Gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. Mr. Hastings i yield myself as much time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, s. 130 directs the secretary of the interior to convey to the powell recreation district approximately 322 acres of land located in park county, wyoming. The powell recreation district will continue to use the land for public recreational shooting complex as it has since 1980. The bill would have no cost to the taxpayers since the powell recreation district is required to pay for any administrative costs associated with the conveyance. This is a noncontroversial bill, mr. Speaker, and i urge its adoption and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands is recognized. Mr. Sablan i yield myself as much time as i may consume. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the powell shooting range land conveyance act would transfer 322 acres of bureau of Land Management lands to the powell, wyoming, recreational district. Currently it manages a shooting range on this land. We have no objections to this legislation and if the gentleman has no further speakers, i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, i have no more requests for time and im prepared to yield back if the gentleman will yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman has yielded back. Mr. Hastings he has yielded back . I yield back the balance of my time and urge adoption. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington yields back. The question is wills hoult will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 130. Those 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 gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, on that i ask for the yeas and nays. The speaker pro tempore the yeas and nays are requested. All those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. A sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this otion will be postponed. For what purpose does the gentleman from washington seek recognition . Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, i ask i move to suspend the rules and pass s. 157. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk Union Calendar number 139, senate 157, a bill to provide for certain improvements to the Denali National park and preserve in the state of alaska and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from washington, mr. Hastings, and the gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands, mr. Sablan, each will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. 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 the bill under consideration. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. Mr. Hastings i yield myself as much time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, s. 157 would authorize the secretary of interior to issue permits for a natural gas pipeline in a microhydroelectric project within the boundary of the enali National Park in alaska. Additionally s. 157 authorizes a Land Exchange between Denali National park and a company to facilitate the Water Project and renames a nearby ranger station in honor of walter harper. 100 years ago, harper became the first man to reach the summit of mount mckinley. Congressman donaldson young, our colleague from alaska don young, our colleague companion bill, but to allow this bill to become public law more quickly, i urge adoption of this senate bill. With that, mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands is recognized. Mr. Sablan i yield myself as much time as i may consume. Thank you, mr. Speaker. The Denali NationalPark Improvement act allows the secretary of the interior to issue permits for specified small hydroelectric park arc facilities within the park park facilities within the park boundaries. This allows the park service to exchange approximately 18 acres of park land and finally the bill provides for right of way for a natural gas pipeline and other Natural Gas Distribution infrastructure. We have no objections to this legislation and, mr. Speaker, i have no further speakers and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, i yield back the balance of my time and urge adoption of the bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington yields back. The question is will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 157. Those 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 on the table. For what purpose does the gentleman from washington seek recognition . Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass s. 304. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk Union Calendar number 138, senate 304, a bill to direct the secretary of the interior to convey to the state of mississippi two parcels of surplus land within the boundary of the natchez trace parkway and for other purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from washington, mr. Hastings, and the gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands, mr. Sablan, each will control 0 minutes. The chair recognizes 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. Mr. Hastings i yield myself as much time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, s. 304 directs the secretary of the interior to convey 67 acres of natchez in natchez, mississippi, to the state of mississippi, and to adjust the boundary of the natchez trace parkway. This property was originally donated to the National Park service by the state to construct a parkway. But was ultimately unneeded. Rather than lease the property back to mississippi, this would transfer the title back to the original owner. This is a commonsense measure and i urge its adoption and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington reserves. The gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands is recognized. Mr. Sablan mr. Speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Sablan thank you, mr. Speaker, the natchez trace parkway land conveyance act of 2013 conveys 67 acres of National ParkService Property to the state of mississippi. We have no objections to this legislation, i have no further speakers and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings i urge adoption and 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 304. Those 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 mr. Hastings mr. Speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. The speaker pro tempore the yeas and nays are requested. All those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. A sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this otion will be postponed. For what purpose does the gentleman from washington seek recognition . Mr. Hastings mr. Speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass s. 256. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk senate 256, an act to amend public law 93435 with respect to the northern Mariana Islands, providing parity with guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from washington, mr. Hastings, and the gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands, mr. Sablan, each will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from washington. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. Mr. Hastings i yield my i yield myself as much time as i may consume. Thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, s. 256 would amend the 1974 law to convey certain submerged lands in the commonwealth of the northern Mariana Islands. Under this bill the territory will have the Administrative Authority over lands covered by tidal waters out to three astronaut qual miles, give nautical miles, giving it parity with guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa. Comparable control of the seabed has been also granted to coastal states under the submerged lands act. On may 15, the house passed similar legislation by voice vote. S. 256 also contains an amendment to delay the commonwealth of the northern Mariana Islands, an annual minimum wage increase of 50 cents. Under the new formula in this bill, a 50cent minimum wage bump would still occur in 2014 with annual increases starting in 2016 until the federal minimum wage is reached. The territory has asks for a deferral on this because its economy cannot currently sustain the minimum wage increases that are current law at this time. I want to thank chairman kline of the committee on education and work force and his able staff for their assistant in assistance in scheduling this bill for consideration today as the minimum wage matter is under that committees jurisdiction. Mr. Speaker, i urge adoption of the measure and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from the northern Mariana Islands is recognized. Mr. Sablan mr. Speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Sablan mr. Speaker, i rise in support of senate 256. The bill conveys to the commonwealth of the northern Mariana Islands three miles of voundsing submerged lands, providing surrounding submerged lands, providing parity with the other coastal states and territories. S. 256 also provides for a hiatus in 2013 and 2015 of the annual 50cent increase in minimum wage in the northern marianas. While retaining the mandate to reach the federal level. I want to thank the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, and Ranking Member for introducing s. 256 at my request. Its companion, h. R. 573, passed the house unanimously in may of this year, as did predecessor bills in the 111th and 112th congress. Thanks also to leaders and staff from both sides of the aisle, chairman hastings of the house Natural Resources committee, and Ranking Member peter defazio, chairman john fleming of the fisheries, wildlife, oceans subcommittee, and the chairman of the education and work force committee, john kline and Ranking Member george miller. Their assistant reflects a long standing tradition of treating territory issues as essentially nonpartisan. To summarize briefly, the northern Mariana Islands is the only coastal jurisdiction that does not have ownership of the submerged land off its coast. This corrects that irregularity and provides the same ownership rights over the submerged lands surrounding the northern marianas as are provided by federal law to guam, the u. S. Virgin islands and american so me a samoa. Additionally it reschedules the rate of increase of the minimum wage in the northern Mariana Islands. But it retains the mandate to reach the federal minimum wage evel which will occur in 2018. 82 the wage has risen 82 since 2007. 16. 5 each year. The Government Accountability office has reported uncertainty over how this rapid change effects the local economy, especially given the negative g. D. P. In most of this years. Congress previously provided for the scheduled 2011 increase to be skilled skipped. In light of continuing unpredictability of the impact of increases on an economy where as much as 80 of the hourly paid work force will be affected, similar deferrals of the 2013 and 2015 increases are visible. I ask for members to are advisable. I ask for members to support this. Mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from washington is recognized. Mr. Hastings thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from mississippi, mr. Harper. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Harper thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise in support of s. 256 and would like to speak also in support of the bill just considered, s. 304, a bill sponsored by senior senator of mississippi. This legislation authorized the transfer of approximately 67 acres of unused federal land originally envisioned to be part of the natchez trace parkway to the state of mississippi. The city of natchez plans to use 37 acres for Recreational Purposes that will improve the quality of life for the citys residents. Thout this legislation, this area will continue to sit idle. I want to thank chairman hastings for bringing this to the house floor. Id also like to thank our senior senator for his tireless leadership for the state of mississippi. There are numerous individuals behind the scenes that have worked tirelessly for the city of natchez to gain access to and the right to utilize this land over the years. S. 304 will show that their hard work will finally have paid off. I urge my colleagues to continue to support this and with that i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. The gentleman from northern marianas islands is recognized. Mr. Sablan id like to yield to my friend from American Samoa as much time as he may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from American Samoa is recognized. Mr. Faleomavaega thank you, mr. Speaker. I ask unanimous consent to extend and revise my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection, so ordered. Mr. Faleomavaega i would like to commend the chairman of our Natural Resources committee, dr. Hastings, and for his leadership and for his support of this piece of legislation. And especially also my good friend, the gentleman representing the northern marianas islands. Mr. Speaker, iize rise today in support of senate bill 25 , a bill to amend public law 9 435 with respect to the northern Mariana Islands, providing parity with guam, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. I want to thank chairman widen and murkowski of the committee on energy and Natural Resources for their work on this bipartisan piece of legislation. I also want to thank the senate for finally taking action on his issue in passing two s. 256 under unanimous consent last month. As i said earlier i would be remiss if i did not commend my good friend, congressman sablan, for his tireless efforts on this issue and all other matters affecting the northern Mariana Islands since he took office in 2009. Mr. Speaker, this piece of legislation will appropriately convey the three miles of offshore submerged lands to the northern Mariana Islands. As you may know, submerged lands qualify as lands permanently or periodically covered by tidal waves up to but not above the line of high tide. Territories of American Samoa, guam, and the Virgin Islands were granted ownership over our own respective submerged lands when the Congress Passed