America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his leadership on the committee and for his efforts to make sure that the America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act comes before this body and ultimately gets signed into law.

The act is better known as the ACE Reauthorization Act, and ace it definitely is. It is the ace that we need in our hand to make sure we are there on the side of our natural resources across this Nation.

This pivotal piece of legislation signifies our commitment to preserving the natural beauty of our great Nation while promoting sustainable practices for future generations. As a lifelong outdoorsman, I am committed to ensuring all Americans have the opportunity to get out and enjoy the outdoors, from the Pacific Ocean to our wonderful national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay.

This legislation, which has been amended to contain my House Natural Resources-passed companion language, provides authorization for some of the most effective conservation programs in the history of this Nation.

This bill would reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which protects waterfowl, fish, and wildlife resources across this Nation and, most importantly, preserves critical wetland habitat, which is disappearing at an alarming rate.

It supports local economies that depend on outdoor recreation, tourism, and agriculture. It also preserves American traditions, such as hunting, fishing, bird-watching, family farming, and cattle ranching.

Mr. Speaker, this is one of the most successful public-private partnerships in the history of this Nation. This program leverages more than $2 of private money to $1 of public money. All of these dollars come from sportsmen, whether it is through buying a duck stamp to go hunt waterfowl or just to enjoy doing bird watching, which we know our colleague from Virginia enjoys quite a bit of.

It is incredibly impactful for this Nation to understand that also, on the public side, these dollars from duck stamps are matched with sportsmen who are passionate about these resources, whether it is the waterfowl, the shore birds, or the wetland habitats, and organizations like Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl. Those organizations work tirelessly to raise these dollars, and all of these go to preserving that critical habitat.

We know today in our Nation these wetland habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate. Our ability to set aside these lands in our national wetlands inventory through our National Wildlife Refuge System is incredible. We use all kinds of tools to do that. Whether it is through purchase of the property or whether it is through purchase of development rights, conservation easements, they are really effective tools to make sure we preserve this critical habitat.

The other part of the ACE Reauthorization Act is reauthorizing the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act. We know our States do a wonderful job of focusing on critical fish habitat and working to preserve those. This bill allows them to do even more with Federal partners to make sure they are working in unison with local governments and local organizations to do even more to preserve that critical habitat.

Also, as co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, I know how crucial it is to protect our national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is not only the largest estuary in the United States but also a critical ecosystem that supports diverse wildlife and provides economic benefits to millions of Americans.

In fact, I would argue many folks here in the Washington, D.C., area on a daily basis enjoy the wonderful natural resources from the Chesapeake Bay. If you go to a restaurant and happen to order a crab cake or an oyster, it most likely came from the Chesapeake Bay.

I am proud that this bill also reauthorizes the Chesapeake Bay Program, a successful Federal and State partnership that coordinates efforts to reduce pollution in the bay.

Mr. Speaker, if there is a poster child for a Federal role under the Constitution, it is the Chesapeake Bay Program because it truly is an interstate program. It is about getting all the States to work together to make sure we are in unison in improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. This is, indeed, that constitutional direction on interstate cooperation that is allowed under the Constitution to achieve what is critical not just to this Nation but also to our natural resources.

The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Act is also a critical part of this. It supports efforts to improve the conditions of habitats and enhance public access to the bay and its rivers. We know what an incredibly important economic engine the Chesapeake Bay is. This enhances the ability for folks to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay, to learn more about it, and to have those opportunities there that not only create richness in life for the people who enjoy the bay but also for the communities that seek their livelihood from the bay.

The Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense Act, another part of the ACE Reauthorization Act, helps local entities rehabilitate

fish and wildlife habitats throughout the bay watershed.

This ACE Reauthorization Act is truly a testament to our commitment to future generations and to the treasure of the natural resources that this Nation has at its avail. It ensures that our children and grandchildren will inherit a world that is as rich in biodiversity and natural beauty as the one we cherish today.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for yielding me time again.

It is incredibly valuable, I think, for folks across the Nation to understand that America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act is really one of those efforts where we take a lot of separate bills which by themselves do a lot of good, and we bring them together to do even a greater good. With that, we also are able to look at how these programs relate to each other. Our effort at this level is to make sure that we coordinate and that we look at how do we utilize resources.

These bills are critically important because it is not just about utilizing Federal resources. In fact, I would argue, with these bills it is actually more about leveraging the opportunities and the resources we have at the State and local levels because these bills are incredibly important to localities across the Nation. They are incredibly important to the experience that we all have as Americans in enjoying these natural resources. That is why the ACE Reauthorization Act, I think, has such far-reaching impacts on our Nation.

It is great that today we can come together in a bipartisan way and say we are in favor of this. This is one of the places where we know working together we can get things done that are in the best interests of our communities and the best interests of our States and Commonwealths across the Nation.

We understand, too, that as much as sometimes people focus on the things that we disagree on, there are some pretty significant things that we agree on.

Today is one of those days where we look at this, and we say these bills are all about a greater good. They are really about enhancing the quality of life in our communities. They are about achieving things that we look to do in common with each other. We look for the private sector to leverage the dollars that are there, people that want to participate in these programs that have really been shown to be a success across the spectrum through the years and that leverage resources.

We look today at the challenges we face in the Nation about a deficit in resources that come in versus the resources that go out. This is one of those programs where it really is a success story about how we take a small amount of Federal dollars that come from sportsmen that voluntarily pay for these dollars, and they leverage it with private dollars. What a great example of a successful program.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3791) to reauthorize the America's Conservation Enhancement Act, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 3791, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3791, the America's Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act, or the ACE Act.

This bill seeks to improve and codify a series of collaborative conservation efforts between the Federal Government, States, and wildlife and sportsmen organizations that have resulted in positive results for numerous species.

S. 3791 would first reauthorize a series of successful conservation programs, such as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Chesapeake Bay Program.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act, or NAWCA, is particularly important to my home State of Arkansas. As the only Federal grant program solely dedicated to wetlands conservation, NAWCA has conserved over 31 million acres of wetland habitat for waterfowl.

This is critical for my State, as over 100,000 people each year visit Arkansas for the best waterfowl hunting in the country and to hunt in the pristine flooded timber and rice fields of the Natural State.

Title II of the bill makes important technical changes to the National Fish Habitat Partnership program. These changes include ensuring that Tribes, regional fishery management councils, and marine fisheries commissions are

represented on the National Fish Habitat Board and can contribute to reviewing project proposals and allocating grant dollars.

I also commend the work of the sponsor of the House companion of this bill, Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia, who is a true champion of our country's wildlife and sportsmen.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

By passing S. 3791, Congress will ensure that vital conservation work that has benefited countless at-risk species can be improved and continue on into the future.

When we think about conservation, the word ``conservation'' denotes that it is usage of our resources, it is good stewardship, and these programs promote good stewardship. They not only promote good stewardship, it gets a lot of skin in the game, not just from the Federal Government and the general public, but from all of these conservation organizations and private funds that go into true conservation work to create the wildlife habitat that benefits so many species.

We know that it not only benefits species that we like to hunt and fish for, but it also benefits us because clean air and clean water and a healthy, safe environment benefits everyone. That is what these programs promote.

This bill has brought together a diverse group of sportsmen and conservation organizations who see the benefit of the programs included in this bill, as my friend from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) has already stated. These organizations are groups we have all heard of like Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, and the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation. Many of us are members of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, the American Sportfishing Association, and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Again, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, S. 3791 would reauthorize several critical wildlife and habitat bills through 2030.

These include the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, the Chesapeake Bay Program, and the National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships program.

The bill would also codify important new programs, such as the black vulture livestock protection program and make technical changes to the National Fish Habitat Partnership and board.

As we know, in the Great Lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and other fish habitats are crucial in providing ecosystem services. They enhance water quality, offer essential habitat for fish and wildlife, mitigate coastal storm impacts, and improve water supply. To conserve and restore these environments, partnerships among Federal, State, and regional entities leverage their diverse resources, expertise, and capabilities to maximize their impacts.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act exemplifies a successful partnership-based program, utilizing non-Federal partnerships to protect and restore wetlands and related habitats. This is one of the most cost-effective conservation programs out there, where more than $3 in non-Federal contributions are made for every Federal dollar invested.

Similarly, the Chesapeake Bay Program brings together stakeholders, academic institutions, and local governments to collaboratively restore and preserve the Chesapeake Bay. The bay provides over $130 billion annually in natural benefits, including improved air, water, and soil quality as well as critical fisheries habitat.

Additionally, the National Fish Habitat Partnership unites 20 regional fish habitat partnerships to restore aquatic ecosystems' health. Since its inception in 2006, the partnership has rehabilitated tens of thousands of acres of freshwater habitat and over 2,000 miles of rivers, generating more than $1 billion in economic value.

Finally, the amendments to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation authorization will help the foundation and Federal agencies better align priorities, report on the status of programs, and help grantees run their programs efficiently.

I am proud to support the bipartisan effort to reauthorize these essential wildlife conservation programs. These efforts are critical steps toward addressing the Nation's growing biodiversity crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

While we are on the topic of conservation, I thank my colleagues for working with Democrats not just on this conservation bill but also on the WILD Act, which I am pleased to hear will be included in the NDAA this month.

Like the bill before us today, the WILD Act is a bipartisan effort to maximize conservation impacts through partnerships; specifically, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, which help conserve iconic wildlife species, including elephants, rhinos, tigers, great apes, and turtles, and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, which supports habitat restoration efforts across the United States, including the territories.

I am pleased to be the Democratic co-lead of the WILD Act, and I thank my Republican colleague, Representative Joyce of Ohio, for his partnership.

I hope all of us can continue finding ways to work together on conservation and other issues, just like we are doing today with the ACE Reauthorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on S. 3791, the American Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act.

The ACE Act helps to preserve ecosystems, restore habitats, and conserve wildlife by reauthorizing the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Establishment Act, and the Chesapeake Bay Program, among others. I strongly support these programs and the vital conservation efforts they undertake across the Nation and that's why I will support this bill.

Unfortunately, it also includes an exemption for lead-containing sport fishing equipment under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Section 107 of the bill would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating lead tackle under TSCA even if the agency determines that it poses an unreasonable risk to human health.

This section is a solution in search of a problem. To date, EPA has not taken steps to regulate lead tackle under TSCA, and if they did, it would not necessarily result in a ban. In fact, TSCA provides EPA a range of options to protect public health short of a ban--like labeling.

TSCA exists to protect human health, and only authorizes EPA to take action when the agency finds an unreasonable risk. If EPA finds that lead tackle poses an unreasonable risk to human health, we should not take away its authority to address it.

The toxicity of lead to humans and wildlife is well-established. Ingestion of lead can sicken and kill wildlife and can pose a risk to humans handling lead. Considering the risks, several states have banned the use of lead tackle and sinkers, and, in 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule to phase out lead ammunition and tackle in national wildlife refuges by 2026. Blocking any potential EPA action on lead tackle under TSCA will not stop these regulatory efforts. But it will lock in the uneven patchwork of protections from the harms of lead tackle across the United States.

Congress provided EPA with the authority to regulate dangerous chemicals with the goal of protecting public health and the environment. We should let EPA do its job. Congress should not make it standard practice to provide exemptions from our bedrock environmental laws at the expense of public health. Especially for something as dangerous for humans and wildlife as lead.

While I continue to strongly oppose this section, I do support the other provisions in this bill and therefore vote in favor of S. 3791.

Madam President, I understand that the Senate has received the House message to accompany S. 3791.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following message from the House of Representatives:

Resolved, That the bill from the Senate (S. 3791) entitled

``An Act to reauthorize the America's Conservation

Enhancement Act, and for other purposes'', do pass with an

amendment.

Motion to Concur

I move to concur in the House amendment to S. 3791, and I know of no further debate.

I ask that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.