J.C. Watts: “I rise as a cosponsor of H.J. Res. 72, the Red River Boundary Compact, and urge my colleagues to support this important…”

“I rise as a cosponsor of H.J. Res. 72, the Red River Boundary Compact, and urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. Today, with Congressional consent the border dispute between Oklahoma and Texas that has existed for more than 100 years will come to an end. The official boundary is currently the south bank of the Red River. However, the Red River constantly runs dry, which makes determining the south bank difficult. There was an obvious need for a new, more definitive way to determine the border. In 1996, Oklahoma and Texas agreed upon creating a Red River Boundary Commission to solve this border dispute. In the last year, this commission released their findings and both Oklahoma and Texas state governments have agreed on this compromise. This agreement would clarify and affix the boundary between Oklahoma and Texas as the vegetation line on the south bank of the Red River. This agreement would mean that the Red River would be part of the State of Oklahoma, where it belongs. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. We need to put a stamp on this agreement which will end the Red River War, and I urge my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 72.”