Speeches and Floor Statements

AMENDMENT NO. 46 OFFERED BY MR. BRAT

The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 46 printed in House Report 114-683.

Mr. BRAT. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.

The text of the amendment is as follows:

     At the end of the bill, before the short title, insert the following:

     Sec. __. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to enforce contracts or other agreements under the Land and Water Conservation Fund program that were entered into with States or units of local government more than 20 years before the date of the enactment of this Act.

The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 820, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Brat) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. BRAT. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 5538, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

Mr. Speaker, the Land and Water Conservation Fund requires property acquired and developed with the LWCF assistance to be retained and used for public outdoor recreation. Any property so acquired and/or developed may not be converted to other uses without approval of the National Park Service, NPS, indefinitely.

Federal funding through the LWCF grant shouldn’t let the NPS enforce conditions on the use of State and local lands forever. A quid pro quo condition in exchange for funds for some period might be reasonable, but eventually federalism needs to kick in again.

This amendment would prevent the NPS from enforcing the conditions on an LWCF grant for a 20-year period. This allows the State or locality to use its property as it sees fit, without needing permission from the NPF.

After a generation or more, it is only reasonable for State and local governments to reassess land use on behalf of their citizens.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to put our constituents back in control of local matters.

I yield back the balance of my time.