[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 186 (Wednesday, November 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H9075-H9076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRESSMAN LESTER WOLFF OYSTER BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 263) to rename the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge as
the Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 263
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge was created in
1968. It is located on the north shore of Long Island in
eastern Nassau County, is the largest refuge in the Long
Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and receives the
most public use of all the refuges in the Complex.
(2) The State of New York designated Oyster Bay a
significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat. It is
especially important for wintering waterfowl such as black
duck, greater scaup, bufflehead, canvasback and long-tailed
ducks. Management activities include wetland restoration and
protection of the natural shoreline and vegetation.
[[Page H9076]]
(3) The refuge is unique in consisting solely of bay bottom
and adjacent shoreline up to the mean high-tide mark. Ninety
percent of New York's commercial oyster harvest comes from
the refuge. Visitors enjoy fishing, wildlife observation,
photography and environmental education. The refuge is truly
a national treasure.
(4) Many visitors are unaware that were it not for the
tireless work and advocacy of then-freshman Congressman
Lester Wolff, this area would today be an 8.5-mile causeway
and bridge across Long Island Sound between Oyster Bay and
Rye, New York, connecting Nassau and Westchester Counties.
(5) The bridge was first proposed by Robert Moses, the
well-known New York City Planner, to divert traffic from New
York City. Former Governor Nelson Rockefeller signed into law
legislation creating the bridge authorized by the New York
State Legislature in 1967.
(6) Congressman Wolff, elected in 1964, quickly decided the
bridge would be an intrusion in a pristine area, and that
Long Island Sound was a very precious resource that was
despoiled. The conservation threats in the mid-1960s were
suburban development, wetland filling, and industrial
pollution. The fight to preserve this land became an enormous
political fight and is considered to be a turning point in
New York State's environmental legacy.
(7) With State and local political and community leaders,
and especially the North Shore leaders and the Committee to
Save the Long Island Sound, Congressman Wolff arranged a
meeting with Department of the Interior representatives and
local leaders where the idea of creating a wildlife refuge
from municipal and privately owned wetlands was created.
(8) The Town of Oyster Bay, in which one end of the bridge
was to be located, deeded 5,000 acres of wetlands to the
United States to be maintained as a Federal wildlife
preserve. It was stipulated that if the Department of the
Interior agreed to an intrusion of the property, it would
revert to the town. Creating a Federal wildlife preserve
provided the land with Federal protection.
(9) Because of the vision, dedication, and perseverance of
Congressman Lester Wolff, all of us and future generations
can enjoy the beauty and magnificence of this refuge.
SEC. 2. RENAMING THE OYSTER BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AS
THE CONGRESSMAN LESTER WOLFF OYSTER BAY
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
(a) Renaming.--The unit of the National Wildlife Refuge
System known as the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge and
located near Oyster Bay, New York, shall be known as the
``Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National Wildlife
Refuge''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System known as the
Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge is deemed to be a
reference to the ``Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay
National Wildlife Refuge''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Huffman) and the gentleman from California (Mr.
McClintock) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman).
General Leave
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this bill would rename the Oyster Bay National Wildlife
Refuge in New York as the Congressman Lester Wolff Oyster Bay National
Wildlife Refuge.
A long-time Congressman from Long Island, Congressman Wolff was
instrumental in creating this refuge and protecting it from unnecessary
development. Thanks to his hard work and vision, the Oyster Bay refuge
is an important stopover for wintering waterfowl, and it is also a
popular destination for outdoor recreation enthusiasts.
At 100 years old, Congressman Wolff is the oldest living Member of
Congress. This bill is a fitting tribute to him for his years of
conservation leadership, and I urge its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, as my friend said, this bill renames the Oyster Bay
National Wildlife Refuge in honor of Congressman Lester Wolff, former
Long Island-North Shore Congressman.
It is certainly appropriate to recognize and honor Congressman
Wolff's distinguished eight-term career representing the people of New
York by adding his name to the wildlife refuge that he fought so hard
to create.
This refuge has become a popular destination for many Americans to
enjoy the wildlife and beauty of our outdoor spaces, and, at 100 years
of age, Congressman Wolff has the distinction of being the oldest
living former Member of Congress.
Mr. Speaker, it is most fitting we honor a man so dedicated and who
has put so much of his life into fighting to protect and conserve this
place and fighting for his constituency. I urge adoption of the
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Suozzi), who is the sponsor of this bill.
Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Huffman for allowing me this
time.
I rise today in support of this bill that I have sponsored, a
bipartisan bill, H.R. 263, which, as has been mentioned, would rename
the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge as the Congressman Lester Wolff
Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Grijalva. I want to thank,
again, Congressman Huffman and my colleagues on the Natural Resources
Committee for their work on this bill, as well as the members of the
New York delegation, all of whom are cosponsors of and support this
legislation.
Congressman Lester Wolff, who represented my district for 16 years,
is our Nation's oldest living former Congressman, and, in January, he
will turn 101 years old.
The renaming of the Oyster Bay National Wildlife Refuge in his honor
is in recognition of his monumental contributions to the preservation
and protection of our environment.
These precious wetlands, at Congressman Lester Wolff's urging, were
protected in 1968. It was in 1967 that the New York State Legislature,
at the insistence of then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller and the master
planner, Robert Moses, authorized a bridge across the Long Island
Sound.
Lester immediately saw the bridge would despoil this pristine and
precious resource of the Long Island Sound and soon found himself at
the center of an enormous political fight. Lester eventually won this
fight, and the Oyster Bay Wildlife Refuge was born. Today, it covers
over 3,200 acres of one of the most important areas for natural refuge
anywhere on the north shore of Long Island and is home to many
endangered species.
Not only was Lester a champion for our environment, he also served
our Nation honorably in our military. Lester served in the Civil Air
Patrol during World War II and commanded the Congressional Squadron of
the Civil Air Patrol, rising to the rank of colonel.
In 2014, Wolff received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest
civilian award.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to also support this legislation so
we may honor this great Congressman whose efforts were an important
part of our Nation's environmental history.
{time} 1400
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask for adoption of the measure, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I will close by commending Representative
Suozzi for his bipartisan initiative to honor the legacy of Congressman
Lester Wolff. I urge a ``yes'' vote on 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 California (Mr. Huffman) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 263.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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