleman 
sitting to my right, Mr. Jim Zoia, has been with me over three decades. 
While we will move on to another committee in the next Congress, we 
will always remember our years on the Natural Resources Committee and 
our working so well with both sides.
  So, again, I wish to express my appreciation to my ranking member, 
Doc Hastings, and to all the members of our committee--both Republican 
and especially my side, the Democratic side.
  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, S. 1405.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. RAHALL. 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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