[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 209 (Thursday, December 10, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7124-H7125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY EXPANSION AND STUDY ACT OF 2020

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7098) to expand the boundary of Saguaro National Park, to 
study additional land for future adjustments to the boundary of the 
park, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7098

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


 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  December 10, 2020, on page H7124, the following appeared: Mr. 
HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7098) to expand the boundary ofSaguaro National Park, 
to study additional land for future adjustments to the boundary of 
the park, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the 
title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2098 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: December 10, 
2020, on page H7124, the following appeared: Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. 
Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7098) 
to expand the boundary ofSaguaro National Park, to study 
additional land for future adjustments to the boundary of the 
park, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title 
of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 7098 Be it 
enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled,


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Saguaro National Park 
     Boundary Expansion and Study Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 2. BOUNDARY OF SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK.

       Section 4 of the Saguaro National Park Establishment Act of 
     1994 (Public Law 103-364; 108 Stat. 3467) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The boundaries of the 
     park''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2)(A) The boundaries of the park are further modified to 
     include approximately 1,232 acres, as generally depicted on 
     the map titled `Saguaro National Park_ Proposed Boundary 
     Adjustment', numbered 151/80,045G, and dated October 2020.
       ``(B) The map referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be on 
     file and available for inspection in the appropriate offices 
     of the National Park Service.'';
       (2) by striking subsection (b)(2) and inserting the 
     following new paragraphs:
       ``(2) The Secretary may, with the consent of the State of 
     Arizona and in accordance with Federal and State law, acquire 
     land or interests therein owned by the State of Arizona 
     within the boundary of the park.
       ``(3) If the Secretary is unable to acquire the State land 
     under paragraph (2), the Secretary may enter into an 
     agreement with the State that would allow the National Park 
     Service to manage State land within the boundary of the 
     park.''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(d) Boundary Study.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a study to 
     identify any lands outside the boundaries of the park that 
     may be appropriate for inclusion in the park.
       ``(2) Criteria.--The study shall be conducted in accordance 
     with National Park Service criteria for boundary adjustment 
     studies.
       ``(3) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date funds 
     are made available for the study under this subsection, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy 
     and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the findings, 
     conclusions, and recommendations of the study.''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to 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, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7098, a bill introduced 
by the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, Raul Grijalva from 
Arizona.
  This bill would modify the boundaries of Saguaro National Park and 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire lands within these 
new boundaries from willing sellers. The bill would also require the 
Secretary to study future potential boundary expansions and land 
acquisitions that would add to the park's natural, cultural, and 
recreational resources.
  Saguaro National Park is a true urban oasis, located in the Tucson 
metropolitan area in Chairman Grijalva's hometown. This park provides 
habitat for iconic species, including its namesake--the saguaro 
cactus--and the desert tortoise, and it provides unparalleled 
recreational resources, such as hiking and mountain biking trails.
  The expansion authorized in this bill would add to those abundant 
resources and provide an important linkage between the park and Pima 
County's Sweetwater Preserve, expanding access to southern Arizona's 
public lands.
  There is broad local support for this expansion, which includes the 
Pima County Administrator, the Tucson Mountain Homeowners Association, 
and each individual owner of the land identified for inclusion in the 
park.
  This bill is not just a win for the residents of southern Arizona; it 
is also a win for our national parks and public lands.
  Expanding the future of conservation and access to public lands is a 
hallmark of Chairman Grijalva's leadership, so I want to thank him for 
that and for his hard work on this bill, and I urge its swift adoption 
by the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7098 would expand the boundary of Saguaro National 
Park, Arizona, by a cumulative total of approximately 1,232 acres.
  For those who haven't visited this park, it is another one of the 
jewels of our National Park System. I have been there, and I would urge 
everyone who has a chance to also visit this beautiful place.
  The bill also authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 
land owned by the State of Arizona within the boundary of the park.
  In addition, the bill also authorizes agreements where the National 
Park Service would manage State-owned land within the boundary of the 
park where acquisition is not possible.
  Finally, the bill also authorizes a study to identify future 
potential park expansions to better protect desert habitats in the 
greater Tucson area.
  Now, while I don't understand why the State of Arizona would want the 
National Park Service to manage any more land within its boundaries, 
this bill does go about expanding a park unit in the right way: through 
an open, deliberative process in Congress. This bill authorizes a 
rather large addition to the park, but we heard no local opposition to 
the expansion.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I yield the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMBORN. 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. Huffman) that the House suspend the

[[Page H7125]]

rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7098, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to expand 
the boundary of Saguaro National Park, to authorize a study of 
additional land for potential inclusion in the park, and for other 
purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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