To reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and ranking member for hearing my bill today. It is such a critical piece of legislation.

Those of us from Great Lakes States know how important it is to connect our young people back to the water that surrounds them, to nature, and to get off their phones and into the great outdoors.

I rise today in support of this incredible piece of bipartisan legislation that I cosponsored with another great midwesterner, Rudy Yakym, the Reauthorization of Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act.

This program is an art- and science-based curriculum that educates children on the importance of wetlands and waterfowl conservation. The Junior Duck Stamp curriculum is a program during which students can develop an understanding of waterfowl anatomy and habitats, culminating in the Junior Duck Stamp art competition, where participants may draw or paint a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species.

The winning image of this contest then goes on to be featured on the Junior Duck Stamp itself, with proceeds of the stamp being redirected to educational activities for the students participating in the program.

As was mentioned, this program has been in existence for 30 years, and the benefits have been proven. This bill will provide an extension of the Junior Duck Stamp program through 2031, empowering our children to learn more about conservation and their world around them. If we do not act today, we could lose all the good that comes from this program.

I am fortunate to come from an outdoorsy household, where we are a camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing family. These experiences have been critical to my own sons, James and Wesley, in their upbringing. The extension of this program will ensure that other households have consistent access to exploring our environment, as well.

We must encourage our children to connect with the environment to understand how to preserve the natural world that makes Michigan and the entire United States such a wonderful place to live. That is what the Junior Duck Stamp program is all about, and I am thrilled to lead this legislation to ensure future generations of children can learn about conservation while tapping into their artistic skills.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1098 would reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program, a small but mighty initiative that has inspired young conservationists for over three decades.

As the Fish and Wildlife Service puts it, this dynamic art and science curriculum reaches students from kindergarten through high school, teaching them about wetland and waterfowl conservation through hands-on learning and artistic expression. It is education at its finest, combining creativity with conservation, art with action.

What makes this program truly special is how it is funded. One hundred percent--every single penny--of revenue from Junior Duck Stamp sales goes directly back into supporting environmental education activities for students and recognizing students for their conservation efforts.

This isn't government waste or bureaucratic overhead. This is a program that pays for itself while delivering real results. At a time when we are seeing declining connections between young people and nature, when screen time often outweighs green time, programs like this are more important than ever. It is exactly the kind of targeted, effective investment we should be making.

I commend Representatives Scholten and Yakym for their bipartisan leadership on this issue. The Junior Duck Stamp program represents the best of what government can do: inspiring young people, supporting education, and protecting our natural heritage, all while operating efficiently and transparently.

Our children deserve the chance to connect with nature, to understand their role as stewards of the environment, and to express that connection through art and learning. This program gives them that chance.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1098. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Scholten), the sponsor of the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1098) to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994, 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 H.R. 1098, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1098 to reauthorize the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994, sponsored by Representative Scholten from Michigan.

Participants in the Junior Duck Stamp program take part in a waterfowl-themed art competition, and the winning artwork is transformed into collectible stamps. The proceeds from these stamps support efforts to connect the next generation of Americans to the outdoors.

The legislation before us would reauthorize the program through fiscal year 2031. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill reauthorizes an important program that invests in the next generation and encourages them to continue our country's great outdoor and sporting legacy. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.