[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18751-18752]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COMPLEX FISH STOCKING ACT

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 2351) to direct the Secretary of the Interior 
to continue stocking fish in certain lakes in the North Cascades 
National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan 
National Recreation Area.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2351

       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 Cascades National Park 
     Service Complex Fish Stocking Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) North cascades national park service complex.--The term 
     ``North Cascades National Park Service Complex'' means 
     collectively the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake 
     National Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan National Recreation 
     Area.
       (2) Plan.--The term ``plan'' means the document entitled 
     ``North Cascades National Park Service Complex Mountain Lakes 
     Fishery Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement'' 
     and dated June 2008.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.

     SEC. 3. STOCKING OF CERTAIN LAKES IN THE NORTH CASCADES 
                   NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COMPLEX.

       (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary 
     shall authorize the stocking of fish in lakes in the North 
     Cascades National Park Service Complex.
       (b) Conditions.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to allow 
     stocking of fish in not more than 42 of the 91 lakes in the 
     North Cascades National Park Service Complex that have 
     historically been stocked with fish.
       (2) Native nonreproducing fish.--The Secretary shall only 
     stock fish that are--
       (A) native to the slope of the Cascade Range on which the 
     lake to be stocked is located; and
       (B) nonreproducing, as identified in management alternative 
     B of the plan.
       (3) Considerations.--In making fish stocking decisions 
     under this Act, the Secretary shall consider relevant 
     scientific information, including the plan and information 
     gathered under subsection (c).
       (4) Required coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate 
     the stocking of fish under this Act with the State of 
     Washington.
       (c) Research and Monitoring.--The Secretary shall--
       (1) continue a program of research and monitoring of the 
     impacts of fish stocking on the resources of the applicable 
     unit of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex; and
       (2) beginning on the date that is 5 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and every 5 years thereafter, submit to 
     the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 
     Representatives a report that describes the results of the 
     research and monitoring under paragraph (1).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I am the author of H.R. 2351, the North Cascades National Park 
Service Complex Fish Stocking Act.
  This bill has enjoyed broad bipartisan support for some time. It 
passed the House under suspension of the rules in the last Congress and 
was favorably reported from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources 
Committee by voice vote.
  H.R. 2351 is necessary to ensure the National Park Service, in 
coordination with the State of Washington, has the authority to 
continue stocking fish in certain alpine lakes in the North Cascades 
National Park Complex. This complex includes the North Cascades 
National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and the Lake Chelan 
National Recreation Area.
  In 2008, the park service prepared an environmental impact statement 
regarding the management of the fisheries in these mountain lakes. The 
preferred alternative was to allow continued fish stocking in 42 of 
those lakes. The park service also requested explicit authority to 
allow fish stocking to continue within the park complex. And this is 
exactly what H.R. 2351 does.
  Many tourists visit the park for its scenic beauty as well as fishing 
opportunities, making fish stocking an important component of the 
central Washington economy.

[[Page 18752]]

  I urge support of this legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the chairman as well and his work on 
this legislation and the importance of it. And as a general matter, the 
introduction of nonnative species into wilderness designated within a 
national park should be prohibited.
  But in this instance, however, the National Park Service has found 
that fish stocking can continue within the Mather Wilderness without 
harm to other national park resources. Importantly, the legislation 
contains significant protections for those resources.
  We worked closely with Chairman Hastings last Congress to secure 
House passage of this legislation and are pleased to do so again today. 
The chairman is to be commended for his efforts on behalf of the North 
Cascades National Park Complex.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. I, again, urge my colleagues to support 
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2351.
  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. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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