[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 74 (Thursday, May 23, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3858-S3859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Carper, Mr. Warner, 
        Mr. Coons, and Mr. Kaine):
  S. 1077. A bill to amend the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 to 
provide for the reauthorization of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, authorized under P.L. 105-312 in 1998 and 
reauthorized by P.L. 107-308 in 2002, the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
Watertrails Network helps several million visitors and residents 
discover, enjoy, and learn about the special places and stories of the 
Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Today I am introducing legislation to 
reauthorize this successful program.
  For visitors and residents, the Gateways are the ``Chesapeake 
connection.'' The Network members provide an experience of such high 
quality that their visitors will indeed connect to the Chesapeake 
emotionally as well as intellectually, and thus to its conservation.
  The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. The Chesapeake ranks as 
the largest of America's 130 estuaries and

[[Page S3859]]

one of the nation's largest and longest fresh water and estuarine 
systems. The Atlantic Ocean delivers half the bay's 18 trillion gallons 
of water and the other half flows through over 150 major rivers and 
streams draining 64,000 square miles within six states and the District 
of Columbia. The Chesapeake watershed is among the most significant 
cultural, natural and historic assets of our nation.
  The Chesapeake is enormous and vastly diverse--how could you possibly 
experience the whole story in any one place? Better to connect and use 
the scores of existing public places to collaborate on presenting the 
many chapters and tales of the bay's story. Visitors and residents go 
to more places for more experiences, all through a coordinated Gateways 
Network.
  Beyond simply coordinating the Network, publishing a map and guides, 
and providing standard exhibits at all Gateways, the National Park 
Service has helped Gateways with matching grants and expertise for 200 
projects with a total value of more than $12 million. This is a great 
deal for the Bay--it helps Network members tell the Chesapeake story 
better and inspires people to care for this National Treasure--and it's 
a good deal for the Park Service. In this legislation, we cap the 
Gateways authorization at just $2 million annually. It serves all 150+ 
Gateways and their 10 million visitors. No other National Park can 
provide such a dramatic ratio of public dollars spent to number of 
visitors served.
  With the National Park Service's expertise and support, Gateways have 
made significant progress in their mission to tell the bay's stories to 
their millions of members and visitors, extend access to the bay and 
its watershed, and develop a conservation awareness and ethic. It is 
time to reauthorize the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails program. It 
is my hope that the Congress will act quickly to adopt this 
legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of th bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 1077

       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 ``Chesapeake Bay Gateways and 
     Watertrails Network Reauthorization Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 502(c) of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 
     (16 U.S.C. 461 note; Public Law 105-312) is amended by 
     striking ``fiscal years'' and all that follows through the 
     period at the end and inserting ``fiscal years 2014 through 
     2018.''.
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