[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3120-3121]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 EXTENDING DEADLINE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT NUMBERED 
                                 12642

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3447) to extend the deadline for commencement of 
construction of a hydroelectric project, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3447

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

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the time period specified 
     in section 13 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806) that 
     would otherwise apply to the Federal Energy Regulatory 
     Commission project numbered 12642, the Commission may, at the 
     request of the licensee for the project, and after reasonable 
     notice, in accordance with the good faith, due diligence, and 
     public interest requirements of that section and the 
     Commission's procedures under that section, extend the time 
     period during which the licensee is required to commence the 
     construction of the project for up to 3 consecutive 2-year 
     periods from the date of the expiration of the extension 
     originally issued by the Commission.
       (b) Reinstatement of Expired License.--If the period 
     required for commencement of construction of the project 
     described in subsection (a) has expired prior to the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall reinstate the 
     license effective as of the date of its expiration and the 
     first extension authorized under subsection (a) shall take 
     effect on the date of such expiration.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Kennedy) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to give a strong thanks to the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for her work on this legislation.
  This, like the other two pieces of legislation that we have just 
passed, refers to a hydroelectric project, in North Carolina in this 
instance.
  Like the facts in the other cases, after granting a license to 
commence construction of this project, FERC issued an order terminating 
the project license as a result of continued delays by the project 
applicant and other agencies.
  This legislation requires FERC to reinstate the license and extend 
the start time for construction of the W. Kerr Scott Dam project for 6 
years.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, this legislation was reported unanimously 
out by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I know of no objections to 
the bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3447, as amended
  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. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

[[Page 3121]]

  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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