[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 185 (Monday, December 5, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H8128-H8129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CALIFORNIA COASTAL NATIONAL MONUMENT CONSOLIDATION ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 944) to eliminate an unused lighthouse 
reservation, provide management consistency by incorporating the rocks 
and small islands along the coast of Orange County, California, into 
the California Coastal National Monument managed by the Bureau of Land 
Management, and meet the original Congressional intent of preserving 
Orange County's rocks and small islands, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 944

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

     SECTION 1. PRESERVATION OF ROCKS AND SMALL ISLANDS ALONG THE 
                   COAST OF ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

       (a) California Coastal National Monument.--The Act of 
     February 18, 1931, entitled ``An Act to reserve for public 
     use rocks, pinnacles, reefs, and small islands along the 
     seacoast of Orange County, California'' is amended by 
     striking ``temporarily reserved'' and all that follows 
     through ``United States'' and inserting ``part of the 
     California Coastal National Monument and shall be 
     administered as such''.
       (b) Repeal of Reservation.--Section 31 of the Act of May 
     28, 1935, entitled ``An Act to authorize the Secretary of 
     Commerce to dispose of certain lighthouse reservations, and 
     for other purposes'' is hereby repealed.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that

[[Page H8129]]

all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  H.R. 944, introduced by our colleague from California (Mr. Campbell) 
will remove an unused lighthouse reservation currently in place for 
certain rocks and small islands along the coast of Orange County, 
California. The bill would add them to the California Coastal National 
Monument.
  The lighthouse reservation has been in place since 1935 to provide 
locations for searchlights and other coastal defense equipment of that 
time. The bill will provide for the consistent management of geological 
features along the coast of Orange County.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. LUJAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. LUJAN. H.R. 944 would correct a situation in which two acts from 
the 1930s are inadvertently preventing certain rocks, pinnacles, reefs, 
small islands, and lighthouses off the coast of Orange County from 
being included in the California Coastal National Monument.
  In 2000 President Clinton created the California Coastal National 
Monument, which spans the entire 1,100 miles of the California coast 
and encompasses more than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed reefs, 
and pinnacles. However, the act designating the monument included only 
unreserved and unappropriated rocks and islands, and under the 1930s 
acts, these natural and cultural sites were reserved.
  H.R. 944 would strike the reservation language in one act and repeal 
another act to provide that these areas finally be permanently 
protected as part of the California Coastal National Monument. 
Therefore, we support the passage of H.R. 944.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 
such time as he may consume to the author of this legislation, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell).
  Mr. CAMPBELL. I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, the facts of the bill have been presented by both of the 
gentlemen speaking before me.
  This bill actually passed the floor of this House by a vote of 397-4 
in the last Congress. They simply ran out of time in the Senate; 
otherwise, I think it would be law today. So I appreciate everyone's 
indulgence with passing this bill off this floor again today, I hope.
  It has been mentioned that this was from 1935. Of these rocks and 
small islands, they originally thought, oh, we might put lighthouses 
there. Then they thought they might use them to help defend the 
California coast against Japanese submarines during World War II. 
Neither of those purposes is of much value anymore. So that's why, if 
we put this in the California Coastal National Monument, we will be 
able to preserve these rocks and islands and the sea life around them, 
and they will become a part of our environmental heritage going 
forward.
  With that, I thank everyone for their assistance.
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 944.
  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. LUJAN. 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, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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