Conference Report On H.R. 2996, Department Of The Interior, Environment, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding, and I rise today in strong support of this Interior appropriations conference report and to congratulate the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for their work on this important funding measure.

In particular, I wish to express my deep appreciation and congratulate my classmate, Interior Subcommittee Chairman Norm Dicks, as well as full committee chairman, Dave Obey, on the completion of this conference report. I thank Ranking Members Lewis and Simpson as well.

I am privileged to serve as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Many of the priorities funded in this legislation have long been priorities of the authorizing committee as well.

We often hear Members of Congress express concern about the future of our national parks, our forests, our refuges and public lands. We often hear Members express support for a strong trust relationship with native people. We often hear Members express deep concern regarding wildlife, climate change, and water quality and quantity.

I would say to my colleagues that today is one of those days where Members who say they care about these things can come to the House floor and prove it by voting for this strong conference report.

Last spring, the House approved legislation that I sponsored, the Federal Land Assistance and Management Enhancement Act, or FLAME Act, to authorize a separate funding stream for emergency wildfire suppression. Over the last decade, wildfires have become increasingly dangerous and destructive, burning more acreage and more property more often. Yet financially, the Federal Government has continued to be ill-prepared to respond to these fires. Time after time, we have seen wildfires rip through communities, while at the same time they burn through the agency's budget.

I moved the FLAME Act through the House because it will give the agencies the money they need to knock down catastrophic fires, while protecting the important funds needed to stop fires from starting in the first place. Thanks to the cooperation and assistance of the Appropriations Committee, the FLAME fund is included in this conference report, and for the first time, we are creating a savings account to cover the cost of fighting fires we know are going to happen.

Instead of a ``rainy day'' fund, it is a fund for fire seasons when we have not had nearly enough rainy days, and I know the communities threatened by these dangerous fires are grateful it is included in this bill.

The conference report also includes funding for increases for our national parks, wildlife refuges, forests and public lands, investments in what Ken Burns has reminded us is one of America's best ideas.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. DICKS. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. RAHALL. I thank the chairman.

The conference report also contains significant funding for the land and water conservation fund, a contract we have made with our grandchildren that, as we deplete our offshore energy reserves, we will invest some of the profits in conservation.

Finally, the conference report honors our enduring commitment to native people with significant funding increases for Indian health services and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The rates of poverty and illness among native people continue at unacceptably high rates, and sufficient funding for these programs is vital.

Of course, as with all compromises, this conference report is not perfect. It includes several individual provisions I do not support. However, this legislation represents a continued commitment to protecting and preserving that which makes our Nation unique.

I urge Members' support and appreciate the work of the chairman.

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