[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16761]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               CELEBRATING 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF HOOVER DAM

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the resolution (H. Res. 1636) celebrating the 75th anniversary of 
the Hoover Dam.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1636

       Whereas the Hoover Dam, a concrete arch-gravity storage 
     dam, was built in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River 
     between the States of Nevada and Arizona, forever changing 
     how water is managed across the West;
       Whereas, on September 30, 1935, President Franklin D. 
     Roosevelt dedicated the Hoover Dam;
       Whereas the construction of the dam created Lake Mead, a 
     reservoir that can store two years average flow of the 
     Colorado River providing vitally critical flood control, 
     water supply, and electrical power to help create and support 
     the economic growth and development of the Southwestern 
     United States;
       Whereas the Hoover Dam has prevented an estimated 
     $50,000,000,000 in flood damages in the Lower Colorado River 
     Basin, provides water for more than 18,000,000 people, for 
     1,000,000 acres of farmland in Arizona, California, and 
     Nevada, and for 500,000 acres in Mexico, and produces on 
     average 4,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power 
     each year;
       Whereas the Hoover Dam, an engineering marvel at 726.4 feet 
     from bedrock to crest, was the highest dam in the world at 
     construction;
       Whereas the Hoover Dam is an enduring symbol of the 
     country's ingenuity and persistence of hard working Americans 
     at the time of the Great Depression;
       Whereas the Hoover Dam is the model for major water 
     management projects around the world; and
       Whereas the Hoover Dam is registered as a National Historic 
     Landmark on the United States National Register of Historic 
     Places and is considered one of seven modern engineering 
     wonders by the American Society of Civil Engineers: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) celebrates and acknowledges the thousands of workers 
     and families that overcame difficult working conditions and 
     great challenges to make construction of the facility 
     possible;
       (2) celebrates and acknowledges the economic, cultural, and 
     historic significance of the Hoover Dam and its role in 
     meeting future challenges;
       (3) recognizes the past, present, and future benefits of 
     its construction to the agricultural, industrial, and urban 
     development of the Southwestern United States; and
       (4) joins the States of Arizona, California, Nevada, and 
     the entire Nation in celebrating the 75th anniversary of the 
     dedication of the Hoover Dam.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Napolitano) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Hastings) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. 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 California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1636, a bipartisan resolution, 
commemorates the 75th anniversary of the dedication of Hoover Dam, and 
recognizes the past, the present, and the future benefits of its 
construction to the agricultural, to the industrial, and to the urban 
development of the southwestern United States.
  During its 75-year history, Hoover Dam has played a pivotal role in 
shaping what the Southwest is today, from a region with an inconsistent 
supply of water, to now providing water for more than 18 million 
people, including irrigation water for over 1 million acres of farm 
land in the States of Arizona, California, Nevada and 500,000 acres in 
Mexico. That beautiful natural resource that sparkles adds life and 
economy to our west.
  While this facility was completed three-quarters of a century ago, it 
continues for today and tomorrow to provide water and power certainty 
for millions of people. We currently have legislation pending in the 
Senate, Senate bill 2891, and H.R. 4349, the Hoover Power Allocation 
Act of 2010. This legislation would allocate hydropower generated at 
Hoover Dam, estimated at 4 billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectric 
power each year, for the next 50 years. I would want to reiterate our 
support for the enactment of this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support the passage of this 
bipartisan resolution. Hoover Dam is truly a marvel of engineering, of 
technology and human endeavor. And tomorrow this reenactment of its 75-
year dedication will take place in Las Vegas.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1250

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, generations ago water and power visionaries came up with 
the idea of making the West bloom by harnessing our rivers. The Hoover 
Dam is a legendary example of that vision.
  When completed in 1935, it was the tallest dam and the largest 
hydroelectric generator in the world. It literally helped create cities 
in the arid West and to this day, as my friend from California pointed 
out, still provides numerous benefits: emissions-free hydropower, 
drinking and irrigation water, and recreation and flood control.
  This bipartisan resolution is a fitting honor to the Hoover Dam and 
to those who had the foresight to create one of the world's best-known 
engineering marvels.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, very, very swiftly and quickly, before 
I yield back the balance of my time, I thank my staff and the minority 
staff on this beautiful resolution that is going to commemorate some 
magnificent achievements by the United States to really promote what we 
now know as the Southwest.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1636.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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