[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 61 (Monday, April 28, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H3216-H3217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NORTH TEXAS INVASIVE SPECIES BARRIER ACT OF 2014

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4032) to exempt from Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 
certain water transfers by the North Texas Municipal Water District and 
the Greater Texoma Utility Authority, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4032

       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 ``North Texas Invasive Species 
     Barrier Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. COMPLIANCE WITH LACEY ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1981.

       Section 5 of Public Law 112-237 (126 Stat. 1629) is amended 
     by inserting after ``zebra mussels'' the following: ``and 
     other fish, wildlife, and plants present in Lake Texoma that 
     are prohibited under section 3 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 3372) 
     or under section 42 of title 18, United States Code''.

  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 such time as he may consume 
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), the author of the bill.
  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4032, the North 
Texas Invasive Species Barrier Act of 2014. This bill is a prime 
example of how both sides of the aisle can work together for the good 
of our citizens.
  As we know, water is our most vital resource and one of our primary 
needs, and I am grateful for Congressmen Sam Johnson and Pete Sessions 
for their sponsorship of this bill to enhance water resources for the 
people of north Texas. I also would like to thank Chairman Hastings of 
the Natural Resources Committee and committee staff for their work on 
this measure and for bringing this bill to the floor today, and I thank 
the gentleman from Alaska.
  Many lakes across America have been infested with various invasive 
species. In the State of Texas, our lakes have been infested with zebra 
mussels. I am sure many of you have seen these in your States. They 
started in New York and have worked their way down to Texas lakes.
  In December 2012, the House and Senate were successful in passing the 
North Texas Zebra Mussel Barrier Act, which became public law. This law 
permits the North Texas Municipal Water District and the Greater Texoma 
Utility Authority to pump water from Lake Texoma into the Wylie, Texas, 
water treatment plant, where the water will be cleaned of zebra mussels 
without being in violation of the Lacey Act.
  It is safe to say that wherever zebra mussels are found, their 
partner in crime--quagga mussels--are more than likely to be found as 
well. Today's bill, H.R. 4032, expands the exemption from zebra mussels 
to all aquatic invasive species and plants, and will enable the North 
Texas Municipal Water District to do its job. It does not encourage 
extra pumping that would harm Lake Texoma's current low water levels. 
Such action will better serve more than 1.5 million north Texans in a 
manner that provides safe water and much-needed jobs.
  I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation that 
provides safe and clean water to north Texans.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 4032, the North Texas Invasive Species Barrier Act, provides a 
very specific and necessary exemption to the Lacey Act Amendments of 
1981.
  The bill would allow the North Texas Municipal Water District and the 
Greater Texoma Utility Authority to transport water that contains 
potentially invasive species from the Oklahoma side of Lake Texoma into 
Texas. However, all water would be kept in closed conveyance systems 
and would be fully treated, with all zebra mussels, quagga mussels, and 
other potentially harmful aquatic life being fully removed before being 
released into any water body.

                              {time}  1730

  Two years ago, we passed legislation that allowed the water district 
to pump water containing zebra mussel larvae from Lake Texoma, but now, 
quagga mussels have emerged as a threat there as well.
  These species are the bane of many a power plant and municipal water 
plant operator. Hundreds of millions will be spent in the near future 
to deal with these problems in intake and outflow pipes and other 
infrastructure.
  They also harm our fisheries by crowding out native species and 
taking their food. They are driving out our native mussels toward 
extinction. The Lacey Act is vital to our Nation's interests because it 
prevents--or hopefully prevents the spread of undesirable, injurious 
species like zebra and quagga mussels. A strong Lacey Act is vital to 
our economy and our environment.
  That said, Texas needs access to this water. The aforementioned 
entities have a comprehensive plan for ensuring that these water 
transfers do not cause invasive species to spread.
  For those reasons, we will support H.R. 4032; but we need to remember 
that this bill, which was put forward as a remedy to a very difficult 
and a very unique situation, is not a precedent for broad-spread 
exemptions to the Lacey Act.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 5 minutes to 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions).
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alaska, the 
former chairman of the committee.

[[Page H3217]]

  I also want to thank the gentleman Ralph Hall and the gentleman Sam 
Johnson, also from north Texas, that joined with me in this important 
bill.
  I want to thank my friends on the Democratic side, in particular Mr. 
DeFazio, for his not only effort and understanding, but an effort in 
making sure that water resources all across this country, the needs of 
the people, are understood.
  Mr. Speaker, we are under increased problems all across this country, 
distressed because of the lack of water. We have lots of areas of the 
country that are undergoing tremendous changes, and that means that 
local people have to make accommodations; but that also means that, 
many times, they have to work with the Federal Government, in this 
case, through the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
  I would like to also thank the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the North 
Texas Municipal Water District for their hard work on this important 
issue. The opportunity for us to resolve this issue means that 1.5 
million north Texans who need to make sure that they have adequate, 
safe, and good water resources, that we can continue a plan in north 
Texas that we agreed to. We agree this is the right thing to do.
  We also agree that we are after the good Lord to help us out with 
some rain; but in the meantime, the Lord also says those that help 
themselves, that that is the right way to do it.
  We are trying to work together. Today, as Mr. Hall has said, it is an 
opportunity to see Republicans and Democrats, those people in 
Washington who have come to represent the American people, many of us 
just for our own district, but all of us working together can work to 
resolve differences and problems that sometimes occur back home for the 
benefit of so many other people.
  Today, I want to thank the chairman of the committee, Doc Hastings, 
for carefully reviewing, understanding, looking at what we are trying 
to do, and making sure that, if we showed up with a bill that had been 
well vetted back home where we had agreement, where we knew what we 
were talking about and tried to make it as narrow as was necessary, but 
large enough to handle the issue, that we could move forward with this.
  This is the kind of leadership in Washington, D.C., quite honestly, 
that we need, where we are challenged back home appropriately, where we 
have to bring our ideas to Washington, where we have to, in essence, 
think with each other, and then come up with a good plan. This is true 
of not just Republicans and Democrats in this instance, but also true 
of the Corps of Engineers.
  I want to thank the administration for their help in this effort. 
Many times, people can jump in the way of a great idea to help people. 
In this case, it didn't happen.
  I am in full support of H.R. 4032 as it stands tonight. Many people 
in north Texas will perhaps not even know what we are doing, but this 
will be a sigh of relief for those who do know what we are doing this 
week and head into the very, very difficult summer months. This way, 
people can plan forward and do the right thing.
  I want to thank Mr. Young for not only allowing me to be on the floor 
today, but for him scheduling time to have a bunch of Texans come and 
plead their case. It is my hope this Congress, this House of 
Representatives, will in fact support and agree to this.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. If the gentleman will listen for a moment, big 
brothers have to think of little brothers. Alaska is the big brother, 
and Texas is the little brother.
  This is a good bill. I want to compliment the Texas delegation 
supporting Mr. Hall especially, Mr. Sessions and Mr. Johnson.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation, and 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. 4032, 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.

                          ____________________