[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 1475-1476]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    PROVIDING THE QUILEUTE INDIAN TRIBE TSUNAMI AND FLOOD PROTECTION

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1162, which is at the 
desk.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1162) to provide the Quileute Indian Tribe 
     Tsunami and Flood Protection, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements 
relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 1162) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, for decades the Quileute Tribe in the 
Pacific Northwest has waited for a chance to move out of the tsunami 
zone they are in and to safety.
  Every day 80 students go to a school in a schoolhouse that is just 1 
foot above sea level, and every day they look directly out the window 
at the roaring waves of the powerful ocean and wonder when they can 
move to safer, higher ground.
  When the tragic tsunami hit Japan last March and when a recent 
earthquake in just the last few weeks hit off Vancouver Island, it sent 
another urgent message, a wake-up call to hurry to get this legislation 
passed through Congress. The Department of the Interior, which endorsed 
this legislation, said the tsunami ``clearly demonstrates the risk for 
the tribe and its citizens, and the need to move housing and 
infrastructure inland.''
  Now, with the 1-year anniversary of this tragedy less than 1 month 
away, we have finally done our job. With the passage of this bill 
tonight, the Quileute Tribe can finally begin to move out of the flood 
zone. I thank Congressman Norm Dicks for his help in making this a 
reality.
  The Quileute Tribe has been struggling with the natural perils of 
this land since their reservation was created in 1889. The river that 
runs through the reservation has been moving constantly over the last 
century, causing more erosion and flooding problems. The one road that 
connects the lower village to the higher ground is often flooded, 
making it even more challenging to deal with this particular area in 
case of a tsunami.
  The Quileute struggle to move out of the flood zone has gone on for 
many years, but tonight, with the passage of this legislation, the 
Quileute Tribe can now move to higher grounds and a safer means to 
provide for their members. This is an important victory to give the 
Quileute Tribe and those on the reservation peace of mind.
  I thank Senator Barrasso and Senator Akaka for helping this 
legislation move out of the Indian Affairs Committee and Senator 
Bingaman and Senator Murkowski for helping it move out of the ENR 
Committee. To the tribal chairs--Bonita Cleveland and now Tony Foster--
thank you for coming to Washington, DC, and explaining how important 
this legislation is. I also thank the National Park Service and the 
National Park Service Director. Thank you for your help in getting this 
legislation passed. I also thank Senator Murray for her cosponsorship 
of this important legislation.
  It is important in times such as these that Congress does act, that 
we break gridlock and move forward. For the Quileute Tribe--a tribe 
that gained much national notoriety in a recent movie series--what is 
really important is not that notoriety but the fact that today people 
have come together to help them move to safer grounds.

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