[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 61 (Monday, April 28, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H3215-H3216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HUNA TLINGIT TRADITIONAL GULL EGG USE ACT

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3110) to allow for the harvest of gull eggs by the 
Huna Tlingit people within Glacier Bay National Park in the State of 
Alaska, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3110

       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 ``Huna Tlingit Traditional 
     Gull Egg Use Act''.

     SEC. 2. LIMITED AUTHORIZATION FOR COLLECTION OF GULL EGGS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior (referred to 
     in this Act as the ``Secretary'') may allow the collection by 
     members of the Hoonah Indian Association of the eggs of 
     glaucous-winged gulls (Laurus glaucescens) within Glacier Bay 
     National Park (referred to in this Act as the ``Park'') not 
     more frequently than twice each calendar year at up to 5 
     locations within the Park, subject to any terms and 
     conditions that the Secretary determines to be necessary.
       (b) Applicable Law.--For the purposes of sections 203 and 
     816 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 410hh-2, 3126), the collection of eggs of 
     glaucous-winged gulls within the Park in accordance with 
     subsection (a) shall be considered to be a use specifically 
     permitted by that Act.
       (c) Harvest Plan.--The Secretary shall establish schedules, 
     locations, and any additional terms and conditions that the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary for the harvesting of 
     eggs of glaucous-winged gulls in the Park, based on an annual 
     harvest plan to be prepared by the Secretary and the Hoonah 
     Indian Association.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska.


                             General Leave

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alaska?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  H.R. 3110 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to permit members 
of Hoonah Indian Association to harvest sea gull eggs in portions of 
Glacier Bay National Park, subject to terms and conditions the 
Secretary deems necessary.
  This traditional Native subsistence harvest had been conducted long 
before the establishment by Congress of the national park, where the 
practice was subsequently forbidden by law.
  In 1980, Congress passed the Alaska Lands Act, which, among other 
things, provided for the subsistence use of natural resources on public 
lands in Alaska by rural residents. The traditional harvest of sea gull 
eggs in Glacier Bay National Park, however, remained off limits.
  A study conducted by the National Park Service determined the local 
Native people should be able to resume their harvest of sea gull eggs 
at specific locations in the park. Accordingly, I introduced H.R. 3110 
to authorize the Hoonah Indian Association and

[[Page H3216]]

the Secretary of the Interior to develop a plan for the traditional 
Native collection of certain gull eggs.
  Under H.R. 3110, the Hoonah Indians may harvest the eggs not more 
frequently than twice each calendar year at up to five locations within 
the park, subject to any terms and conditions that the Secretary 
determines to be necessary.
  On February 5, 2014, the Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native 
Affairs of the Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on H.R. 
3110 where the National Park Service testified in support of this bill. 
On February 27, the Natural Resources Committee ordered the bill 
reported by unanimous consent.
  This bill allows a group of Natives in Alaska to resume an important 
cultural tradition and to pass it on to future generations. I urge the 
House to pass the bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The collection and the consumption of gull eggs is an integral part 
of the culture of the Tlingit people of southeast Alaska. Eggs were 
gathered at rookeries long before Glacier Bay National Park and 
Preserve were ever established.
  The provisions of this bill are in accord with the recommendations of 
a study mandated by Congress on the issue, and the bill is widely 
supported throughout the environmental and conservation communities, as 
well as the Alaska Native community. The harvesting of gull eggs would 
only have a minor impact on the gulls, but the cultural benefits that 
would be realized by the Native community would be great.
  I applaud the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) for his leadership on 
this issue, and I ask my colleagues to stand with him in support of 
this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I have no other requests for time, 
and so I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3110, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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