[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10302-H10303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        REAUTHORIZE THE NEW JERSEY COASTAL HERITAGE TRAIL ROUTE

  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6602) to reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail 
Route, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6602

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

     SECTION 1. NEW JERSEY COASTAL HERITAGE TRAIL ROUTE.

       (a) Reauthorization.--Section 6 of Public Law 100-515 (16 
     U.S.C. 1244 note) is amended--
       (1) by striking subsection (a);
       (2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
     (a) and (b), respectively;
       (3) in subsection (a) (as so redesignated by paragraph 
     (2)), by striking ``under subsection (a)'' each place that it 
     appears and inserting ``to carry out this Act''; and
       (4) in subsection (b) (as so redesignated by paragraph 
     (2)), by striking ``2011'' and inserting ``2025''.
       (b) Strategic Plan.--
       (1) In general.--
       (A) Plan required.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
     on which funds are first made available after the date of 
     enactment of this Act to carry out Public Law 100-515 (16 
     U.S.C. 1244 note), the Secretary of the Interior shall 
     prepare a strategic plan for the New Jersey Coastal Heritage 
     Trail Route.
       (B) Contents.--The strategic plan shall describe--
       (i) opportunities to increase participation by national and 
     local private and public interests in the planning, 
     development, and administration of the New Jersey Coastal 
     Heritage Trail Route; and
       (ii) organizational options for sustaining the New Jersey 
     Coastal Heritage Trail Route.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 703(b) of the National 
     Heritage Areas Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-338; 120 Stat. 
     1859) is repealed.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McClintock) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Grijalva) 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 material 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.
  The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route was authorized by 
Congress in 1988, and it runs along the entire eastern coast of New 
Jersey.
  The National Park Service, the State of New Jersey, the Pinelands 
Commission, and other local organizations have partnered to promote 
recreation and appreciation of New Jersey's coastal areas along that 
route. The route links wildlife refuges, historic sites, and natural 
areas to tell the story of New Jersey's role in shaping U.S. history 
and in providing important habitat for birds and other wildlife. The 
coalition's efforts to enhance public enjoyment and access bring more 
visitors to these special places from New Jersey and beyond.
  H.R. 6602 will reauthorize the Secretary of the Interior's authority 
to co-manage the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route through 2025 
and to provide technical assistance. This authority expired in 2011.
  Congressman Frank LoBiondo should be commended for his support for 
his constituents and for the Coastal Heritage Trail, and I am pleased 
to move this legislation before his retirement from the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6602 would reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal 
Heritage Trail Route through 2025.
  H.R. 6602 would also instruct the Secretary of the Interior to draft 
a strategic plan to enhance the trail route for the future, providing 
opportunities to sustain this very worthwhile program.
  I congratulate Representative LoBiondo for his hard work on this 
legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, Congressman LoBiondo is going to be 
retiring from this House after many, many years of distinguished 
service at the close of this session, and it has been my distinct honor 
and pleasure to serve with him.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor and pleasure to yield such time 
as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo).
  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California for 
the kind words and for his service to our country, and I say ditto 
about an honor to serve with him and everyone else in this body.
  I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 6602, to reauthorize the New 
Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. This was something that I worked on with 
the late Senator Frank Lautenberg a number of years ago.
  Since its inception in 1988, the Coastal Heritage Trail has been a 
major success throughout my district, as well as the entire State.
  Now, although there are 12 Members of Congress from the State of New 
Jersey, the Second Congressional District, which I have had the honor 
of representing, is about 40 percent of the State geographically, so 
this trail spans nearly 300 miles, covering much of New Jersey's 
coastline. It was designed to provide an educational and enjoyable 
understanding of the natural, maritime, and cultural sites of our 
coast, which, I must admit, are many.
  The Coastal Heritage Trail is divided into five regions linked by the 
common heritage of life on the Jersey shore, as well as the Raritan and 
Delaware Bays.
  Finally, this trail has been a great example of the work that can be 
done through collaboration with public and private partnerships, and I 
think the success of the trail is really because of these 
collaborations and the different, various groups that have come 
together to understand how working together can really make a 
difference.
  Through partnership with the National Park Service, Congress, and 
local organizations, the Coastal Heritage Trail has received support 
and has been beautifully maintained until authorization recently 
lapsed. With this lapse of authorization, the public sector groups and 
the private sector

[[Page H10303]]

groups were not able to maintain the trail, which they had most of the 
resource to take care of this. So it has been a big problem with the 
lapse.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to redesignate this trail so it can be 
enjoyed by countless residents and visitors to New Jersey for many 
years to come. I urge passage of H.R. 6602. I thank my colleagues for 
considering this, and I very much appreciate the opportunity to move 
this bill.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge a 
``yes'' vote for this legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I join Mr. Grijalva in asking for the 
support of this Chamber of this measure.
  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. 6602.
  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, I object to the vote on the ground that 
a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is 
not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, I request the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. That request is not in order at this time.

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