[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17835-17836]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2006

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 5539) to reauthorize the North American 
Wetlands Conservation Reauthorization Act, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5539

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``North American Wetlands 
     Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 7(c) of the North American Wetlands Conservation 
     Act (16 U.S.C. 4406(c)) is amended by striking ``fiscal year 
     2007'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2008 through 
     2012''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Jones) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. 
Grijalva) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. 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 North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present H.R. 5539 introduced by the 
distinguished chairman of the House Committee on Resources, Congressman 
Richard Pombo. First enacted in 1989, the North American Wetlands 
Conservation Act has become one of our Nation's most effective 
conservation programs. Since the first wetlands grant was awarded, more 
than 1,500

[[Page 17836]]

conservation projects have been funded involving more than 3,200 
partners. As a direct result, more than 23 million acres of wetlands 
and associated habitat have been protected, restored, or enhanced in 
the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
  Wetlands are among the world's most productive environments. They are 
critical to the survival of not only thousands of wildlife species but 
also to the people who live along our coasts. Without these wetlands, 
the impact of the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico would have been far 
worse in terms of loss of human life and destruction of private 
property.
  Since the inception of this program, the amount of private 
nongovernmental matching money has been remarkable. It now stands in 
excess of $2.1 billion. It is, therefore, not surprising that this 
legislation has been enthusiastically supported by more than 40 major 
conservation organizations.
  For the past 5 years, Congress has appropriated about $40 million 
each year for this program. Under H.R. 5539, existing funding levels 
would be extended for an additional 5 years. The North American 
Wetlands Conservation Act has been remarkably effective in conserving 
wetlands. I want to thank Chairman Pombo for his extraordinary 
leadership on this most important conservation issue.
  I urge an ``aye'' vote on this legislation.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this week will mark the 20th anniversary of the creation 
of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, a joint conservation 
strategy implemented by both the United States and Canada to protect 
and restore wetland habitat stretching across North America.
  Soon after the establishment of this comprehensive strategy in 1986, 
the Congress, led by the Dean of the House, John Dingell, authorized 
the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to establish a matching-
grant program to take the goals of the North American plan off the 
drawing board and into the landscape of the North American continent.
  As many Members know, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act 
has demonstrated time and time again that it is one of our greatest 
wetlands conservation success stories.
  Grants under the act have not only generated hundreds of millions of 
non-Federal matching funds; these contributions have been converted 
into acquisition, conservation, protection and restoration of millions 
of acres of wetlands across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Few 
Federal programs deliver such a bang for the buck.
  Although the current authorization of appropriations does not expire 
until next year, there is no reason why we should not reauthorize this 
highly popular and effective conservation program to ensure its future 
success.
  I commend the sponsors of this legislation, most notably Resources 
Chairman Pombo, ranking Resource Committee Democrat Member Nick Rahall 
and Congressman John Dingell, for their steadfast interest in this act 
and for their leadership in wetlands conservation.
  I urge every Member to support this reauthorization.
  Mr. JEFFERSON. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my support for the 
reauthorization of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. In my 
home State of Louisiana, we certainly understand the vital role that 
our wetlands serve for wildlife. Over five million waterfowl utilize 
the Louisiana wetlands during migration, while there are 79 individual 
endangered species that reside there. Louisiana's wetlands also provide 
our country with substantial economic benefits. Over 30 percent of the 
Nation's seafood is harvested from our wetlands, and the network of 
interconnected waterways provides ample routes for waterborne commerce.
  I would also like to highlight the importance of Louisiana's coastal 
wetlands as our first line of defense against hurricanes. As we lose 25 
square miles of wetlands per year, we lose the buffer that these 
wetlands provide against storm surge. The destructive effects of 
hurricanes were made abundantly clear last year with Hurricanes Katrina 
and Rita. A healthy wetland system, combined with improved levees and 
other flood control projects, will help minimize the damage to south 
Louisiana when future storms arrive. With about two million people--
over half the State's population--living in Louisiana's coastal 
parishes, we cannot afford to underestimate the importance of our 
wetlands. Had I I been present for the vote, I would have voted 
``yea.''
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5539, the 
North American Wetlands Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2006. I 
would also like to thank Chairman Pombo and Ranking Member Rahall for 
all their hard work and for ensuring swift consideration of this 
important legislation.
  As a wildlife enthusiast, conservationist, and member of the 
Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, I am a strong supporter of the 
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). For that reason, I am 
an original cosponsor of H.R. 5539.
  As this body knows, NAWCA is a unique public-private, partnership-
based program that leverage non-federal funds to protect, restore and 
manage wetland habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Since it 
was signed into law in 1989, NAWCA grants have spurred more than 2,000 
partners to work on more than 1,100 projects, restoring nearly 23 
million acres of wetlands in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
  In addition, NAWCA provides an excellent return on a relatively 
modest federal investment. Over the years, the act has provided 
approximately $720 million in grant funds which have been matched by 
approximately $2.1 billion in partner funds.
  Again, I thank the distinguished chairman of the Resources Committee 
for introducing this important legislation and look forward to 
continuing to work with him, Ranking Member Rahall, members of the 
Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus on this extremely successful program.
  Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional 
speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5539, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) 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 
reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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