[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 3] [House] [Pages 3276-3283] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND HYPOXIA RESEARCH AND CONTROL AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2010 Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the resolution just adopted, I call up the bill (H.R. 3650) to establish a National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program, to develop and coordinate a comprehensive and integrated strategy to address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, and to provide for the development and implementation of comprehensive regional action plans to reduce harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1168, in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Science and Technology printed in the bill, the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in part A of House Report 111-439 is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read. The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010''. SEC. 2. AMENDMENT OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA RESEARCH AND CONTROL ACT OF 1998. Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 1451 note). SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. (a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after section 602 the following: ``SEC. 602A. DEFINITIONS. ``In this title: ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. ``(2) Program.--The term `Program' means the National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program established under section 603A. ``(3) State.--The term `State' means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, any other territory or possession of the United States, and any Indian tribe. ``(4) Under secretary.--The term `Under Secretary' means the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.''. (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 602 the following new item: ``Sec. 602A. Definitions.''. SEC. 4. NATIONAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA PROGRAM. (a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after section 603 the following: ``SEC. 603A. NATIONAL HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM AND HYPOXIA PROGRAM. ``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (d), the Under Secretary, through the Task Force established under section 603(a), shall establish and maintain a National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program pursuant to this section. ``(b) Duties.--The Under Secretary, through the Program, shall coordinate the efforts of the Task Force to-- ``(1) develop and promote a national strategy to understand, detect, predict, control, mitigate, and respond to marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events; ``(2) integrate the research of all Federal programs, including ocean and Great Lakes science and management programs and centers, that address the chemical, biological, and physical components of marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(3) coordinate and work cooperatively with State, tribal, and local government agencies and programs that address marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(4) identify additional research, development, and demonstration needs and priorities relating to monitoring, prediction, prevention, control, mitigation, and response to marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(5) encourage international information sharing and research efforts on marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, and encourage international mitigation, control, and response activities; ``(6) ensure the development and implementation of methods and technologies to protect the ecosystems affected by marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms; ``(7) integrate, coordinate, and augment existing education programs to improve public understanding and awareness of the causes, impacts, and mitigation efforts for marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(8) assist in regional, State, tribal, and local efforts to develop and implement appropriate marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia response plans, strategies, and tools; ``(9) provide resources for and assist in the training of State, tribal, and local water and coastal resource managers in the methods and technologies for monitoring, controlling, mitigating, and responding to the effects of marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events; ``(10) oversee the development, implementation, review, and periodic updating of the Regional Research and Action Plans under section 603B; and ``(11) administer peer-reviewed, merit-based competitive grant funding to support-- ``(A) the projects maintained and established by the Program; and ``(B) the research and management needs and priorities identified in the Regional Research and Action Plans. ``(c) Cooperative Efforts.--The Under Secretary shall work cooperatively and avoid duplication of efforts with other offices, centers, and programs within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other agencies represented on the Task Force established under section 603(a), States, tribes, and nongovernmental organizations concerned with marine and freshwater aquatic issues related to harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. ``(d) Freshwater Program.--With respect to the freshwater aspects of the Program, the Administrator and Under Secretary, through the Task Force, shall carry out the duties otherwise assigned to the Under Secretary under this section and section 603B, including the activities described in subsection (e). The Administrator's participation under this subsection shall include-- ``(1) research on the ecology of freshwater harmful algal blooms; ``(2) monitoring and event response of freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes, [[Page 3277]] rivers, estuaries (including their tributaries), and reservoirs; ``(3) mitigation and control of freshwater harmful algal blooms; and ``(4) an identification in the President's annual budget request to Congress of how much funding is proposed in that request for carrying out the activities described in subsection (e). ``(e) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Activities.--As part of the program under this section, the Under Secretary shall-- ``(1) maintain and enhance existing competitive grant programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration relating to marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(2) carry out marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events response activities; and ``(3) enhance communication and coordination among Federal agencies carrying out marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia activities, and increase the availability to appropriate public and private entities of-- ``(A) analytical facilities and technologies; ``(B) operational forecasts; and ``(C) reference and research materials. ``(f) Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System.--All monitoring and observation data collected under this Act shall be collected in compliance with all data standards and protocols developed pursuant to the National Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (33 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), and such data shall be made available through the System established under that Act. ``(g) Action Strategy.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010, the Under Secretary, through the Task Force established under section 603(a), shall transmit to the Congress an action strategy that identifies-- ``(A) the specific activities to be carried out by the Program and the timeline for carrying out such activities; and ``(B) the roles and responsibilities of each Federal agency in the Task Force established under section 603(a) in carrying out Program activities. ``(2) Federal register.--The Under Secretary shall publish the action strategy in the Federal Register. ``(3) Periodic revision.--The Under Secretary shall periodically review and revise the action strategy prepared under this subsection as necessary. ``(h) Report.--Two years after the submission of the action strategy, the Under Secretary shall prepare and transmit to the Congress a report that describes-- ``(1) the activities carried out under the Program and the Regional Research and Action Plans and the budget related to these activities; ``(2) the progress made on implementing the action strategy; and ``(3) the need to revise or terminate activities or projects under the Program.''. (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 603 the following new item: ``Sec. 603A. National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program.''. SEC. 5. REGIONAL RESEARCH AND ACTION PLANS. (a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after section 603A the following: ``SEC. 603B. REGIONAL RESEARCH AND ACTION PLANS. ``(a) In General.--The Under Secretary, through the Task Force established under section 603(a), shall-- ``(1) identify the appropriate regions and subregions to be addressed by each Regional Research and Action Plan; and ``(2) oversee the development and implementation of the Regional Research and Action Plans. ``(b) Contents.--The Plans developed under this section shall identify-- ``(1) regional priorities for ecological, economic, and social research on issues related to the impacts of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(2) research, development, and demonstration activities needed to develop and advance technologies and techniques for minimizing the occurrence of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia and improving capabilities to prevent, predict, monitor, control, and mitigate harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(3) ways to reduce the duration and intensity of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia, including in times of emergency; ``(4) research and methods to address human health dimensions of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(5) mechanisms, including the potential costs and benefits of those mechanisms, to protect vulnerable ecosystems that could be or have been affected by harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events; ``(6) mechanisms by which data, information, and products are transferred between the Program and State, tribal, and local governments and relevant research entities; ``(7) communication, outreach, and information dissemination methods that State, tribal, and local governments and stakeholder organizations can undertake to educate and inform the public concerning harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; and ``(8) the roles that Federal agencies can play to assist in the implementation of the Plan. ``(c) Building on Available Studies and Information.--In developing the Plans under this section, the Under Secretary shall-- ``(1) utilize and build on existing research, assessments, and reports, including those carried out pursuant to existing law and other relevant sources; and ``(2) consider the impacts, research, and existing program activities of all United States coastlines and fresh and inland waters, including the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake Bay, and estuaries and tributaries. ``(d) Development of Plans.--The Under Secretary shall develop Plans under this section with assistance from the individuals and entities described in subsection (f). ``(e) Plan Timeline and Updates.--The Under Secretary, through the Task Force established under section 603(a), shall ensure that the Plans developed under this section are completed not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010, and updated once every 5 years thereafter. ``(f) Coordination and Consultation.--In developing the Plans under this section, as appropriate, the Under Secretary-- ``(1) shall coordinate with State coastal management and planning officials; ``(2) shall coordinate with tribal resource management officials; ``(3) shall coordinate with water management and watershed officials from both coastal States and noncoastal States with water sources that drain into water bodies affected by harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; and ``(4) shall consult with-- ``(A) public health officials; ``(B) emergency management officials; ``(C) science and technology development institutions; ``(D) economists; ``(E) industries and businesses affected by marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia; ``(F) scientists, with expertise concerning harmful algal blooms or hypoxia, from academic or research institutions; and ``(G) other stakeholders.''. (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 603A, as added by section 4(b) of this Act, the following new item: ``Sec. 603B. Regional research and action plans.''. SEC. 6. NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIA. Section 604 is amended to read as follows: ``SEC. 604. NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO HYPOXIA. ``(a) Task Force Initial Progress Reports.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010, the Administrator, through the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, shall complete and transmit to the Congress and the President a report on the progress made by Task Force-directed activities toward attainment of the goals of the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan 2008. ``(b) Task Force 2-Year Progress Reports.--After the initial report required under subsection (a), the Administrator, through the Task Force, shall complete and transmit to Congress and the President a report every 2 years thereafter on the progress made by Task Force-directed activities toward attainment of the coastal goal of the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan 2008. ``(c) Contents.--The reports required by this section shall assess progress made toward nutrient load reductions, the response of the hypoxic zone and water quality throughout the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin, and the economic and social effects. The reports shall-- ``(1) include an evaluation of how current policies and programs affect management decisions, including those made by municipalities and industrial and agricultural producers; ``(2) evaluate lessons learned; and ``(3) recommend appropriate actions to continue to implement or, if necessary, revise the strategy set forth in the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan 2008.''. SEC. 7. PACIFIC NORTHWEST, ESTUARIES, AND PUGET SOUND HYPOXIA. (a) Amendment.--The Act is amended by inserting after section 604 the following: ``SEC. 604A. PACIFIC NORTHWEST, ESTUARIES, AND PUGET SOUND HYPOXIA. ``(a) Assessment Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010, the Task Force established under section 603 shall complete and submit to Congress and the President an integrated assessment of hypoxia in the coastal and estuarine waters of the Pacific Northwest that examines the [[Page 3278]] status of current research, monitoring, prevention, response, and control efforts. ``(b) Plan.--The Task Force shall include in the regionally appropriate Regional Research and Action Plan developed under section 603B a plan, based on the integrated assessment submitted under subsection (a), for reducing, mitigating, and controlling hypoxia in the coastal and estuarine waters of the Pacific Northwest. In developing such plan, the Task Force shall consult with State, Indian tribe, and local governments, and academic, agricultural, industry, and environmental groups and representatives. Such plan shall include incentive-based partnership approaches. The plan shall also address the social and economic costs and benefits of the measures for reducing, mitigating, and controlling hypoxia.''. (b) Table of Contents Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 604 the following new item: ``Sec. 604A. Pacific Northwest, estuaries, and Puget Sound hypoxia.''. SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. (a) Authorization.--Section 605 is amended to read as follows: ``SEC. 605. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. ``There are authorized to be appropriated-- ``(1) to the Under Secretary to carry out sections 603A and 603B, $34,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015, of which, for each fiscal year-- ``(A) $2,000,000 may be used for the development of the Regional Research and Action Plans and the reports required by section 604A; ``(B) $3,000,000 may be used for the research and assessment activities related to marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms at research laboratories of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; ``(C) $8,000,000 may be used to carry out the Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms Program (ECOHAB); ``(D) $5,500,000 may be used to carry out the Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms Program (MERHAB); ``(E) $1,500,000 may be used to carry out the Northern Gulf of Mexico Ecosystems and Hypoxia Assessment Program (NGOMEX); ``(F) $5,000,000 may be used to carry out the Coastal Hypoxia Research Program (CHRP); ``(G) $5,000,000 may be used to carry out the Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms Program (PCM); ``(H) $1,000,000 may be used to carry out marine and freshwater harmful algal bloom and hypoxia events response activities; and ``(I) $3,000,000 may be used for increased availability, communication, and coordination activities; and ``(2) to the Administrator to carry out sections 603A, 603B, and 604, $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.''. (b) Extramural Research Activities.--The Under Secretary shall ensure that a substantial portion of funds appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) that are used for research purposes are allocated to extramural research activities. The SPEAKER pro tempore. After 1 hour of debate on the bill, as amended, it shall be in order to consider the amendment printed in part B of House Report 111-439 if offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake) or his designee, which shall be considered read, and shall be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington. Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009, as amended, is a good bipartisan bill. The bill represents a timely and necessary step to address the large and growing problems of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. The Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act was first signed into law in 1998 and last reauthorized in 2004. Since the last reauthorization, there has been an increase in the number, frequency, and type of algal blooms and hypoxic events. These events can terribly affect the marine and freshwater systems where they occur. Large fish kills, closed beaches, and poisoned seafood are all typical consequences of harmful algal blooms. I listened to the debate on the rule prior to our debating the bill itself; and as far as the question of why are we debating this, the simple answer is, it can kill you. Indeed, it does kill some of our citizens every year. It kills countless numbers of fish life, it destroys tourism, and it costs hundreds of millions of dollars. That seems to me a pretty good reason to take something up. In addition, as my dear friend and colleague from Florida will attest, his tourist industry, as mine, and as the gentlewoman from Maine who spoke earlier and indeed the gentleman from California and my colleague from Texas, all have beaches which are adversely affected. If the issue we are concerned about is jobs, harmful algal blooms are destroyers of jobs in addition to takers of lives. In freshwater, harmful algal blooms present a toxin that is very, very difficult to remove; and let me clarify why. All the normal means we use to purify water don't work with harmful algal blooms. You cannot boil it because boiling separates the toxin from the algae and actually concentrates the toxin. Indeed, lab researchers use boiling as a way to concentrate the toxin when they are trying to study it. You can't filter it because filtering breaks down the bodies of the algae, and that also releases the toxin. Chlorine doesn't work because chlorine is designed to kill protozoa, and these are not protozoa. The toxin is not caused by a protozoa. So we've got a very dangerous problem. And beyond that, it is a problem that is expanding in duration. Harmful algal blooms and hypoxic events are starting earlier in the season and lasting longer. They are growing in larger scale, and they are spreading around the country. We have some ideas about why, and we have some ideas about how to control them, but we don't know for certain. And that is why this bill matters, and that is why my colleagues, Mr. Mack, Mr. Ehlers and others, have worked on it. We have taken some important steps since 1998 and 2004. And, again, I want to commend my colleague, Vern Ehlers, who has been instrumental on this issue for many, many years. The bill before us would establish a National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tasked as the lead in overseeing the development of these plans and the execution of this national program. HABs, again, do not only affect our coastlines. From the waters and streams of Virginia and West Virginia to the Great Lakes, throughout this country, every single State in the Union, whether it is freshwater or marine ecosystem, has been affected by harmful algal blooms. My own State of Washington, the Puget Sound in Hood Canal, has a dead zone that expands every year. Off our coast, we have increasing dead zones, and red tides devastate the tourist industry when they stop the clamming season from happening. Legitimate questions have been raised about the authorized funding levels in this bill. But the increased investment this legislation calls for is necessary to address the harmful economic impacts and health impacts that HABs pose to our country. Conservative estimates back in 2006 estimated a minimum impact of $82 million per year. This bill is the product of bipartisan collaboration and contains the input of both Democratic and Republican Members. And as I mentioned, Dr. Vern Ehlers, Dr. Connie Mack, as well as on our side Mr. Kratovil and Ms. Castor, have all offered very valuable input. The bill you have before you today is the product of two hearings, a subcommittee markup, a full committee markup, post-markup negotiations with the three House committees with jurisdiction over the bill, as well as negotiations with the Senate Commerce Committee. The bill represents a focused effort to address the specific issues of harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The bill before us today is the same bill that was before this body 3 days ago. As such, I don't have much to add today except to compliment the gentleman from Washington and tell him that he has made a difference in the time he has been here and he will be [[Page 3279]] missed when he leaves in November. And it is tough to go against a bill that I'm in favor of the thrust that he has, but I have some concerns about it. I will simply reiterate that I'm supportive of the underlying goals of this legislation. It fosters continued research into the causes of harmful algal blooms, explores ways to manage these events, and sets up mechanisms to potentially predict when they might even occur. While supportive of the goals of the measure, I and several of my Republican colleagues, and there is a difference among us on this side, have some concerns about the authorization levels in this bill as well as the potential for unfunded mandates on States and localities. This bill authorizes funding that is almost three times the amount that had been appropriated in recent years and is 50 percent higher than the last reauthorization in 2004. In authorizing legislation, we must be mindful of fiscal constraints both at the Federal and the State level. I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Baird and my colleagues on the House Science and Technology Committee as this bill moves through the process. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BAIRD. I thank the gentleman for his comments. Before recognizing Ms. Castor, I would just point out, as he is aware--first of all, I want to thank him for his support of the underlying issue here. I think the recognition of the severity of this problem is much appreciated, as Mr. Mack will attest to in just a moment. Regarding the issue of unfunded mandates, the Congressional Budget Office has looked at this legislation and determined specifically that it does not impose any unfunded mandates, so I respect the concern but would offer assurance that it is not considered a problem, at least by CBO. Regarding the authorization levels, we discussed these levels at some length. Given the severity of the problem, we actually began with the higher number. In consult with our friends on the other side of the aisle, we actually lowered the number. And, furthermore, the number, of course, is an authorizing number; it is not an appropriated amount. Our premise is that the problem actually perhaps deserves substantially more money than we have been spending on it because it is a deadly threat and an economic loss. But we recognize that probably now actual appropriated levels will fall below authorization. Having a greater authorization allows us to up the effort should a situation arise that needs that. With that, I'm happy to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor), who has been a champion of this, as it affects so much of her State. Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to rise in strong support of H.R. 3650. I call this the ``red tide'' bill. I would like to thank my colleague Mr. Baird for his great leadership on this initiative. {time} 1015 I've heard some discussion here in the Chamber and throughout the Capitol the last couple of days, Why are we taking up time with algae? Well, let's not diminish the issue because this is vitally important for jobs throughout the great State of Florida. I am very pleased that my colleague from Florida is in the Chair this morning to preside over this. We simply can't go backwards when it comes to jobs in our economy, and red tide is a significant threat to the tourism economy in the State of Florida. We depend in Florida upon people coming from all over the country and all over the world to vacation, especially on the beautiful beaches of the west coast of Florida, where you have the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There are no better beaches across the entire world than there are on the west coast of Florida. Now, also, on the Atlantic side it is quite lovely and the Florida Keys, but we face a significant threat from red tide. The tourism industry in Florida employs over 1 million people, and it is estimated that tourism has a $65 billion impact on our State's economy. Add on top of that recreational fishing, commercial fishing. What happens when this red tide washes in, it's awful. The tourists flee the beaches, and the folks that live and work and rely upon those industries really suffer. This happened just a few years ago in 2005. We had terrible red tide outbreaks on the west coast of Florida. And I can tell you because I had my family there at the beach with about a dozen other families where we go right after school is out. And what happens is that it causes you a lot of difficulty breathing. Your eyes start to water, the fish wash up on the shore, dead fish. And you can forget about it. Our economy took a real hit because of red tide. The tourists simply don't want to visit polluted beaches. We have beautiful, clean, crystal clear water most of the time. But when this red tide invades, it's absolutely awful. You can see where it's directly tied to jobs because then the word spreads. There were news stories over in England and Great Britain, where a lot of our tourists come from, and they decided not take their vacation. Now, if that happened in this economy, it would be very detrimental. So today's legislation will help us combat that threat. And I would like to especially thank my colleague from Florida, Representative Connie Mack, who represents the Naples, Sanibel Island area. There is simply no more beautiful place to vacation than maybe up towards my district in Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. But Congressman Mack and I have been working on this issue since 2007. He was working on it before I arrived in Congress, and we introduced the Save Our Shores Act to bring more attention to the research on red tide. That's why I am so gratified that the Science Committee, Mr. Baird and Mr. Barton, have really stepped up and promoted this. It's a bipartisan effort. And it's important because it comes on the heels of the tourism bill, the Travel Promotion Act that was signed into law by President Obama just last week. It's another good bolstering of the tourism economy and all those important jobs to the Sunshine State and across the country. Now, this legislation will ensure that we learn more about harmful algal blooms so that we can protect our precious coastlines and the tourism-related jobs that come with having healthy beaches. According to the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, the national economic impact of the red tide, the harmful algal blooms, is at least $82 million annually. So if we can pump in a little bit of research money and figure out what causes this--you see, that's the problem. We don't really know what causes the red tide and the algal blooms. If we're already suffering an $82 million hit, then it is very cost- effective for us to put a little bit more money into research and coordination. There's a lot of good research out there, but I don't think that it's being shared widely. So this initiative will help do that. And I think we'll be able to avoid devastating losses to tourism, to recreation and to commercial fishing all across the country. In 1971, Florida faced an exceptionally bad case of red tide, and then again in 2005, and we think that that caused Florida to take a hit of over $100 million. So the level of concern about red tide's cost to tourism is still high even though it's been a couple of years since our last big outbreak. But like I said, if we had an outbreak today in this economy, it would severely hurt businesses at a time when we just can't take it anymore. The unemployment rate in my community is about 13 percent, and we rely on folks needing some relaxation time and vacations in the beautiful Sunshine State. So that's why I strongly support this initiative. Again, I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Mack from Florida, Mr. Baird, the Science and Technology Committee, and I am pleased to urge all my colleagues to vote for H.R. 3650. Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mack). Mr. MACK. I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Baird, for his work on this important issue. I also want to [[Page 3280]] thank the ranking member, Mr. Hall, for his hard work and dedication. I also want to recognize that in this bill, there may be a lot of people who have concerns about the funding levels, and I'll just pick up where the chairman talked about that this is an authorizing bill. This is not the appropriations process. But it is important that we recognize that for our researchers around the country, they need to be able to plan looking forward, and if they constantly are relying on funding to be done through the appropriations process once a year, whether or not they're going to have the research dollars or not, that is no way to conduct quality research, especially on an issue that's so important, and I too call this red tide. This is an important issue for all of us, not just those that live along the coast, but for all of us. It used to be thought that red tide was only something that affected the marine life, but now we have seen that this has crossed over and is affecting not only the quality of life for people who live or vacation at the beach but also can cause death. So I commend the committee for this bill. Passing this important legislation is the first step in increasing research on red tide while ensuring that scientists and experts in the field, and not politicians, determine where research money is spent. And this is an important fact because right now, all of my colleagues and I, we try to make sure that we bring some money home for our local research organizations, which we support. But in this legislation what we're saying is, let's have a peer review group look at the research projects that are out there, and let them decide. Let scientists decide what's most important, what research is to be supported and funded. This is very important for everybody at home. For those people who want to make sure that we control spending, one of the best ways to control spending through this bill is to make sure that peer review groups are deciding where the money's going, not everyone and Members of Congress fighting for their own little project in their backyards. So I see this in that light as well. There are great organizations out there, whether it's Woods Hole, or Mote Marine, or Florida Gulf Coast University, and also Ocean Champions, who have been working hard on this legislation, and we need to support them as well. So on a last note, growing up in southwest Florida, I have spent my whole life on the water in Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach and Captiva, and we would have red tide maybe 1 week out of the year. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Salazar). The time of the gentleman from Florida has expired. Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute. Mr. MACK. So we would have an outbreak maybe once a year for 1 week. Not too long ago, we had 13 months of straight red tide off the coast of Florida in southwest Florida. Clearly something is changing, something is happening. And right now, frankly, I don't know that we can trust all the research that's out there. This bill will ensure that we can trust the research that's happening, that it's done through a peer review group, through NOAA, and that we will have reporting to the Congress on those findings so we can continue to monitor and hopefully eliminate or begin to control red tide so the citizens of this great country can enjoy the beaches, our economies can grow, and the quality of life can improve. Thank you for the time. Mr. BAIRD. I want to commend the gentleman from Florida. His personal story is one we hear so often. But he knows it firsthand, from his time as a child, an occasional red tide where his parents probably said, No, you can't go swimming today, son, to a 13-month period of red tide. Earlier when I said we have seen an expansion in duration, in size, and in breadth across the country, that's precisely what I'm referring to. I'm sure this is true of both of my colleagues from Florida. If you're a hotel owner, and you get notice that a red tide is forming off your beach, that's it. You basically can kiss your entire season of income--or at least a good part of it--goodbye. Where I'm from in the Pacific Northwest, clamming, razor clams are one of the great things that draws people to the coast. Our beaches just are covered with folks, and they get up in the wee hours of the morning when the tide is low and go out. It is a great family endeavor. It provides a wonderful delicacy to people, and people look forward to it year-round, and it is the high season at the coast. Except if a scientist is out there and says, We've got an algal bloom forming, and it is not safe for people to eat the shellfish or to swim in this water at this time. Why isn't it safe? Well, first off, I want to underscore that most shellfish from around our country is safe, but during these periods, it is not. And here is why: The toxin that forms is a neurotoxin. It attacks your brain. It's called paralytic shellfish poisoning. In some areas, sometimes you will hear it as amnesic shellfish poisoning. Amnesic shellfish poisoning attacks the part of your brain that turns short-term memories into long-term memories. This is a bad thing. This means that you can't learn new information. So when people say, Oh, this is algae, what do we care about algae--I heard this a lot yesterday. Why are we coming back into session to talk about algae? Well, I hope people can remember that if they eat shellfish with paralytic shellfish poisoning, they can die. Their brain can be damaged. Their children's brains can be damaged. If somebody says, Oh, Mom and Dad, it's just red tide, I'm going swimming anyway, you can't let that happen. The kid will die. It's that serious. Let me turn to the freshwater. A true story from my district. Imagine you take your family dog, your beloved favorite pet, to the water that you always take them to. You take the tennis ball and you fling it out into the water. And your retriever jumps in the water, swims out, grabs that tennis ball, swims back to the shore. You take the tennis ball out, you turn to throw it, and the dog is dying before your eyes. That really happened. It happened in my district in a lake that, when there's not an algal bloom, people recreate in, they have sailboats, they have boat races, they swim in it, they take their dogs there. From one week when it was safe for that dog to go in the water, the owner comes back the next week, and through no fault of their own, the dog does everything it normally does, and it dies. If I had a glass of clear water here, and someone were saying, Oh, what a waste of time, what a waste of time to work on this, and it had the toxin from blue-green algae, the person who drank that water would die. If it's in your freshwater system, a large reservoir for your municipality, and you get a blue-green algal bloom in that with toxin, I would ask my colleagues who are skeptical about this, Tell me how you get it out? There are mechanisms, but they're not easy, and they're very costly. How do you get it out of there? And more importantly, tell me how you're going to give the people who you represent clean drinking water if your water system is contaminated. If you depend on surface reservoirs, and you get a blue-green algal bloom, you are in deep, deep trouble, and you are looking at a lot of money and possibly some deaths of your constituents. Mr. Mack talked a little bit about hypoxia, which is a huge problem in the Gulf. Let me put this in terms we understand: Hypoxic zones are areas where the algae has decomposed, and that decomposition has taken the air out of the water, basically taken the oxygen out. Imagine if you were walking your normal route to work or to your home, and suddenly, invisibly, you went into an area where there was no oxygen in the air. You're walking a route you normally take. No oxygen. What happens? You suffocate. You die. That's what dead zones do. Hundreds of thousands, millions of aquatic fish--the very fish that our fishermen in our coastal communities depend on, the very fish we eat and enjoy-- they just flat die. They're swimming in their normal, maybe their migratory route, maybe their reproductive areas. They go into this area. They can't tell there is no oxygen in the water. They swim [[Page 3281]] into it, they have no oxygen, and they die in enormous quantities. Then they wash up on the beaches as a pleasant attraction for our tourism industry. In this body, we stick around to honor sports teams, we praise movie stars. This is something that can kill you, for goodness sakes. I also want to make sure we thank the many scientists who have done the work on this legislation. Scientists around the world are trying to study the causes, trying to study the interventions. They literally evaluate our beaches around the country and our freshwater systems on a daily basis and give us the information we need to protect the public safety and health. And I want to make sure I commend them. At this point I will reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1030 Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. In closing, I just want to point out once again to be guarding against unfunded mandates on States and localities. This bill will reach probably a conference committee somewhere down the road. I would like to have that remembered. In authorizing legislation, we have to still be mindful of fiscal constraints both at the Federal and the State level. The President's budget request for the NOAA program is $12.7 million. Forty-one million dollars in authorization is significantly above the request. It is a good program, a great thrust. I support the thrust. I just ask those who vote upon it, for or against it, to remember the unfunded mandate danger and the fact that it is well above. I now see my colleague from Michigan, Dr. Ehlers, here, who is probably going to disagree with me. I will yield him 5 minutes. Mr. EHLERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am sorry I arrived late for this debate, but I was speaking at the National Academy of Engineering. I simply want to speak on the record in support of this bill. It is essentially the same bill that I introduced several years ago when we were in the majority, and it did pass then. The major change now is of course increased funding because of the increased need that has occurred. The hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are nationwide problems that have grown tremendously in the last decade, not just in the Gulf of Mexico, but also in the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, California, the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere. This is a problem that just simply has to be dealt with. It is hurting the fishing industry tremendously. I recognize that there is concern about the cost of the bill. First of all, I am sure we will not be appropriating as much money as is authorized. But secondly, you have to measure the effect on commerce of this bill, particularly the commercial fishing industry, but also the safety of the tourist industry. If we do not correct this problem and it continues to spread, we will soon find the tourist industry off the southern coast, particularly Florida and the Gulf States and also Texas, will be injured because people will simply not be able to use the waters and will vacation elsewhere. This could create additional problems. I won't go into all the details on that. I do have a prepared statement which I will submit. But I just wanted to go on record as supporting this bill very strongly. I have worked with Mr. Baird. I was the sponsor a few years ago, and he helped me then. He is the sponsor now, and I have helped him. And I just want to encourage the body to vote for this bill and adopt it. The cost issue is certainly a legitimate one. It always is. But I think that is best addressed through the appropriations process. But certainly there is the need to go after this HAB problem scientifically and find out why the problem is becoming so much worse, and what we can do to stop it. I am hoping that through research we can stop it at far less cost than we are talking about in this bill. But we won't know until we do the research and get into the details of the problem. I again thank the ranking member, Mr. Hall, who has done yeoman work on the committee this year. I thank him for yielding time to me, and thank him for all the good work he has done. I urge the body to adopt this particular bill. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today the House is considering H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010. Hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are nationwide problems that affect our coastal and Great Lakes communities. The damaging effects of HABs and hypoxia are felt in locations including the Chesapeake Bay, California, the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. Less than two weeks ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a warning indicating the potential for a major bloom in New England this summer that may threaten the shellfish industry. These blooms have major economic consequences for our country, and must be prevented. In 1998, Congress passed a three-year bill authorizing HAB and hypoxia research programs, with a focus on the ``dead zone'' in the Gulf of Mexico and Pfiesteria in the Chesapeake Bay. The Act was reauthorized in 2004, and added freshwater, such as the Great Lakes, as an important area for HAB and hypoxia research. It also increased the participation of local resource managers in developing HAB and hypoxia research plans; ensuring that the research was prioritized to address the questions facing people working with HABs and hypoxia on a daily basis. Also, the bill required that all research funding be administered through a competitive, merit-based, peer-reviewed process. The amendments we are considering today strengthen the algal bloom research activities at NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and improve the communication and coordination between the many federal, state and local stakeholders. The bill would facilitate a clear national strategy for research in both marine and freshwater environments, and reauthorize activities through 2015. One comment on the process; I am aware that modifications have been made to the legislation since it was considered by the Science and Technology Committee, and that some of these modifications fall within this committee's jurisdiction. While I understand there are necessary technical changes following markups, I do believe the consideration of substantive changes should take place in a manner that all committee members have the opportunity to voice their input. I understand that Subcommittee Chairman Baird will detail these changes on the floor, and I thank him for his efforts to share this information with all Members. I am pleased that Chairmen Baird and Gordon and Ranking Member Hall have worked diligently within the Science and Technology Committee and other Committees of jurisdiction to bring this bill expeditiously to the floor of the House. This bill will help us improve our understanding of these phenomena so that we can accurately predict their occurrence and develop tools for improved detection and mitigation of these problems. I urge the House to pass this bill. Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am so delighted that Mr. Ehlers is here for a number of reasons. First of all, the history of harmful algal bloom legislation really owes its existence to this gentleman. As a scientist, as someone who cares passionately about the people of his State and the Great Lakes, I will say without any hesitation the Great Lakes have had no stronger champion in the Congress than this gentleman here, Dr. Ehlers. And for that matter, I believe science itself has had no stronger champion. If you look at his contributions on the Great Lakes, harmful algal blooms I just mentioned. Invasive species. He has been a champion in trying to fight the zebra mussel, which is also the kind of thing someone could look at with derision and say why are we trying to fight invasive species, a little tiny mussel? Well, it costs billions of dollars a year in property loss and economic loss. Just yesterday we were on a panel together and he was raising the very important issue of the possible invasion of carp into the Great Lakes system, which would devastate the sports fishing and other industries in the Great Lakes. The other reason I think it is particularly appropriate that he is here is when we speak about red tide, inland [[Page 3282]] communities may say, we don't have any marine waters, what do we care? The Great Lakes are a classic example of an area where harmful algal blooms can affect fresh waters as well as maritime waters. And so my hat is off to Dr. Ehlers, and he has my gratitude for his leadership on this over the years. In closing, I would like to again thank my friend and colleague from Texas, my friend from Michigan, and Mr. Mack, Ms. Castor, and Mr. Kratovil. I am very grateful for the time, and urge passage of this. Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2010. I am pleased to cosponsor this bill, which would help us address one of the most underrecognized problems affecting our coastal communities, damaging aquatic environments, and threatening human health. Harmful algal blooms can devastate commercial fisheries and tourism. Some blooming species produce potent neurotoxins that can kill marine organisms and cause human illness--or even death--when contaminated seafood is consumed. For this reason, blooms often necessitate fisheries closures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that HABs cost the commercial fishing industry $38 million per year. In cases where the blooming organisms do not produce toxins, they can deplete the water column of light and oxygen, causing dead zones. These often drive off tourists at a cost of millions of dollars annually to our coastal communities. All together, NOAA estimates that HABs cost the United States economy $82 million per year. The bill before us today would establish and maintain a National Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program to develop a national strategy to address this national problem. This would include a full analysis of our research, development, and demonstration needs and priorities and the creation of coordinated education programs. This is just the kind of action we need to take more often. We need to provide our federal science agencies the tools they need to gather the scientific data necessary to help us develop an effective solution to this problem. I am pleased to support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well. Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act, will address a growing threat to the health of our aquatic environments and our coastal communities. H.R. 3650 establishes a program, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to reduce the environmental impact of harmful algal blooms, HABs, and hypoxia. Algal blooms, which are a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system, are typically not threatening to their environments. However, a growing percentage of algal blooms produce toxins that can kill fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds, and may cause illness in people. Non-toxic algal blooms may also have a hypoxic effect on marine ecosystems. For example, when masses of algae die and decompose, they can deplete oxygen in the water, causing the water to become so low in oxygen that animals either leave the area or die. HABs have been reported in almost every U.S. coastal state, and their occurrence may be on the rise. H.R. 3650 authorizes $41 million each year for the next four years for NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to further research the complex causes of HABs. The program will develop a national strategy to address marine and freshwater HABs, hypoxia, and the protection of affected ecosystems. It will educate coastal resource managers and the general public with training and awareness programs. The program will also identify further research needs, and provide grant funding for research projects. I strongly support this bill because it is a critical step towards the preservation of our coastlines for future generations. Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act. I represent North Florida along the coast line of the Gulf of Mexico. My district has some of the most beautiful and cleanest beaches in the Nation, as well as a strong fishing and oyster industry. This coastline is pristine and much of it is undeveloped. Every time the Algal Blooms near our coastline, our local economy and environment come under threat. Algal blooms have a significant impact on our seafood industry. In particular, the blooms directly affect the filter-feeders. Oysters and scallops are a significant economic engine to many of the small towns along the Gulf coastline. When the 2005 algal bloom incident occurred, many folks in my district lost a significant amount of their income because of the toxins that result from algal blooms. In fact, the Apalachicola Bay was closed for over 50 percent of the season, resulting in loss of seafood harvest, cancelled tourist reservations, regional defamation and illness that exceeded millions. Algal blooms also have a significant impact on Florida's tourism industry. The effects of the toxins can lead to respiratory and eye problems in people who are exposed. When algal blooms take over, tourists can not enjoy the wildlife and ecosystems they came to experience and this has a clear and disastrous impact on our State's $53 billion tourism industry. In conclusion, the welfare of our coastal communities, seafood production, and health in the Apalachicola Bay, and all along the Florida coast, remains at risk due to algal blooms. This situation must have more attention and science devoted to protect our economy and job, as well as the environment and public health. I support H.R. 3650 and will continue to do my part to help develop responsible and more effective methods to stop algal blooms. Mr. BAIRD. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired. The Chair understands that the gentleman from Arizona will not be offering his amendment. Pursuant to House Resolution 1168, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill. The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill. The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it. Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15- minute vote on passage of H.R. 3650 will be followed by 5-minute votes on the Speaker's approval of the Journal and the motion to suspend the rules on H.R. 4506. The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 251, nays 103, not voting 76, as follows: [Roll No. 109] YEAS--251 Adler (NJ) Andrews Arcuri Baird Baldwin Barrow Bean Becerra Berkley Berry Biggert Bilbray Bilirakis Bishop (GA) Bishop (NY) Blumenauer Boccieri Bono Mack Boozman Boucher Boustany Boyd Brady (PA) Braley (IA) Brown, Corrine Brown-Waite, Ginny Butterfield Capito Capps Capuano Cardoza Carnahan Carney Carson (IN) Cassidy Castle Castor (FL) Chandler Chu Clarke Cleaver Clyburn Cohen Cole Connolly (VA) Conyers Cooper Costa Courtney Crenshaw Crowley Cuellar Cummings Dahlkemper Davis (CA) Davis (IL) Davis (TN) DeGette DeLauro Dent Dicks Dingell Doggett Donnelly (IN) Doyle Driehaus Edwards (MD) Edwards (TX) Ehlers Ellison Ellsworth Engel Eshoo Etheridge Fallin Farr Fattah Filner Fleming Fortenberry Foster Fudge Garamendi Gerlach Giffords Gohmert Gonzalez Gordon (TN) Grayson Green, Al Green, Gene Gutierrez Hall (NY) Halvorson Hare Harman Hastings (FL) Heinrich Herseth Sandlin Himes Hinchey Hinojosa Hirono Hodes Holden Holt Honda Hoyer Inslee Israel Jackson (IL) Jackson Lee (TX) Johnson (GA) Johnson (IL) Johnson, E. B. Kanjorski Kennedy Kildee Kilroy Kind Kissell Kline (MN) Kosmas Kratovil Kucinich Langevin Larsen (WA) Larson (CT) Lee (CA) Levin Lewis (GA) Lipinski LoBiondo Lowey Lucas Lynch Mack Maffei Markey (CO) Markey (MA) Matheson Matsui McCarthy (NY) McCollum McCotter McDermott McGovern McIntyre McMahon McNerney Meek (FL) Meeks (NY) Melancon Michaud Miller (NC) Miller, George Minnick Mitchell Mollohan Moore (KS) Moore (WI) Moran (VA) Murphy, Patrick Nadler (NY) Neal (MA) Nye Oberstar Obey Olver Ortiz Pallone Pascrell Pastor (AZ) Paulsen Payne Perlmutter Perriello Peters Peterson Petri Pingree (ME) Platts Polis (CO) Posey Price (NC) Putnam Quigley [[Page 3283]] Rahall Rangel Rehberg Reichert Richardson Rooney Ross Rothman (NJ) Roybal-Allard Ruppersberger Ryan (OH) Ryan (WI) Salazar Sanchez, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sarbanes Scalise Schakowsky Schauer Schiff Schrader Schwartz Scott (GA) Scott (VA) Serrano Sestak Shea-Porter Sherman Shuler Skelton Slaughter Smith (NE) Smith (NJ) Snyder Space Spratt Stark Stupak Sutton Tanner Taylor Teague Thompson (MS) Tierney Titus Tonko Towns Tsongas Van Hollen Velazquez Visclosky Walz Wasserman Schultz Waters Watson Watt Waxman Weiner Welch Wilson (OH) Wittman Woolsey Wu Yarmuth NAYS--103 Aderholt Akin Altmire Austria Bachmann Bachus Barrett (SC) Bartlett Blackburn Boehner Bonner Boren Brady (TX) Bright Broun (GA) Burton (IN) Camp Cantor Coble Coffman (CO) Conaway Culberson Davis (KY) Dreier Duncan Emerson Forbes Foxx Franks (AZ) Frelinghuysen Garrett (NJ) Goodlatte Granger Graves Griffith Guthrie Hall (TX) Harper Hastings (WA) Hensarling Herger Hunter Inglis Jenkins Jordan (OH) King (IA) King (NY) Kingston Kirkpatrick (AZ) Lamborn Lance Latham Latta Lee (NY) Lewis (CA) Linder Luetkemeyer Lummis Lungren, Daniel E. Manzullo McCarthy (CA) McCaul McClintock McHenry McKeon McMorris Rodgers Mica Miller (FL) Miller (MI) Myrick Neugebauer Nunes Olson Owens Pitts Poe (TX) Price (GA) Radanovich Roe (TN) Rogers (AL) Rogers (MI) Royce Schmidt Sensenbrenner Sessions Shadegg Shuster Simpson Smith (TX) Souder Stearns Sullivan Thompson (PA) Thornberry Tiahrt Tiberi Turner Upton Westmoreland Whitfield Wilson (SC) Wolf Young (AK) NOT VOTING--76 Ackerman Alexander Baca Barton (TX) Berman Bishop (UT) Blunt Boswell Brown (SC) Buchanan Burgess Buyer Calvert Campbell Cao Carter Chaffetz Childers Clay Costello Davis (AL) Deal (GA) DeFazio Delahunt Diaz-Balart, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Flake Frank (MA) Gallegly Gingrey (GA) Grijalva Heller Higgins Hill Hoekstra Issa Johnson, Sam Jones Kagen Kaptur Kilpatrick (MI) Kirk Klein (FL) LaTourette Loebsack Lofgren, Zoe Lujan Maloney Marchant Marshall Miller, Gary Moran (KS) Murphy (CT) Murphy (NY) Murphy, Tim Napolitano Paul Pence Pomeroy Reyes Rodriguez Rogers (KY) Rohrabacher Ros-Lehtinen Roskam Rush Schock Shimkus Sires Smith (WA) Speier Terry Thompson (CA) Walden Wamp Young (FL) {time} 1106 Messrs. SOUDER and WHITFIELD changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.'' So the bill was passed. The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. Stated for: Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, March 12, 2010, I was absent during rollcall vote No. 109. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on passage of H.R. 3650, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act. Stated against: Mr. HELLER. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 109, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 109, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' ____________________