[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 76 (Monday, June 3, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H2993-H2994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COROLLA WILD HORSES PROTECTION ACT
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 126) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to enter into
an agreement to provide for management of the free-roaming wild horses
in and around the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 126
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 ``Corolla Wild Horses
Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. WILD HORSES IN AND AROUND THE CURRITUCK NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE.
(a) Agreement Required.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Interior shall enter
into an agreement with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund (a
nonprofit corporation established under the laws of the State
of North Carolina), the County of Currituck, North Carolina,
and the State of North Carolina within 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act to provide for management of
free-roaming wild horses in and around the Currituck National
Wildlife Refuge.
(2) Terms.--The agreement shall--
(A) allow a herd of not less than 110 and not more than 130
free-roaming wild horses in and around such refuge, with a
target population of between 120 and 130 free-roaming wild
horses;
(B) provide for cost-effective management of the horses
while ensuring that natural resources within the refuge are
not adversely impacted;
(C) provide for introduction of a small number of free-
roaming wild horses from the herd at Cape Lookout National
Seashore as is necessary to maintain the genetic viability of
the herd in and around the Currituck National Wildlife
Refuge; and
(D) specify that the Corolla Wild Horse Fund shall pay the
costs associated with--
(i) coordinating a periodic census and inspecting the
health of the horses;
(ii) maintaining records of the horses living in the wild
and in confinement;
(iii) coordinating the removal and placement of horses and
monitoring of any horses removed from the Currituck County
Outer Banks; and
(iv) administering a viable population control plan for the
horses including auctions, adoptions, contraceptive fertility
methods, and other viable options.
(b) Requirements for Introduction of Horses From Cape
Lookout National Seashore.--During the effective period of
the memorandum of understanding between the National Park
Service and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses, Inc. (a
non-profit corporation organized under the laws of and doing
business in the State of North Carolina) signed in 2007, no
horse may be removed from Cape Lookout National Seashore for
introduction at Currituck National Wildlife Refuge except--
(1) with the approval of the Foundation; and
(2) consistent with the terms of such memorandum (or any
successor agreement) and the Management Plan for the
[[Page H2994]]
Shackleford Banks Horse Herd signed in January 2006 (or any
successor management plan).
(c) No Liability Created.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed as creating liability for the United States for any
damages caused by the free-roaming wild horses to any person
or property located inside or outside the boundaries of the
refuge.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Wittman) and the gentlewoman from California (Mrs.
Napolitano) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, 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. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In 2007, the State of North Carolina, the County of Currituck, the
Corolla Wild Horse Fund, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed
a comprehensive wild horse management plan for the colonial Spanish
mustangs that live on 7,500 acres of private and public lands in North
Carolina. This plan expired last year, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service indicated that it will not sign a new agreement.
H.R. 126, authored by Congressman Walter B. Jones, requires the
Secretary of the Interior to enter into a new agreement within 180 days
of enactment. It will also cap the number of horses to no more than
130, allow the introduction of a small number of Shackleford Banks
horses to improve genetic diversity, and will ensure that the Corolla
Wild Horse Fund, which is a volunteer organization, will continue to
pay for the cost of caring for and managing these horses in the future.
These horses are living symbols of our colonial history. H.R. 126,
which is a similar bill to one that passed the House by a voice vote
last year, will ensure their survival at no cost to the taxpayers.
I urge adoption of the measure and compliment the author for his
tireless leadership and his passion for this issue and reserve the
balance of my time.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mrs. NAPOLITANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 126 directs the Secretary of the
Interior to enter into an agreement with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund,
as well as local and State authorities, to provide for the management
of the wild horses in and around the Currituck National Wildlife
Refuge. The agreement will increase the cap on the herd size and
specify that the privately funded Corolla Wild Horse Fund will cover
the cost of managing the herd.
This refuge was established in 1984 to preserve and protect the
native coastal barrier ecosystem. The refuge provides habitat for the
migrating wild fowl and for the endangered species, such as piping
plover and sea turtles.
It is unusual to protect a nonnative species such as these horses in
a wildlife refuge. Extra effort and resources are needed to ensure that
the herd does not impair the ecosystem for the native animals and
plants.
H.R. 126 is an imperfect solution, though a solution, to a very
difficult problem. We must continue working with Fish and Wildlife
Service and with the local community to achieve balance between the
needs of the refuge and these wild horses.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones).
Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking
member for their words today, and I'll take just a few minutes.
Mr. Speaker, as has been said by both, this is a plan to maintain and
protect a part of North Carolina's history. As Mr. Wittman said, these
horses have been traced back by genetic experts to the Spanish mustangs
that swam ashore in the 1600s. They are really part of our heritage.
These beautiful little horses roam, as has been said by both sides
today, over 7,500 acres of public and private land. This is in
Currituck County out at Corolla.
{time} 1700
These little horses are so special that the citizens of our area
decided that they should try to create a foundation where they could
work together with the Federal Government, the State government, and
the county government; and it's known as the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.
It is a nonprofit. These people are absolutely convinced and committed
to making sure that for years to come down the road that these little
horses will still have the ability to reproduce. And that's been part
of the problem, Mr. Speaker, is that if you allow this herd to get down
to about 60 horses, you will not be able to maintain the diversity of
the herd.
That is why an expert, Dr. Gus Cothran of Texas A&M, as has been said
in the comments by both sides, has said that you have to have a minimum
of 120 horses but no more than 130. We are of the firm belief that H.R.
126 will do what is necessary to continue to make sure that we have a
viable herd of these horses that have been traced back to the Spanish
galleons that came to the coast of North Carolina and wrecked and these
horses swam ashore. They've been able to live for that many years.
This is very close to legislation, and I want to thank the House in a
bipartisan way, in 1998 we did the same thing that we are trying to do
in Corolla down in Currituck County down at Shackleford Banks. And what
was interesting, President Clinton was President at the time, and
Erskine Bowles was Chief of Staff to President Clinton, and Erskine
Bowles got behind the legislation, and that's exactly what we're trying
to do. It was the Park Service down at Shackleford Banks; this is Fish
and Wildlife, but thank you for your comments.
I want to thank the chairman for his comments because there's no
reason that we cannot make both sides happy to do what needs to be done
and to protect what, to me, when you look at this beautiful little
horse, it is God's gift to the world. So thank you so much, Mr.
Chairman and ranking member. Thank you for giving me this time to speak
on behalf of these horses. I hope that we can pass this legislation.
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. WITTMAN. 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 Virginia (Mr. Wittman) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 126.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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