House Proceeding 12-17-07 on Dec 17th, 2007 :: 0:10:00 to 0:30:00
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Speech By: Collin C. Peterson

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Collin C. Peterson: honored to rise as the house considers house joint resolution 15 to recognize the contributions of the christmas tree industry to the united states economy. as a christmas grower myself, i

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Virginia Foxx: can recognize this often overlooked yet highly significant farming industry. christmas trees have held an historic place in traditional american family values since 1850. just as importantly, christmas

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Speech By: Virginia Foxx

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Virginia Foxx: trees play a vital role in the north carolina high country's economy by providing jobs and livelihoods for thousands of north carolinians. my district in north carolina is one of the largest

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Virginia Foxx: producers of live cut christmas trees in the entire country. there are over 1,600 north carolina growers and approximately 400im christmas tree farms across the state. the north carolina

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Virginia Foxx: christmas tree industry is ranked second in the nation in the number of trees harvests producing over 19% of the real christmas trees in the united ates. north carolina has an estimated 50

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Virginia Foxx: million frazier fir christmas trees growing in over 20,000 acres, representing 95% of allpecies grown in north carolina. they're grown in north carolina's western counties, including alleghany,

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Virginia Foxx: ashe, haywood, henderson, jackson, make om, mitchell, -- may come, mitchell. the christmas tree is the most tree in north carolina america, frazier fir, and is shipped everywhere in the

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united states including the caribbean islands, mexico, japan, and other points throughout the world. the north carolina frazier fir has needle retention, a long-lasting aroma and more pliable,

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yet stronger branches for even the most heavier ornaments. through a contest sponsored by the national christmas tree association, the fir has been judged the nation's best and has been chosen

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for the official white house christmas tree 10 times, more than any other species. in 1971, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, and 2007. it's my great privilege to say at a beautiful

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frazier fir grown by joe four-seaman and linda jones of meadow christmas tree farm sits in the white house blue room as this year's official white house christmas tree. the christmas tree

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industry supports or economy and the environment. christmas trees are grown in al50 states with north carolina, oregon, michigan, washington, wisconsin, pennsylvania, new york, minnesota, virginia,

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california, and ohio being the top christmas tree producers. nationally, there are more than 21,000 christmas tree growers and more than 100,000 people are employed in the live cut christmas

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Virginia Foxx: tree industry. 36 million live cut christmas trees are produced each year, and 98% are shipped or sold directly from christmas tree farms. live cut christmas trees are renewable, recycleable

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Virginia Foxx: resource. there are over 500,000 acres in production for growing christmas trees in the u.s., and each acre provides a daily oxygen requirement for 18 people. on average, over 1,500 christmas

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Virginia Foxx: trees are planted per acre providing abundant habitat for wildlife. it can take up to 15 years to grow christmas trees to retail sale height, a testament to the commitment growers have to maintain

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Virginia Foxx: a strong and healthy tree. the retail value of all christmas trees harvested in 2004 was $1.4 billion. live cut christmas trees have been sold commercially in the united states since 1850.

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Virginia Foxx: by 1900, one in five american families decorated live cut trees during christmas. by 1930, the tree had become a nearly universal part of the american christmas. for generations, american families

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Virginia Foxx: have traveled hundreds and thousands of miles to celebrate the holiday season together at home around the christmas tree. this year, more than 10,000 trees were donated to american troops

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Virginia Foxx: by over 750 christmas tree farmers across the nation. these christmas trees were delivered to over 37 bases across 19 states and over 15 countries abroad to spread the holiday spirit to our men

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Virginia Foxx: and women in uniform who are bravely and honorably serving our nation throughout this christmas season. i'd like to thank the chairman and ranking member of the committee on agriculture and

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the majority leader for their assistance in getting this resolution to the floor. i urge my colleagues to support this measure, recognizing this important industry. st not just for its economic and environmental

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impact but also for its culturfoal contribution to the christmas holiday. thank you to christmas tree growers across the country for their contribution to our economy, our environment, and

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our nation's heritage. and i reserve the balance of my time. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from minnesota. >> does theentlelady have ad further speakers?rt

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ms. foxx: we have no further speakers. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. >> mr. speaker, i also yield back the balance of my time.

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the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota also yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and agree to house joint resolution 15. so many as are in favor say aye.

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those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, and the joint resolution is passed and without objection the motion

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to reconsider is laid upon the table. >> i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection,

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Collin C. Peterson: so ordered. the gentleman from minnesota. >> mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 3454. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the

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Speech By: Collin C. Peterson

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Collin C. Peterson: clerk: h.r. 3454, a bill to provide for the conveyance of a small parcel of national forest system land in the george washington national forest in allegheny county, virginia, that contains a

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Collin C. Peterson: cemetery of a central advent christian church and an adjoining tract of land located between the cemetery and road boundaries. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman

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Collin C. Peterson: from minnesota, mr. partyson, and the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. foxx, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from minnesota. mr. peterson:. mr. speaker, i

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Collin C. Peterson: yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. peterson: mr. speaker, i rise in support today of h.r. 3454. this bill sponsored by mr. boucher

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Collin C. Peterson: of virginia would convey property in the george washington national forest to the central advent christian church of alleghenyounty, virginia. the parcel will consist of no more than eight acres

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Collin C. Peterson: and included in that parcel will be aa cement tarry encompassing approximately six acres. mr. speaker, h.r. 3454 requires that the church accept the property at the time of the conveyance in an

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Collin C. Peterson: as is condition. the exact acreage and legal description of the property to be conveyed will be determined in a survey with usda's approval. usda will also set additional terms and conditions

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Collin C. Peterson: in connection with the conveyance of this property. the united states forest service has acknowledged this particular tract of forestland is difficult to manage. owning a cemetery tract is

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Collin C. Peterson: inconsistent with the foreign service mission which is why they have attempted to sell this property several times without success. i understand the central advent christian church has already

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Collin C. Peterson: been doing basic maintenance on the cemetery grounds. conveying this land to the church would enable them to make more significant repairs to the property. so this effort deserves congressional

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Collin C. Peterson: support. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlela dy from north carolina. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i also rise today

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Collin C. Peterson: in support of h.r. 345 4, which our distinguished ranking memb on the agriculture committee, mr. goodlatte, has co-sponsored with congressman boucher. h.r. 3454 requires the u.s. forest service

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Virginia Foxx: to convey without consideration eight acres of the george washington national forest in allegheny county, virginia, to the central advent christian church. the conveyance includes a six-acre cemetery

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Speech By: Virginia Foxx

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Virginia Foxx: and two additional acres between the cemetery and interstate 64. while typically the forest service would sell this property under existing authority, they did not receive any bids when

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Virginia Foxx: they attempted to sell it. clearly the forest service should not be in the business of owning a cemetery. particularly one that has been managed by the community church since 1941 under special

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Virginia Foxx: use permit. the church has tried to acquire the property but for financial and other reasons has been unsuccessful. the cemetery also creates some management problems for the agencyince

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Virginia Foxx: there is a fair amount of maintenance associated with it. this conveyance makes sense for the federal government and for the community church. it will allow the forest service to focus on

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Virginia Foxx: the land congress intended the agency to manage. i urge adoption of this bipartisan legislation. and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pr o tempore: the gentlelady yields back.

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Virginia Foxx: mr. peterson: mr.mr speaker, i yield back. i have no further speakers. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota yields back as well. the

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Collin C. Peterson: question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 3454. 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,

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Speech By: Collin C. Peterson

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Collin C. Peterson: the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. the gentleman from minnesota. mr. peterson: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent

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Collin C. Peterson: that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill just considered. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. peterson: mr. speaker, i move

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Collin C. Peterson: to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1374. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 1374, a bill to amend the florida national forestland management

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Collin C. Peterson: act of 2003 to authorize the conveyance of an additional tract of national forest system land under that act, and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the

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Collin C. Peterson: gentleman from minnesota, mr. peterson, and the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. foxx, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from minnesota. mr. peterson: mr. speaker,

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Collin C. Peterson: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. peterson: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1374. h.r. 1374 introduced by representatives

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Collin C. Peterson: allen boyd of florida and andrew crenshaw of florida would amend the florida national forestland management act of 2003 and permit a land conveyance in leon county. this bill would allow the united

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Collin C. Peterson: states forest service to sell 114-acre parcel in the apple latch cola -- apalachicola national forest known as the flea market tract. the parcel is surrounded by commercial development including

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Collin C. Peterson: a major highway to the north, a line easement to the south, and private land primarily developed to the east and west. the configuration and development makes adequate land management difficult and the

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Collin C. Peterson: tract unsuitable as managed forestland. h.r. 1374 specifies that the proceeds of the sale of the tract will be used for the purpose of acquiring private lands within the apalachicola

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Collin C. Peterson: national forest. h.r. 1374 is supported by united states forest service, the city of tallahassee, and leon county, as well as by local businesses, church, and civic groups. it is a project that

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Collin C. Peterson: is worthy of congressional support. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentlelady from north carolina.