[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12578]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM PROGRAMS

  Mr. RUNYAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1300) to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to 
reauthorize the volunteer programs and community partnerships for the 
benefit of national wildlife refuges, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1300

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

     SECTION 1. REAUTHORIZATION OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM 
                   VOLUNTEER, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, AND EDUCATION 
                   PROGRAMS.

       Section 7(g) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 
     U.S.C. 742f(g)) is amended by striking ``2011 through 2014'' 
     and inserting ``2015 through 2017''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Runyan) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 
Butterfield) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUNYAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUNYAN. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the legislation that I have, 
H.R. 1300, which would reauthorize the volunteer programs and community 
partnerships at National Wildlife Refuges from FY15 to FY17.
  Volunteers are the backbone of our National Wildlife Refuge system. 
In fact, in FY12, volunteers contributed 1,594,246 hours of work at the 
wildlife refuges across the country. The value of this work, estimated 
at $21.79 per hour, has an overall value contribution to FY12 estimated 
to be over $34 million.
  With this annual authorized appropriation of just $2 million, we have 
received a value of return on investment of over 17 times. This kind of 
return on investment sets an example of how to effectively leverage a 
limited government investment.
  The simple fact of the matter is that refuges cannot remain open 
without the contribution of volunteers and community groups. Volunteers 
currently contribute more than 20 percent of all refuge work, an 
equivalent to 766 full-time employees.
  Volunteers have also allowed visitors centers to remain open during 
sequestration. As a result of volunteer work, the Fish and Wildlife 
Service has recently stated, ``There are no immediate plans to close 
volunteer and education centers for sustained periods of time because 
of sequestration.''
  My home district in New Jersey is home to the Edwin B. Forsythe 
National Wildlife Refuge, which benefits from one of the best community 
volunteer programs in the country, The Friends of Forsythe. I have seen 
firsthand the invaluable contribution these volunteers make at 
Forsythe, and know that the refuge cannot continue to operate without 
the contributions of these volunteers.
  I urge passage of H.R. 1300.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to join Mr. Runyan in support of H.R. 1300, a 
bill that will reauthorize volunteer and community partnerships for the 
National Wildlife Refuge System.
  The National Wildlife Refuge System is an incredible asset to our 
country. In addition to protecting habitat that is essential to the 
survival of many bird and mammal and fish species, the system provides 
recreational opportunities that translate into jobs for Americans.
  The 45 million people who visit a wildlife refuge each year to hunt 
and to fish and paddle, or simply watch wildlife, generate $1.7 billion 
in sales for local economies. They support more than 34,000 jobs and 
contribute $185 million in much-needed tax revenue.
  My State of North Carolina has 10 National Wildlife Refuges, and 
there are 516 of them across the country.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1300 would reauthorize valuable volunteer and 
community partnership programs that benefit the refuge system.
  Sequestration has tightened even more the scarce resources we have to 
keep the National Wildlife Refuge System open and operational. The 
system depends on refuge volunteers, and we thank those volunteers, 
56,000 of them, in fact, who contributed more than 2.15 million hours, 
valued at almost $47 million in just 2012 alone. Generations of 
Americans would not be able to enjoy these national treasures if not 
for gracious volunteers.
  Therefore, I commend my colleague, Mr. Runyan of New Jersey, for his 
work on this bill. I thank him for his work on the Natural Resources 
Committee, even thank him for his work on the Veterans' Affairs 
Committee, and for all that he does in introducing H.R. 1300, along 
with Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Sablan.
  I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote 
``yes.''
  Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. RUNYAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and with that, I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Runyan) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1300, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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