The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 2489 on Monday, October 26, 2009, under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. H.R. 2489 was introduced on May 15, 2009, by Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD) and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, which held a mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by unanimous consent, on September 30, 2009.

H.R. 2489 would authorize $100 million over the FY 2010 through 2019 for the Department of Interior to establish a new national land remote sensing outreach program within the U.S. Geological Survey.  According to the legislation, the program's mission would be to "advance the availability, timely distribution, and widespread use of geospatial imagery for education, research, assessment, and monitoring purposes in each State and the lands of an Indian tribe."

 

H.R. 2489 would require the Secretary of Interior to:

•  Support geospatial imagery sharing, and educational programs of each participating State and Indian tribe.

•  Identify new geospatial imagery needs and infrastructure.

•  Share and cooperate in the development of geospatial imagery applications in each participating State and Indian tribe.

•  Cooperate with participating States and Indian tribes to encourage the expansion of geospatial imagery mapping courses at educational institutions.

•  Encourage expansion of the knowledge and use of geospatial imagery products in the workforce. 

•  Encourage participating States and Indian tribes to build partnerships with local governments to identify unique research and development needs and geospatial imagery application pilot programs.

•  Promote cooperation and sharing of expertise regarding geospatial imagery applications among participating States and Indian tribes.

•  Provide a mechanism to enable the States and Indian tribes to transfer geospatial imagery and applications to the U.S. Geological Survey.

 

The bill authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to educational institutions, or to State, local, and tribal governments to carry out these requirements.  The legislation would require grant recipients to provide matching funds and prohibits the federal share of any program from exceeding 75 percent.   However, the Secretary would be authorized to waive the matching funds requirement if "the Secretary determines that the grantee has made a good faith effort to obtain the non-Federal contribution at the local level but is unable to do so."  The program would sunset 10 years after enactment. 

BACKGROUND

According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), "Geospatial information is data referenced to a place--a set of geographic coordinates-which can often be gathered, manipulated, and displayed in real time." Google Earth and dashboard navigation systems are examples of two commercially popular uses of geospatial technology. Since 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has participated in a program known as AmericaView. The program "focuses on satellite remote sensing data and technologies in support of applied research, K-16 education, workforce development, and technology transfer." The program is a partnership of the USGS and participating colleges and universities. According to Committee Report 111-309, AmericaView has programs operating in 36 States. While AmericaView has never been formally authorized, the project received roughly $3 million annually from FY 1998 through 2006, and approximately $1 million annually from FY 2007 through 2009. H.R. 2489 would formally authorize the program and raise the authorized appropriations limit to $10 million a year.

COST

H.R. 2489 would authorize $10 million annually from FY 2010 through FY 2019. According to CBO, H.R. 2489 would "cost about $46 million over the 2010-2014 period."

The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 1471 on Monday, October 26, 2009, under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. H.R. 1471 was introduced on March 12, 2009, by Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, which held a mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by unanimous consent, on September 30, 2009.

H.R. 1471 would expand the boundary of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in Plains, Georgia, by approximately 30 acres. The bill would allow the Secretary of Interior to accept land by purchase or donation. The bill would also change the name of the site to the Jimmy Carter National Historic Park.

BACKGROUND

The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site was established in 1987 as a means to preserve the boyhood home of President Jimmy Carter. According to House Report 111-307, the site encompasses the Plains railroad depot that served as the headquarters of the 1976 Carter presidential campaign and Plains High School serves as the park's visitor center. The legislation would authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to obtain a number of other properties in the area to add to the park, including the Billy Carter Service Station Museum, the Georgia Welcome Center, and a former home of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. According to CBO, the NPS would likely spend about $17 million acquiring new land and maintaining the property, including $10 million for rehabilitating buildings, about $1 million to purchase new land, and $2 million each year to maintain the property. CBO also says that H.R. 1471 does not include private-sector mandates because NPS indicates that it expects to acquire properties through purchase or donation.

COST

According to CBO, H.R. 1471 would "cost about $17 million over the next five years."

The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 2806 on Monday, October 26, 2009, under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. H.R. 2806 was introduced on June 10, 2009, by Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, which held a mark-up and reported the bill by voice vote on September 10, 2009.

H.R. 2806 would authorize the Secretary of Interior to redraw the boundaries of the Stephen Mather Wilderness in Washington to exclude a 100-foot corridor from inclusion in the wilderness. The area would be excluded so that a road damaged by flooding could be rebuilt above the flood plain without violating restrictions on land use under the wilderness designation.

BACKGROUND

The Stephen Mather Wilderness was designated in 1988 as part of the Washington Park Wilderness Act and makes for approximately 90 percent of the North Cascades National Park in Washington. According to House Report 111-293, major flooding damaged or washed out some portion of the Stehekin Valley Road in 1995, 2003, and 2006. If H.R. 2806 were enacted, an environmental impact study of the boundary change and the possible construction of the new road would be conducted. If the project was approved following the study, the National Park Service would be required to build a new road segment and repair damaged areas of the road.

COST

According to CBO, H.R. 2806 would "cost $2.5 million over the next five years." Of that amount, $500,000 would be spent to conduct an environmental study and $2 million would be spent on road construction.

The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 1641 on Monday, October 26, 2009, under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority vote for passage. H.R. 1641 was introduced on March 19, 2009, by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, which held a mark-up and reported the bill, as amended, by voice vote on July 29, 2009.

H.R. 1641 would require the National Park Service to study the feasibility of adding approximately 2,300 miles of shoreline in the State of Washington as a designated segment of the National Trails System. The Secretary would be required to consider what activities may be limited by the designation, including existing activities, hunting, boating, or proposed infrastructure improvements-all of which could be limited by the potential designation.

BACKGROUND

The National Trail System is a federally managed network of scenic, historic, and recreation trails that was created by the National Trails System Act of 1968. The system is managed by the NPS. The NPS is facing a huge maintenance deficit and collapsing national park infrastructure. According to CRS, the NPS backlog for maintenance on existing buildings, trails, and other infrastructure was more than $9 billion in FY 2006. The backlog is a result of the NPS failing to do scheduled maintenance and upkeep that was not funded or carried out according to plan. As a result of the backlog, NPS infrastructure is deteriorating. For instance, the estimated maintenance backlog more than doubled, from $4.25 billion in 1999, in just seven years. CRS notes that some estimates put the existing backlog as high as $12.42 billion. Some Members may be concerned that the bill could expand the responsibilities of NPS without addressing the current management structure which has resulted in such a large, unfunded maintenance backlog.

During consideration of the bill, Representative Paul Broun (R-GA) offered an amendment to require the written consent of private property owners for inclusion in the study. The amendment was not adopted.

 

COST

According to CBO, H.R. 1641 would "cost $400,000 over the next three years."

H.Res. 854 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Monday, October 26, 2009, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT)) October 22, 2009.

H.Res. 854 would resolve that the House of Representatives:
• "Congratulates Weber State University on the 120th anniversary of its founding as an institution of higher education; and
• "Recognizes the contributions of Weber State University to its students and community."

BACKGROUND

According to the resolution findings, Weber State University (WSU) was founded in 1889 as Weber State Academy. WSU is a public university that offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, as well as professional, liberal arts, and technical certificates.

H.Res. 368 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Monday, October 26, 2009, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. David Loebsack (D-IA) April 27, 2009.

 

H.Res. 368 would resolve that the House of Representatives:
• "Commends the University of Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling team for winning the 2009 NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championship; and
• "Congratulates the team on winning its 22nd national title since 1975 and finishing the season with a perfect 24-0 overall record and a perfect 8-0 conference record ending the season on a 38-match winning streak."

H.Res. 562 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Monday, October 26, 2009, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Daniel B. Maffei (D-NY) June 18, 2009.

H.Res. 562 would resolve that the House of Representatives "congratulates Syracuse University for winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament."

BACKGROUND

According to the resolution findings, on May 25, 2009, the Syracuse University Orange defeated the Cornell Big Red 10-9 in overtime, in the finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

 

H.Res. 824 is expected to be considered under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL) on October 13, 2009.

H.Res. 824 resolves that the House of Representatives:

•  "Congratulates Northwestern University and its athletes, coaches, faculty, students, administration, and alumni on the winning of the 2009 NCAA women's lacrosse championship;

•  "Recognizes and commends Northwestern University for its pursuit of athletic as well as academic excellence; and

•  "Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make available enrolled copies of this resolution to Northwestern University President Henry S. Bienen, Athletic Director James Phillips, and Head Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller for appropriate display."

 

BACKGROUND

The Northwestern University women's lacrosse team won the 2009 NCAA women's lacrosse championship on May 24, 2009, defeating North Carolina 21-7. Northwestern finished the season with a 23-0 record to win their fifth straight national championship.

H.Res. 817 is expected to be considered under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Al Green (D-TX) on October 8, 2009.

H.Res. 817 resolves that the House of Representatives:

•  "Supports the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month; and

•  "Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should continue to raise awareness of domestic violence in the United States and its devastating effects on families and communities, and support programs designed to end domestic violence."

 

BACKGROUND

According to the resolution's findings, one in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in their life. Children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, and engage in teenage prostitution. A 2008 National Census Survey reported that 60,799 adults and children were served by domestic violence shelters and programs around in the U.S. in a single day.