[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 47 (Monday, March 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1677-H1678]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT MAP MODIFICATION

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 835) to update the map of, and modify the maximum acreage 
available for inclusion in, the Florissant Fossil Beds National 
Monument.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 835

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

     SECTION 1. MAP UPDATE; MAXIMUM ACREAGE AVAILABLE FOR 
                   INCLUSION IN THE FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS 
                   NATIONAL MONUMENT.

       The first section of Public Law 91-60 (83 Stat. 101) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``entitled `Proposed Florissant Fossil Beds 
     National Monument', numbered NM-FFB-7100, and dated March 
     1967, and more particularly described by metes and bounds in 
     an attachment to that map,'' and inserting ``entitled 
     `Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument Proposed Boundary 
     Adjustment', numbered 171/132,544, and dated May 3, 2016,''; 
     and
       (2) by striking ``six thousand acres'' and inserting 
     ``6,300 acres''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 835 is a bill that I am very pleased to have 
introduced with bipartisan support from my friends, Congressman Scott 
Tipton and Congressman Jared Polis, both of Colorado. Specifically, 
H.R. 835 would increase the current 6,000 acres to 6,300 acres and 
allow the National Park Service to accept the donation of 280 acres 
currently being held by the Palmer Land Trust and Coalition for the 
Upper South Platte into the monument's boundaries.
  The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was designated by 
Congress in 1969 to preserve and study one of the most diverse fossil 
deposits in the world and to interpret its geologic significance.
  Located in a high mountain valley just west of Pikes Peak in my 
congressional district and 35 miles west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, 
the monument features detailed fossils of insects, plants, and giant 
petrified redwood stumps that teach visitors about prehistoric 
Colorado.
  The park also maintains a collection of over 12,000 fossil specimens, 
conducts inventory and monitoring of the fossil sites, has ongoing 
collaborations, and continues to be the subject of scientific 
publications. Many of these extraordinary fossils from the monument can 
be found in some of the most prominent natural history museums in the 
world, with the largest exhibit of perhaps 10,000 specimens located 
close by here in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
  The monument also offers a variety of recreational experiences, 
including sightseeing, stargazing, interpretive visitor center 
exhibits, hiking, picnicking, daily ranger-guided programs during the 
summer, junior ranger programs, and curriculum-based education programs 
for visiting school groups. It is truly an excellent addition to the 
National Park Service.
  Expanding the monument will provide critical access to the park's 
western boundary for wildfire protection and opportunities for 
completing future hazardous fuel mitigation projects, while also 
providing additional wildlife habitat. In addition, the donated acreage 
could, and will, provide visitors with more recreational opportunities, 
including hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and wildlife 
watching, all with no supplement funding or staff needed.
  The proposed monument boundary expansion has received unanimous local 
support from all stakeholders; including, the State of Colorado, the 
Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds, Sanborn Western Camps, Teller 
Historic and Environmental Coalition, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 
Palmer Land Trust, Coalition for the Upper South Platte, the Pikes Peak 
Historical Society, and the Teller County Board of Commissioners.
  This bipartisan bill is a great example for how the Antiquities Act 
should be applied, with strong local support, consensus, and engagement 
to identify and conserve the ``smallest area compatible with proper 
care and management of the objects to be protected.''
  That language, Mr. Speaker, is from the original Antiquities Act 
itself.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure. I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Ms. HANABUSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill expands the boundaries of the Florissant 
Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado to include an additional 300 
acres. The expanded boundary will further the monument's 
paleontological research objectives and facilitate access for projects 
designed to decrease wildfire risk, a critical issue in this forested 
region. During our subcommittee hearing on this bill, we heard that the 
expansion is broadly supported by the local community and a critical 
addition to a monument that was established, thanks to enormous public 
interest in preserving a unique natural treasure.
  The story of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is an 
excellent example of the importance of conservation, and it is 
encouraging that we can work together in a bipartisan fashion to 
further this mission. I want to congratulate Representative Lamborn for 
his hard work.
  Mr. Speaker, I would just like to encourage the Members to please 
support this wonderful bill.

[[Page H1678]]

  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Hawaii for her 
support and great work in committee. This is something that has a lot 
of bipartisan support.
  Mr. Speaker, I would ask all Members to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 835.
  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. LAMBORN. 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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