[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8201-8202]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         ELIZABETH HARTWELL MASON NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass

[[Page 8202]]

the bill (H.R. 3682) to redesignate the Mason Neck National Wildlife 
Refuge in Virginia as the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National 
Wildlife Refuge.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3682

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

     SECTION 1. ELIZABETH HARTWELL MASON NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE 
                   REFUGE.

       (a) Redesignation.--The Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge 
     in Virginia, is hereby redesignated and shall be known as the 
     ``Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge''.
       (b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation, 
     document, paper, or other record of the United States to the 
     National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia referred to in 
     subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
     ``Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge''.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may be given 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. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, H.R. 3682 was introduced by two of our distinguished 
Virginia colleagues, Tom Davis and Frank Wolf. This measure would 
rename the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge after Mrs. Elizabeth 
Hartwell. While I never had the opportunity to meet this remarkable 
woman, there seems to be no debate that she dedicated her life to 
conservation.
  After nearly 20 years of tireless work to stop the destruction of the 
Mason Neck Peninsula, Mrs. Hartwell and her supporters were successful 
in their efforts to create the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge.
  This refuge, which was the first established to protect the American 
bald eagle, has grown to 2,277 acres of land. In addition to one of the 
largest concentrations of bald eagles in the lower 48 States, Mason 
Neck is home to the largest great blue heron rookery in the mid-
Atlantic region and more than 200 species of birds, 41 species of 
reptiles and amphibians, and 31 species of mammals.
  I am sure the authors of this legislation will attest that this 
refuge would not exist had it not been for Mrs. Elizabeth Hartwell. 
Despite powerful and well-financed opponents, she was successful 
because she lived her life committed to the philosophy of one of our 
Nation's greatest conservationists, Theodore Roosevelt, who reminds us 
that ``it is not what we have that makes us a great Nation; it is the 
way in which we use it.''
  This legislation proposes a fitting tribute to someone who was 
affectionately called the ``Eagle Lady.''
  I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 3682.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve balance of my time.
  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, we have no objection to this legislation that would 
rename the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge to honor the late 
Elizabeth Hartwell, a local conservationist who dedicated much of her 
life to protecting this refuge located along the Potomac River.
  I encourage my colleagues to support the name change.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis).
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I am honored today to speak 
today in support of H.R. 3682, a bill to rename the Mason Neck National 
Wildlife Refuge after Elizabeth Hartwell.
  For almost 20 years, Mrs. Hartwell spearheaded efforts to protect the 
Mason Neck area. Her efforts led to the establishment of the 2,300-acre 
Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge, the 1,800-acre Mason Neck State 
Park, and the 1,000-acre Pohick Bay Regional Park.
  Mrs. Hartwell began her environmental crusade in February 1965 when 
she learned about a rezoning application in Fairfax County for the 
development of a satellite city of 20,000 people on the most 
ecologically sensitive area of Mason Neck. She decided to lead an 
effort to stop this development and to preserve Mason Neck habitat for 
the endangered American bald eagle.
  During the ensuing weeks and months, she organized a watchdog group 
called the Conservation Committee For Mason Neck. She made films of the 
wildlife that thrived there to show other civic organizations around 
the region. Mrs. Hartwell even gave tours by boat along Mason Neck's 
waterways and enlisted the support of several environmental 
organizations at the local, regional, State, and Federal levels.
  The Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1969 for 
the protection of nesting, feeding, and roosting habitat for bald 
eagles. It was the first Federal refuge established specifically for 
the then-endangered bald eagle. Today, there are multiple nests on the 
refuge and on neighboring public and private lands.
  I am pleased to support the effort of several Mason Neck area 
homeowners associations to rename the Mason Neck National Wildlife 
Refuge in honor of Mrs. Hartwell, who passed away on December 14, 2000. 
She dedicated her life to nature and to helping the environment, and it 
would be a fitting tribute to rename the Mason Neck Refuge after the 
woman who fought so valiantly for its creation.
  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I too 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 California (Mr. Radanovich) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3682.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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