[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 23594-23596]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING DYKE MARSH WILDLIFE PRESERVE

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 701) to recognize the Dyke Marsh Wildlife 
Preserve as a unique and precious ecosystem.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 701

       Whereas the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve on the west bank 
     of the Potomac River just south of Alexandria in Fairfax 
     County is one of the largest remaining freshwater tidal 
     marshes in the Greater Washington, DC, area;
       Whereas Congress expressly designated the Dyke Marsh 
     ecosystem for protection in 1959, fifty years ago, under 
     Public Law 86-41 ``so that fish and wildlife development and 
     their preservation as wetland wildlife habitat shall be 
     paramount'';
       Whereas the Honorable John D. Dingell of Michigan, the late 
     Honorable John P. Saylor of Pennsylvania, and the late 
     Honorable Henry S. Reuss of Wisconsin were instrumental in 
     passing this legislation and in preventing proposed 
     development along the Potomac River, thereby protecting the 
     Dyke Marsh ecosystem from further dredging, filling, and 
     other activities incompatible with a preserve;
       Whereas Dyke Marsh is 5,000 to 7,000 years old and is a 
     unique natural treasure in the national capital region, with 
     more than 6,500 species of plants, insects, fish, birds, 
     reptiles and amphibians contained within an approximately 
     485-acre parcel;

[[Page 23595]]

       Whereas the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a significant 
     element in the historic character of the Mount Vernon 
     Memorial Parkway;
       Whereas freshwater tidal marshes are rare, and the Dyke 
     Marsh Wildlife Preserve is one of the few climax, tidal, 
     riverine, narrow-leafed cattail wetlands in the United States 
     National Park Service system;
       Whereas wetlands provide ecological services such as flood 
     control, attenuation of tidal energy, water quality 
     enhancement, wildlife habitat, nursery and spawning grounds, 
     and recreational and aesthetic enjoyment;
       Whereas the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve serves as an 
     outdoor laboratory for scientists, educators, students, 
     naturalists, artists, photographers, and others, attracting 
     people of all ages; and
       Whereas the Friends of Dyke Marsh is a conservation 
     advocacy group created in 1975 and dedicated to the 
     preservation and restoration of this wetland habitat and its 
     natural resources: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve of Fairfax 
     County, Virginia, as a unique and precious ecosystem that 
     serves as an invaluable natural resource both locally and 
     nationally;
       (2) recognizes and expresses appreciation for 
     Representative John Dingell's, Representative John Saylor's, 
     and Representative Henry Reuss's leadership in preserving 
     this precious natural resource;
       (3) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Federal 
     legislation designating the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve as a 
     protected wetland habitat;
       (4) expresses the need to continue to conserve, protect and 
     restore this fragile habitat, in which a diverse array of 
     plants, animals and other natural resources is threatened by 
     past dredging and filling, a gradual depletion in size, urban 
     and suburban development, river traffic, stormwater runoff, 
     poaching, and non-native invasive species; and
       (5) commends the Friends of Dyke Marsh for its longstanding 
     commitment to promoting conservation and environmental 
     awareness and stewardship, so that the Dyke Marsh Wildlife 
     Preserve may be enjoyed by generations for the next 50 years 
     and into the future.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) and the gentlemen from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Guam.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Guam?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of 
the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, one of the largest remaining 
freshwater tidal marshes in the greater Washington, D.C. area. 
Established in 1959 under the leadership of Representatives Dingell, 
Saylor, and Reuss, this preserve provides habitat for more than 6,500 
species of plants and animals along the Potomac River.
  Freshwater tidal marshes are rare ecosystems providing ecological 
services and serving as an outdoor laboratory for scientists, 
educators, students, artists, birdwatchers, and many others to enjoy 
this unique and valuable environment.
  I commend Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia for introducing this 
resolution, and I urge its passage.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 701 that has been offered by my colleague 
from Virginia (Mr. Moran). Fifty years ago, Congress designated Dyke 
Marsh, a section of the Potomac River shore in northern Virginia, as a 
wildlife preserve. It is appropriate that we take time today to 
recognize the 50th anniversary of that act because the marsh provides 
not only a great recreational setting for joggers, bike riders and 
birders, but also a place where people from a largely urban background 
can experience close up this example of the dynamic and resilient 
natural shoreline marshes provide.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the sponsor of this resolution, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Moran).
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. I thank my friend and colleague very much.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution recognizes Dyke Marsh. It has been 
around for 5,000 to 7,000 years. It is a unique freshwater tidal marsh. 
But it also recognizes someone who may not have been around for 5,000 
years, but has been around for 50 years, and that is our very 
distinguished colleague, John Dingell, who introduced the resolution 50 
years ago to preserve Dyke Marsh as a habitat for wildlife and fish and 
the ecosystem in the Washington metropolitan area.
  I want to note that my colleague in the United States Senate, Senator 
Jim Webb, last week introduced a companion piece, Senate Resolution 
297, which also recognizes this significant milestone.
  In 1959, this body passed legislation that designated Fairfax 
County's Dyke Marsh as a protected ecosystem for the purpose of 
promoting fish and wildlife development and preserving their natural 
habitat. Now, at the time, Dyke Marsh was being dredged for commercial 
purposes. They were going deeper and deeper to get gravel. They were 
ruining the ecosystem.
  For those who live in the Washington metropolitan area or may be 
visiting the Washington metropolitan area, if you go down the George 
Washington Parkway toward Mount Vernon, right after the city of 
Alexandria, you will see Dyke Marsh. Belle Haven Marina is there.
  Dyke Marsh is about 500 acres. It's preserved. It's a beautiful area. 
You can see bald eagles; you can see great blue herons. You can see 
snapping turtles; a whole lot of bullfrogs. There aren't a lot of 
places left in the Washington area where you can see this unless you go 
to the zoo.
  But these creatures--the fish, the wildlife, and even the plants, 
some of which are rare, are in their natural habitat because of 
Chairman Dingell's efforts. He got together with John Saylor from 
Pennsylvania--my friend Mr. Shuster knows him, as did Mr. Shuster's 
father--and the late Chairman Henry Reuss of Wisconsin. The three of 
them got together and they got this legislation through that stopped 
the dredging of Dyke Marsh, and it has been preserved to this day. 
Whether we can expand it and even restore it more to its natural 
habitat, I don't know. But I know because of this legislation we're at 
least going to be able to preserve what we have.
  As the gentlelady suggested, it has over 6,500 species of plants and 
animals, some of which are threatened or endangered. It enhances water 
quality, stems shoreline erosion, and creates an aesthetic and 
recreational escape for people of all ages.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the significance of 
Dyke Marsh, in reaffirming our commitment generally to protecting our 
Nation's ecosystems, and in honoring three giants of the Congress--John 
Dingell, John Saylor, and Henry Reuss--whose leadership and commitment 
to environmental stewardship were instrumental in the Dyke Marsh's 
preservation.
  I also want to recognize Ann Toohey, who has done the research and 
staff support on this. I want to express appreciation to my colleague, 
Congressman Gerry Connolly, whose district is just to the south of Dyke 
Marsh, but who was the Chair of the Fairfax County Board when Fairfax 
County made the especially important efforts to preserve Dyke Marsh.
  Again, I urge passage of this bill.
  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise to salute my 
colleagues Congressman John Dingell and Congressman Jim Moran for their 
support of a rare natural and national treasure in Northern Virginia, 
the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.
  In 1959 Congress passed legislation to make this wetland ecosystem a 
National Park unit, which was introduced by Congressmen Dingell, John 
Saylor and Henry Reuss. Congressman Moran has introduced H. Res. 701, 
of which I am a proud cosponsor, to recognize their efforts and the 
50th anniversary of Dyke Marsh.

[[Page 23596]]

  The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, just south of Alexandria on the 
Virginia shoreline of the Potomac River, is a rare, 485-acre 
freshwater, tidal wetland in suburban northern Virginia, just north and 
east of my district. I was proud to represent this Wildlife Preserve 
during my tenure as Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of 
Supervisors. The marsh is 5,000 to 7,000 years old and is one of the 
most significant temperate, tidal, freshwater, riverine marshes in the 
National Park system. It is a remnant of the tidal wetlands that once 
lined the Potomac River.
  Congress designated Dyke Marsh as a nature preserve ``so that fish 
and wildlife development and their preservation as wetland wildlife 
habitat shall be paramount.'' Today it has 360 known species of plants, 
6,000 arthropods, 38 fish, 16 reptiles, 14 amphibians and over 300 
birds.
  ``Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a wonderfully complex ecosystem,'' 
says Georgetown Biology Professor Dr. Edd Barrows. ``It may have as 
many as 18,000 species, from bacteria through bald eagles.'' Depending 
on the time and season, visitors can see bullfrogs, snapping turtles, 
great blue herons, black rat snakes, wood ducks, red-winged blackbirds 
and plants like pickerelweed, spatter-pond lily and wild rice. It is an 
important outdoor classroom for students of all ages and a laboratory 
for many area scientists.
  Like all wetlands, Dyke Marsh provides ecological services including 
flood control, water quality enhancement, habitat, fish nursery, and 
shoreline stabilization.
  I commend Congressman Dingell for his vision, and Congressman Moran  
for his commitment to preserving this ecological gem. I have been and 
will continue to be a proud supporter of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife 
Preserve.
  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 701, 
honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.
  Fifty years ago, commercial dredging and dumping operations 
threatened the very existence of Dyke Marsh. In 1959, Congress 
designated Dyke Marsh as a protected wetland habitat, allowing it today 
to provide a vital habitat for over 6,500 species of animals and 
plants, and serve as one of the national capital area's most cherished 
wetland and wildlife preserves.
  I am proud to have taken part in the designation of Dyke Marsh. The 
best times of my life were hunting and fishing with my dad and, later 
in life, with my children. I want to ensure others are able to enjoy 
the outdoors in that same meaningful way.
  This anniversary reminds me of the great times John Saylor, Henry 
Reuss and I shared while working on environmental and conservation 
legislation together. They were great friends and legislators, and I am 
proud of what we were able to accomplish. John was wise to have once 
said: ``We are a great people because we have been successful in 
developing and using our marvelous natural resources; but, also, we 
Americans are the people we are largely because we have had the 
influence of the wilderness on our lives.''
  I am also reminded of a quote by another great leader, Winston 
Churchill. Churchill, as you know, enjoyed the occasional drink. One 
day he was meeting with a group of women who were offended by his 
consumption of alcohol. They said ``Mr. Churchill, if you lined the 
walls of your office with the alcohol you have consumed, it would be up 
to here.'' Churchill looked up, thought for a moment, looked at the 
ladies and said, ``So much to do, so little time.'' We should be proud 
of the good our work towards conservation has done, but remember we 
have more to do
  The Gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Moran, is to be commended for his 
hard work in protecting Dyke Marsh and for the good work he has done 
from his perch in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the 
Interior. Important conservation programs are better off because of his 
wisdom and diligence.
  I also want to take a moment to recognize the hard work of the 
Friends of Dyke Marsh. This organization, currently under the 
leadership of Glenda Booth, has done a great job of protecting this 
beautiful space and getting the story of Dyke Marsh out. Friends of 
Dyke Marsh is an outstanding advocacy organization and they have much 
of which to be proud.
  I urge all my colleagues to rise and commemorate the 50th Anniversary 
of the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I, again, urge Members to support this 
resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Guam (Ms. Bordallo) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 701.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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