Kathy Castor: “I am pleased to return the debate to the matter on the floor. The Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act sponsored by my…”

“I am pleased to return the debate to the matter on the floor. The Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act sponsored by my colleague, Congressman Joe Courtney of Connecticut, which designates certain segments of the Eightmile River in the State of Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Mr. Speaker, how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful country; spacious skies, amber waves of grain, purple mountain's majesty, and the Eightmile Wild and Scenic River corridor. Despite the protestations from the other side of the aisle, it has been the communities and the residents of this area that have worked on this designation for 10 years or more. And so I congratulate them today. And I salute the leadership of Congressman Joe Courtney, who brought a new energy and commitment to this effort, and I thank Natural Resources Committee Chair Nick Rahall for his leadership. This is a noncontroversial bill. It was reported favorably by the Natural Resources Committee by a voice vote in May. It received the strong bipartisan support of the House, over 235 Members on July 11. Mr. Speaker, the Eightmile River is a national treasure, and we must do all that we can to preserve it. This bill enjoys bipartisan support. A majority of the Members of this House have voted for it, and we're going to vote for it again. I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the important Eightmile Wild and Scenic River Act.”