[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 9 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H87-H88]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             ROTA CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES STUDY ACT

  Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1141) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to study 
the suitability and feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, 
and limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1141

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Rota 
     Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act''.
       (b) Findings.--Congress finds as follows:
       (1) The island of Rota was the only major island in the 
     Mariana Islands to be spared the destruction and large scale 
     land use changes brought about by World War II.
       (2) The island of Rota has been described by professional 
     archeologists as having the most numerous, most intact, and 
     generally the most unique prehistoric sites of any of the 
     islands of the Mariana Archipelago.
       (3) The island of Rota contains remaining examples of what 
     is known as the Latte Phase of the cultural tradition of the 
     indigenous Chamorro people of the Mariana Islands. Latte 
     stone houses are remnants of the ancient Chamorro culture.
       (4) Four prehistoric sites are listed on the National 
     Register of Historic Places: Monchon Archeological District 
     (also known locally as Monchon Latte Stone Village), Taga 
     Latte Stone Quarry, the Dugi Archeological Site that 
     contains, latte stone structures, and the Chugai Pictograph 
     Cave that contains examples of ancient Chamorro rock art. 
     Alaguan Bay Ancient Village is another latte stone 
     prehistoric site that is surrounded by tall-canopy limestone 
     forest.
       (5) In addition to prehistoric sites, the island of Rota 
     boasts historic sites remaining from the Japanese period 
     (1914-1945). Several of these sites are on the National 
     Register of Historic Places: Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha 
     Sugar Mill, Japanese Coastal Defense Gun, and the Japanese 
     Hospital.
       (6) The island of Rota's natural resources are significant 
     because of the extent and intact condition of its native 
     limestone forest that provides habitat for several federally 
     endangered listed species, the Mariana crow, and the Rota 
     bridled white-eye birds, that are also native to the island 
     of Rota. Three endangered plant species are also found on 
     Rota and two are endemic to the island.
       (7) Because of the significant cultural and natural 
     resources listed above, on September 2005, the National Park 
     Service, Pacific West Region, completed a preliminary 
     resource assessment on the island of Rota, Commonwealth of 
     the Northern Mariana Islands, which determined that the 
     ``establishment of a unit of the national park system 
     appear[ed] to be the best way to ensure the long term 
     protection of Rota's most important cultural resources and 
     its best examples of its native limestone forest.''.

     SEC. 2. NPS STUDY OF SITES ON THE ISLAND OF ROTA, 
                   COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of the Interior shall--
       (1) carry out a study regarding the suitability and 
     feasibility of designating prehistoric, historic, and 
     limestone forest sites on the island of Rota, Commonwealth of 
     the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park 
     System; and
       (2) consider management alternatives for the island of 
     Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
       (b) Study Process and Completion.--Except as provided by 
     subsection (c) of this section, section 8(c) of Public Law 
     91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(c)) shall apply to the conduct and 
     completion of the study required by this section.
       (c) Submission of Study Results.--Not later than 3 years 
     after the date that funds are made available for this 
     section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
     Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a 
     report describing the results of the study.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wittman) and the gentleman from Northern Mariana Islands 
(Mr. Sablan) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume, and I ask unanimous consent that 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 Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, H.R. 1141 authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of designating 
prehistoric, historic, and limestone forest sites on Rota, Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, as a unit of the National Park System.
  The island of Rota contains cultural and natural resources, including 
caves with pictographs and several other prehistoric relics as well as 
sites from the 20th century Japanese occupation. Additionally, Rota has 
a natural limestone forest that is habitat for endangered species 
native to the island.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  (Mr. SABLAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1141, the Rota 
Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act. The bill authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior to determine whether it is suitable and 
feasible to add certain cultural, archeological, historical, and 
natural resources of the island of Rota in the Northern Marianas to the 
National Park System.
  This same measure was approved by the House in 2010 without dissent, 
and I hope my colleagues will approve its passage again today.
  I want to thank Chairman Hastings and Ranking Member Markey of the 
Natural Resources Committee for their support of H.R. 1141. I also want 
to

[[Page H88]]

thank Chairman Bishop and Ranking Member Grijalva of the Subcommittee 
on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands for their help in bringing 
this measure to the floor.
  We all understand that resources are limited and that we must not add 
to the debt our children and grandchildren will be responsible for 
tomorrow.
  At the same time, we owe a debt to our descendants to preserve and 
protect those resources that we hold in trust for them today. 
Therefore, when considering adding a unit to the National Park System, 
we have to balance these two requirements. And we have a well 
established process for doing so.
  The National Park Service began this process on the island of Rota in 
2004. A study team assessed the ancient Mochon Latte Stone Village and 
other sites of the Chamorro people, who first inhabited the Marianas 
some 3,500 years ago. The team explored the Chugai Cave, containing 
over 90 pictographs of prehistoric origin. They inventoried the rare 
species of plants and animals endemic to the limestone forests that 
still blanket parts of Rota, home to the critically endangered aga, or 
Marianas crow, and the endangered nosa Luta, or Rota bridled white-eye.
  Having completed this field reconnaissance in September of 2005, the 
Park Service issued a report that concluded there are cultural and 
natural resources on the island of Rota that are of national 
significance. The Park Service recommended the next step in designation 
of a new unit of the Park System: A suitability and feasibility study. 
And H.R. 1141 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to take that 
next step and conduct the necessary study.
  I would like to note that the people of Rota look forward to the 
possibility of having areas of their island added to the National Park 
System.
  It was then-Senator Diego M. Songao of Rota who first encouraged the 
Park Service to conduct a reconnaissance of the archeological sites on 
his home island and to determine their importance as part of America's 
legacy.
  Rota Representative Teresita A. Santos testified before the Natural 
Resources Committee enthusiastically supporting a national park on 
Rota.
  Rota Mayor Melchor A. Mendiola of Rota has added his support to the 
record, as has Northern Mariana Islands Senate President Paul A. 
Manglona, who also hails from Rota.
  Of course, during the study authorized by H.R. 1141, the people of 
Rota will continue to have ample opportunity to consider along with the 
Park Service the suitability and feasibility of including any 
particular areas of their island in park status.
  The people of Rota understand the importance of their culture and of 
the natural resources and want to pass this on to their children and 
grandchildren. They also understand that preserving the remains of 
ancient Chamorro culture and the plants and animals of the limestone 
forests of Rota has value today because visitors from elsewhere in the 
world want to see that which is unique and experience what only Rota 
has to offer.
  Last week, President Obama announced new initiatives to create jobs 
and spur economic growth in America by improving our visa system and by 
providing national parks, wildlife refuges, and historic sites to 
international travelers.
  Being the closest part of America to the emerging economies of Asia, 
the Northern Marianas is eager to see new countries added to our visa 
waiver program. We want to have the unique cultural and natural 
resources of our islands added to the national treasures the President 
intends to promote.
  We know that having areas on Rota designated as part of the National 
Park System will help create jobs in ecotourism, transportation, hotels 
and restaurants for the people of today. We understand that protecting 
and preserving these nationally significant resources on Rota will also 
help ensure jobs for our children and grandchildren in the future.
  I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 1141.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1141.
  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. WITTMAN. Madam 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, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.

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