[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 15 (Monday, January 30, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H713-H714]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       DUNGENESS CRAB FISHERY MANAGEMENT SUNSET PROVISION REMOVAL

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 374) to remove the sunset provision of section 203 of Public 
Law 105-384, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 374

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

     SECTION 1. DUNGENESS CRAB FISHERY MANAGEMENT.

       Section 203 of the Act entitled ``An Act to approve a 
     governing international fishery agreement between the United 
     States and the Republic of Poland, and for other purposes'', 
     approved November 13, 1998 (Public Law 105-384; 16 U.S.C. 
     1856 note), is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (i); and
       (2) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (i).

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. 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 California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the House has before it H.R. 374, sponsored by our 
colleague, Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington.
  This bipartisan, consensus-based legislation would permanently 
reauthorize the successful management of the Dungeness crab fisheries 
of Washington, Oregon, and California by these respective States. They 
have been doing so since 1980, and doing it well.
  This permanent reauthorization is broadly supported by commercial and 
recreational fishing organizations. It is an example of the maxim: ``If 
it ain't broke, don't try and fix it.''
  I might add that these three States manage these fisheries in both 
Federal and State waters, and the management is funded by the 
participating States--a relief to the Federal Treasury.
  In the last Congress, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that 
an identical bill would save up to $1 million in discretionary Federal 
spending since State management would continue under this act. This 
bill is a win for the American taxpayer, a win for the seafood 
consumer, and a win for the three States involved.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 374 would reward the States of California, Oregon, and 
Washington for their long legacy of successful cooperative management 
of the West Coast Dungeness crab fishery in Federal waters. These 
States have, with oversight from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, or NOAA, managed this fishery sustainably, and this 
bill would make that management arrangement permanent.
  The specifics of the Dungeness crab fishery, including robust stock 
assessments, accurate catch reporting, and little conflict between 
commercial and recreational crabbers, make regional management a good 
choice. This is basically the opposite of a fishery like Gulf of Mexico 
red snapper, where there is a lack of cooperation among States and 
fishing sectors.
  I agree with the goals of this legislation, and I ask my colleagues 
to stand with me in support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to 
the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Beutler), the author of this 
legislation.
  Ms. BEUTLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the West Coast 
Dungeness crab fishery agreement.
  This successful, two-decades-old tristate Dungeness crab management 
agreement expired on September 30, 2016. This bill simply extends the 
working management authority between Washington, Oregon, and California 
and makes this arrangement permanent. A similar measure passed the 
House last year with flying colors.
  For approximately two decades, these States have successfully 
overseen one of the most valuable fisheries in the Pacific Northwest. 
In 2014, fishermen delivered 53 million pounds of crab to market, 
totaling $170 million. This economic activity helps support more than 
60,000 jobs related to the seafood industry in Washington alone.
  How has it maintained its success? The fishery has been managed in a 
sustainable, science-based way, and, importantly, it doesn't cost 
taxpayers a

[[Page H714]]

dime. If we do not renew this agreement, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, says its management of this 
fishery will cost taxpayers $1.15 million per year.
  Simply put, this bill maintains local control of a crucial resource 
and ensures sustainability of the Dungeness crab fishery, all while 
saving taxpayer dollars. This bill is the kind of commonsense policy 
that those folks I represent at home in southwest Washington expect to 
see out of Washington, D.C.
  I want to thank Chairman Bishop and the House Natural Resources staff 
for bringing this bill to the floor. Passage of this bipartisan bill 
gives fishermen and coastal communities on the West Coast peace of 
mind.
  I urge the House to vote ``yes'' on this bill and to ensure a bright, 
sustainable economic future for coastal crab-dependent communities like 
Ilwaco, Washington, and many others on the West Coast.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).
  Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the sponsor 
and the cosponsors of this bill, Congressman DeFazio, Congressman 
Kilmer, Congressman Huffman, and many others that are supporting this 
legislation.
  This is important in that it promotes regional management. Today, 
this pertains to the Dungeness crab, a species that is largely native 
to the West Coast. In this case, what this legislation does is provide 
for regional management. It provides for an opportunity for the States 
of Washington, Oregon, and California to manage this species.
  The States are closer to the ground. They have closer, more intimate 
relationships with their fishers, and they can ensure that what is 
being done is in the best interests of those folks, the best interests 
of the public that they are closer to, and the best interests of the 
recreational and commercial fishers that fish this species.

  I think it is fantastic. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, I think 
this exact model should be expanded. I think this exact model should be 
replicated not just in Washington, Oregon, and California; it should be 
replicated elsewhere, similar to how it is replicated for the Atlantic 
striped bass on the East Coast and the salmon in Alaska. This should be 
replicated to allow for States to be able to work together for regional 
management strategies to manage the species and to allow for more 
intimate, better public input to make sure that you have the 
appropriate balance between recreational and commercial fishers.
  I, again, want to commend the sponsor of this bill, Ms. Herrera 
Beutler, and all the cosponsors. This is exactly what we need to be 
doing. We need to be expanding upon this model around the coastal 
States of this country.
  I urge adoption of this bill, I urge aggressive passage of this bill, 
and I urge the Senate to pass it as well.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H.R. 374, and I have no 
further speakers.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. 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 California (Mr. McClintock) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 374.
  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. McCLINTOCK. Mr. 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 motion will be postponed.

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