produced for our constituents, the environment and businesses throughout the vast region. it is critical we authorize the glri who people -- for people who live in -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. joyce: thank you, again, mr. speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from new york, ms. kaptur, who was the co-sponsor of the bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for two minutes. ms. kaptur: i thank the ranking member, mr. bishop, for yielding and thank the chairman, mr. gibbs, and obviously my colleague, mr. joyce, who just spoke. i rise in support, strong support of h.r. 5764. since the creation of the great lakes restoration initiative, our nation has made great strides in reviving and protecting our nation's greatest fresh water tresh, our great lakes. still, despite progress, this

past summer presented a stark reminder of the unfinished challenge. as the toxic algal blooms shut off the fresh drinking water to half a million people and businesses in ohio and michigan for three days across lake erie's western basin, the largest watershed in the entire great lakes. the public, though shocked, was orderly and magnificent. we didn't have riots or civil disorder. during that three-day crisis, astoundingly we learned communities along the lake were not equipped locally to test the water so vital to their own survival. two precious days were wasted, sending and rescinding vials and samples five hours away to e.p.a. labs and then back and then back again. this simply is unacceptable. proper testing, equipment on lake erie is fundamental, fundamental to a response time commensurate with the challenge that remains before us.

the lake erie community needs its own water testing equipment and certified lab. already local universities and health departments have been assembling key components of necessary equipment for a certified lab. it is incumbent upon the glri to help us find a way to provide the remaining 147,000 ollars, not million, $147,000. we have to deliver. to date, the lack of response from our federal agencies is astounding. lake erie's water quality is an emergency due to the toxic algal blooms. when we see federal agencies diverting hundreds of millions of dollars abroad to dams in afghanistan to deliver fresh water, yet somehow our own e.p.a. can't identify funds to protect the american people -- may i ask for an additional 30 seconds? mr. bishop: i yield the gentlelady 1 1/2 minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for 1 1/2 minutes. ms. kaptur: yet, the e.p.a.

can't adentify the funds for those who live beyond lake erie and lake michigan and draw their life sources from it, i stand aghast. when our water crisis occurred, the u.s. e.p.a. didn't even show up or have personnel on the ground. i asked, where's homeland security funding to help during the crisis and after? no show. as far as i'm concerned, they're asleep at the wheel. wake up. as we prepare for a new spring thaw and increasing rains that will come, feeding the algal blooms, the glri presents the hope that i still have that a solution can be found to counter the agency dithering that our region has experienced throughout this harrowing environmental crisis. surely america can do better, and i really thank the chairman, mr. gibbs from the

state of ohio, my dear colleague, mr. joyce from the state of ohio. they live at the other end of the lake but they get the problem. god bless you, and i thank the ranking member, mr. bishop from the east coast, who understands how important fresh water is to sustain life in this country. it shouldn't be this hard. thank you so very much for this bill. i rise in strong support and i yield my remaining time back to the gentleman. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. kelly. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for three minutes. mr. kelly: thank you, mr. speaker. i'd like to thank the gentleman from ohio, but i'd also like to thank a lady and a member who i call our lady of the lakes, ms. kaptur, thank you so much for speaking out like you do about the great lakes. mr. bishop, a great colleague and friend. we all understand what makes the great lakes great. that's the whole important we're talking about. this is a gift from god. now, you heard mr. joyce talk

about some of the statistics, but when you think about it, if you close your eyes for one minute and visualize in your mind's eye the continental united states, the land mass, the volume of fresh water contained in our great lakes would cover that land mass by 9 1/2 to 10 feet. it is an incredible amount of water, but more importantly, it is an incredible gift from god. we have to protect this area. why would we not? the statistics that we talk about are overwhelming, and we thank a lot of people being involved in this. you know who i want to thank more than anybody else? the american taxpayers. by our constitution, we are granted the authority to tax them, but we are also given the responsibility to spend their money the right way. why would we have a situation where we can't imagine that we would fund the great lakes restoration initiative? it just doesn't make sense. 1/5 of the world's fresh water, not 1/5 of pennsylvania's, not

1/5 of north america but 1/5 of the world's fresh water resides in our great lakes. and i would suggest people that talk about energy, you can go a lot longer without oil than you can without drinking water. we have an opportunity to do something that just makes sense to each and every one of us. we can get this done. if i may just for a minute to paraphrase, luke 12:48, to whom much is given, much is required. mr. speaker, i would suggest that this is not an option. this is a moral obligation on behalf of the people of this great country to look at one of the assets that we have, a gift from god, and make sure we preserve it for generations to come. i thank both gentlemens from ohio, the lady from ohio and especially want to do a shoutout to a young man who works on the midwest coalition, a guy by the name of sam breen, who lives and breaths the

lake's initiatives. i want to thank him for his hard work and those involved of getting this taken care of. thank you and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from new york. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield three minutes to the gentleman from minnesota, mr. nolan, who's a member of the committee on transportation and infrastructure, and a co-sponsor of the bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota is recognized for three minutes. mr. nolan: i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. r. nolan: mr. speaker, members of the house, my district includes duluth, minnesota, the head waters of the great lakes and, of course, the magnificent north shore. i encourage you all and come visit the first chance you get. i, too, rise in strong support of this important bipartisan great lakes restoration initiative, and i, too, would be remiss if i didn't compliment our chairman, mr. gibbs, and our ranking member, mr. bishop, for bringing this

legislation forward and, of course, our chief sponsor of the legislation, david joyce, our good republican friend and thank you for your leadership and convincing the office of the president and our budget operatives around here that in this particular case we need a little bit more than what they wanted or recommended. i would also remind my colleagues that this is not just about a preservation. this is about taking responsibility for some of the neglect out of the past as i -- i can tell you back in duluth there was a time when we had to hall drinking water in -- haul drinking water for the citizens of duluth because we couldn't -- the water out of the great lakes superior wasn't drinkable. and i remember a time when the great lakes were so polluted they were catching on fire in some places because of neglect. so in many respects, we're stepping up and we're assuming

responsibility for neglect in the past. and i don't mind telling you how important it has been to us up in lake superior area, and we've had over 100 projects funded over the years, accomplishing so many things. combating invasive species and mitigating pollution of the past, identifying toxins that represent a threat to the basin and our public health and our public safety, protecting wild -- protecting wild rice. i'm an old wild rice picker. you can't have enough of wild rice. and protecting wildlife in general. what a difference these projects have been -- have made. and last but least, i would be remiss if i didn't thank our appropriations committee members, marcy kaptur and betty mccollum, in particular, for your stepping up and your leadership in this. but there is still so much more

to be done, and that's why i stand here today and strongly urge my colleagues to give their full support to this important legislation. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentlelady from michigan, mrs. miller. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from michigan is recognized for three minutes. mrs. miller: mr. speaker, certainly protecting and preserving the great lakes has always been a principal advocacy of mine through my entire tenure in office and before public office. i grew up on the great lakes. my family was in the marina business. so the lakes were more than a source of recreation for us. they put food on the table for my family. like many in the region, they are part of our part of identity. we heard the passion we all have for these magnificent, magnificent great lakes. as has been said, they generate billions of dollars each and every year through fishing, through the shipping industry, recreational activities as well. they're 20% of the fresh water drinking supply on the entire

planet, quite frankly. unfortunately, mr. speaker, we have not been the best stewards of these magnificent lakes, and we do owe it to future generations to help assure that they are protected, that preserved. and one great way to do this for the great lakes is to -- for this continued funding and support of the great lakes restoration initiative that we are debating here on the floor today. over the years, mr. speaker, i have seen firsthand the impact of the glri is having on our lakes, from drudging to beach and shoreline restoration, to fighting against invasive species, these projects are critical to protecting and restoring the great lakes' ecosystem. actually in october i was in a place called harson island in my district that i sought an ffort under way to control fragmitings, which has been choking wetland throughout the basin. but funds is eradicating them and letting mother nature breathe again.

the glri has funded the restoration of national habitat, improve stormwater drainage and improving water quality but there is so much more to do. for example, the clinton river, which flows through a major metropolitan area in northeast michigan is in need of similar restoration proscombrects. and we also need to look at -- projects. and we also need to look at better ways to reduce toxins in our waterways. monitoring systems, some of which we have in my area, as it comes through lake huron, into lake st. clair, down the detroit river, but it is not happening in lake erie and it has to be part of the notification protocol there as well. but we also are having some of those green blue algal blooms in our area. as mentioned this is a gift from god and god gave us these magnificent lakes that provided us with so much, but we do need to be better stewards of them. and quite frankly, we have a lot of making up to do to mother nature. so mr. speaker, we can start that certainly today by strongly supporting h.r. 5764,

the great lakes rest lakes initiative act. i certainly rise in strong support of this bill from the gentleman from ohio, mr. joyce, and i urge all of my colleagues to support it as well. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from new york. . mr. bishop: i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: i reserve the balance of my time. mr. bishop: may i inquire if the gentleman has further speakers? mr. gibbs: we are he' done. mr. bishop: we are as well. i urge passage of this legislation. i think it's good solid bipartisan legislation. and it's very much necessary and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: i conclude and yield myself the balance of the time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gibbs: mr. speaker, i would like to take a moment to recognize today we lose some institutional knowledge at the transportation committee, specifically the water

resources environment subcommittee. today is the last hurrah on the floor as we lose our long time staff director, john anderson, to the outside world. john is originally from charlotte, north carolina. he joined the memphis district of u.s. army corps of engineers as a biologist. he moved on to the savannah district and finally to the army corps of engineers ed quartered in washington, d.c. he joined the committee in 1999 on detail from the corps and he never left. in 2005, he he was promoted to staff director of the subcommittee on water resources and the environment. john's more than 40 years of service to the nation, he has in some fashion either at the core level or here in congress been part of every single wrrda law since 1990. he's widely respected in the world of transportation policy' renowned expert in the nation's watter resourcespolicy. we -- water resources policy. we wish him and his wife the best. they are the proud parents of three boys.

they are also the proud grapped parents of three anderson grandchildren. it's been a privilege to work with john the last four years as chairman of the subcommittee. i wish him well. i thank him. and good luck. also urge support of the -- mr. bishop: i ask you yield time. mr. gibbs: i yield to my good friend. mr. beneficiaryon: i, too, want to add -- mr. bishop: i, too, want to add a word of thanks and congratulations to john anderson for his service in the congress over a great many years. i came to see firsthand his skill and his dedication when we were working so cooperatively together on passing the water resources development act of 2013. his involvement was essential. and that bill stands as one of the few substantive pieces of bipartisan legislation that this congress has passed. and we were able to get it done in part because of john's efforts. john, i thank you and wish you a well earned retirement.

mr. chairman, i yield back. mr. gibbs: i would be remiss to not say a few words to my good friend mr. bishop from long island, new york. it's a privilege to serve as ranking member on the subcommittee for four years. i wish you well in the endeavors of the future. mr. bishop: thank you very much. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 5764. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.

for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio seek recognition? mr. gibbs: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill s. 2759. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 2759, an act to release the city of st. claire, missouri, from all restrictions, conditions, and limitations on the use, encumbrance, conveyance, and closure of the st. claire regional airport. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from ohio, mr. gibbs, and the gentleman from new york, mr. bishop, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and tend their remarks and include extraneous material on s. 2759. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from ohio is recognized. mr. gibbs: i yield myself such time as i may consume. mr. speaker, s. 2759 releases the city of st. clair,

missouri, from all restrictions, limitations on the use, encouple brens, and closure of the st. clair regional airport. it will require the city to pay fair market value, repay the unamortized value of federal grants to the missouri department of transportation and transfer any remaining revenue to the missouri department of transportation. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. bishop: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. i wish my republican colleagues were not rushing to consider this bill without more deliberation. the other body just passed this bill last week. we have had no hearings on the bill, no committee meetings, no markups. i understand that several general aviation groups have expressed concerns about the bill and i would have liked the opportunity to hear from them and study their specific reservations. each of the nation's federally assisted airports is part of a

system, a national system, that is greater than the sum of its parts. the federal government invests 3.35 billion a year in airport improvement because each airport in the system not only drives economic growth but also a safe harbor for a pilot in distress. for those reasons the general rule is that we invest in airports, we don't close them. nevertheless i understand that the airport in st. clair, missouri, which this bill would allow to close presents unique circumstances. although the federal government has invested almost $1.1 million in the airport since 1963, the airport has not received a federal grant since 2006 when it received $300,000. there are now only about eight aircraft movements at the airport a day. community leaders believe there are simply higher and bert uses for the airport land. based on these extraordinary circumstances, this bill would allow the city of st. clair to close the airport and would release the city from its

obligations as a recipient of federal airport improvement funds, provided the city transfers remaining grant funds and the market value of the land to the missouri department of transportation. while i have serious reservations about the precedent this bill could set, i recognize the unique situation in this particular case. going forward i urge my colleagues to think long and hard about what it means for our national system of airports when we start permitting airports to shut down without working through the federal aviation administration's -- administrative process. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: i yield five minutes to the gentleman from missouri, mr. luetkemeyer. mr. luetkemeyer: thank you, mr. speaker, thank you, mr. gibbs. i rise today in support of s. 2759, this bill introduced by senators mccaskill and blunt from missouri authorize the closure of the st. clair regional airport in st. clair,

missouri, once all obligations to federal taxpayers have been repaid. it's a small town of ,700 people in my district 50 miles southwest of st. louis. it's operated an airport since the 1960's. in the past decade the consensus in the community has been reached that the airport should be closed and land utilized as part of a larger economic development plan for the region. this effort has broad support from the city from the mayor, city council, school board, fire district, and local chamber of commerce. the only thing holding up this plan is reluctance of the federal regulators to give the go ahead. the city first approached the department of rorgs in 2008 and the f.a.a. in 2012 seeking closure of the airport. but the f.a.a. keeps moving the goal posts, giving itself multiple extenses -- extenses and -- extensions and leaving this small town confused and no end in site. as a small business owner myself in a town smaller than

st. clair, can i tell you red tape is one of the biggest obstacles to economic growth in small communities. this legislation has provide add simple fix to what has become a complicated issue to this community's attempt to provide growth opportunities in this area. there are three other general aviation airports within a 30-mile radius of st. clair and the missouri department of transportation has indicated the closure of the airport will not have an adverse effect on aviation in missouri. under the bill in order for the city to qualify through release-tsh from the f.f.a., it must transfer amounts previously used for the airport's capital improvements toward the improvement of other general aviation facilities in the area. under s. 2759, taxpayers will be made whole and the city will be permitted to move forward with new economic development plans. s. 2759 is bipartisan and passed the senate unanimously. mr. chairman, i ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important

legislation so we can take a step forward in cutting through this red tape for the people of st. claire, mo. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from new york. mr. bishop: mr. speaker, i have no further speakers, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: we have no speakers. i'll close. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 2759. so many as are in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.

for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio seek recognition? mr. gibbs: mr. speaker, morph to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1378 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: house calendar number 99, h.r. 1378. a bill to designate the united states courthouse located at 333 west broadway in san diego, california, as the james m. carter and judeth m. keep united states courthouse. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from ohio, mr. gibbs, and the gentleman from new york, mr. bishop, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from ohio. mr. gibbs: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on h.r. 1378 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. gibbs: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. gibbs: h.r. 1378 designates

the united states federal judicial center located at 333 west broadway in san diego, california, as the john roads federal judicial center, it also designates the united states courthouse in san diego, california, as the james m. carter and judeth n. keep united states courthouse. john s. roach senior was a united states federal judge on the united states tisstrict court for the southern district of california for 22 years. before judge roach became -- began practicing law, he served in the united states navy during world war ii. early in his career he practiced law for the city of san diego, california, as a prosecuting attorney and deputy city attorney. judge roach was nominated by president reagan in 1985 to serve as federal judge on the united states district court in california where he served 2007.his death in jew dit n. keep was nominated

for jummingship by president carter and serve for years. she was the first female judge if her district and later became its first female chief judge serving in that capacity from 1991 to 199 . she continued to serve until her death in 2004. james m. carter was nominated by president harry s. trueman as a judge on the united states district court for the southern district of california and served for 17 years, including two years as chief judge. in 1967, president lyndon b. johnson nominated carter to a seat on the united states court of appeals for the ninth circuit which he served until his death in 1979. all three of these judges demonstrated their dedication to the nation and law. it is fitting to honor their work by naming the judicial center and courthouse after them. thank you. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. bishop: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of this bill and i yield such time as i may

consume or as he may consume to the gentleman from california, mr. peters, who is the author of this bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. peters: thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the gentleman for yielding. i rise today to support my legislation, h.r. 1378 to designate the federal courthouse on west broadway in downtown san diego as the james m. carter and judeth n. keep united states courthouse and to designate the federal judicial senter in san diego as the john rhodes federal judicial center. in san diego's collaborative spirit in order to find a name for the new building, the san diego legal community reached out to find ideas and through this process some prominent jurists emerged. they were enthusiastically touted by a bipartisan coalition, including the san diego county bar association, our district federal judges, and both republican and democratic community loords across san diego. . judge carter