[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 23411]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 23411]]

                          MIAMI RIVER CLEANUP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gutknecht). Under a previous order of 
the House, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, for the first time, we have been able 
to obtain Federal assistance for a long sought dream, the cleanup of 
the Miami River.

                              {time}  1930

  This was included in the Fiscal Year 2000 Energy Water Appropriations 
bill which Congress has just passed. This is a major victory in 
preserving a key part of our environment, as well as allowing the Miami 
River to become a major contributor to international trade and economic 
growth. This is the beginning of a 4-year phase dredging project 
proposed by the Miami River Commission with the assistance of the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers.

  It provides a $5 million initial appropriations to begin maintenance 
dredging of the river, which eventually will cost $64 million from 
Federal, State and local sources.

  This cleanup will eliminate a significant pollution threat to 
Biscayne Bay, which used to be one of the Nation's most pristine 
environments. It will also ensure the continued growth of the Miami 
River as one of our Nation's critical shipping links to the Caribbean 
and to South America.

  Thanks to the tremendous bipartisan teamwork of the South Florida 
Congressional Delegation and a broad-based coalition of community 
leaders, decision interests, and officials at the Federal, State and 
local levels, we have been able to achieve this goal, which is vitally 
important for both the future of our growing trade with our neighbors 
to the south and the Caribbean, as well as preserving a waterway which 
is a key part of our ecosystem.

  We thank on behalf of the South Florida Congressional Delegation all 
of our colleagues this week for passing the bill in the House, for 
passing the bill in the Senate. It is on the President's desk, and we 
hope that he signs it soon to make this dream a reality for all of 
South Florida.

                          ____________________