[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for other purposes'' is hereby repealed.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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