Jim Saxton: “Mr. Speaker, on April 23 of this year, the House overwhelmingly adopted H.R. 2679, a bill introduced by our colleague…”

“Mr. Speaker, on April 23 of this year, the House overwhelmingly adopted H.R. 2679, a bill introduced by our colleague from Nebraska, Bill Barrett, to remove certain lands from the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge. The other body has now acted on this legislation and while they made no changes in the North Platte provision, they did add a new title to the bill dealing with the Pettaquamscutt Cove National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island. This refuge was established in 1988 to protect valuable coastal wetlands that provide essential habitat to a diverse group of species of waterfowl, shore and wading birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. In fact, it is my understanding that this cove is the most important habitat in Rhode Island for the black duck population under the North American waterfowl management plan. While the boundaries of the refuge now encompass about 460 acres of salt marsh and forest habitat, title II of H.R. 2679 will authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire a 100-acre parcel of land known as Foddering Farm Acres.”