Save Our Salmon Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. LUMMIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4582) to exclude striped bass from the anadromous fish doubling requirement in section 3406(b)(1) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4582

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Save Our Salmon Act'' or the ``SOS Act''. SEC. 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) California is home to many populations of native salmon and steelhead.

(2) Many of the native salmon and steelhead populations in California are listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

(3) The Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) required a doubling of natural production of Central Valley populations of anadromous fish within 10 years.

(4) Striped bass are anadromous fish indigenous to the East Coast of the United States and are not native to the State of California.

(5) Striped bass were included in the CVPIA's fish doubling goal even though they are not a native species.

(6) Striped bass prey on native salmon and steelhead.

(7) Predation poses a serious threat to federally protected juvenile salmon and other native fish in California.

(8) According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, reducing abundance of striped bass and other non-native predators must be achieved to prevent extinction of Central Valley salmon and steelhead or to prevent the species from declining irreversibly.

(9) Therefore, the CVPIA's fish-doubling goal for two competing species is contradictory and counterproductive for salmon and steelhead recovery. SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF STRIPED BASS.

(a) Anadromous Fish.--Section 3403(a) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (title XXXIV of Public Law 102-575) is amended by striking ``striped bass,'' after ``stocks of salmon (including steelhead),''.

(b) Fish and Wildlife Restoration Activities.--Section 3406(b) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (title XXXIV of Public Law 102-575) is amended by--

(1) striking paragraphs (14) and (18);

(2) redesignating paragraphs (15) through (17) as paragraphs (14) through (16), respectively; and

(3) redesignating paragraphs (19) through (23) as paragraphs (17) through (21), respectively.

(c) Restoration Fund Established.--Section 3407(a) of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (title XXXIV of Public Law 102-575) is amended by striking ``(10)-(18), and (20)- (22)'' and inserting ``(10)-(16), and (18)-(20)''.

I want to commend these California Members. I have been to their districts. I have seen and been at hearings in Fresno where these issues have come to my level of understanding of now a sympathetic outsider. These issues are almost intractable. When we see bipartisan support on something this important to the economy, to the farmers and ranchers, to the wonderful ecosystems that they are trying to balance in a way that will conserve farming and ranching, that benefits every consumer in this country of some of the finest fruits, vegetables, and other commodities that you can ever imagine. I mean, this is like the breadbasket of our country. To find ways to combat nonnative species in a way that protects native species and also protects the people who produce our food and fiber is so important.

I commend the gentlemen from California on both sides of the aisle and their colleagues.

I want to offer my complete support of H.R. 4582.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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