Bruce Westerman

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 283) to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 283, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 283, the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz from Texas.

This legislation would direct the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the NOAA Administrator to jointly develop a standard methodology, based on chemical analysis, for identifying the country of origin of seafood products to support enforcement against illegal, unregulated, or unreported fishing, otherwise known as IUU fishing.

IUU fishing undermines the sustainability of the seafood supply chain and the United States' leadership as a gold standard for fisheries management. This bill will promote innovation to help keep IUU products out of American markets.

I thank Representative Brian Babin from Texas, a sponsor of companion legislation, for his leadership on this issue in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 283, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), the lead sponsor of the House companion to this bill and chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mr. Speaker, again, S. 283 supports the development of new technology that can help identify and cut off IUU fish products entering our markets.

I greatly appreciate Senator Cruz and Representative Babin for their leadership on this legislation. I urge the passage of S. 283 and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 759) to provide for the standardization, publication, and accessibility of data relating to public outdoor recreational use of Federal waterways, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise

and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 759, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 759, the Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act, sponsored by Senator Cruz from Texas.

This legislation would require NOAA to make certain data easily accessible to the multiple users of our ocean resources. Recreational and commercial industries operating on America's waterways need large amounts of data, including waterway closures, speed limits, and fishing restrictions.

Senator Cruz' legislation directs NOAA to work with stakeholders and the public to determine what data to include, then publish it online in a user-friendly format.

I thank Representative Fry of South Carolina, the sponsor of companion legislation in the House of Representatives, for his leadership on this initiative that will enhance safety and improve the recreational experience for ocean users. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is a commonsense step that improves public safety and access to our oceans. I thank Senator Cruz and Representative Fry for their diligent work and attention on this issue.

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. 4219) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Program, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4219, the bill now under consideration.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 4219, the National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act of 2025.

Invasive species pose a serious threat to our Nation's wildlife and natural resources. They can damage habitat, harm native species, and create significant economic and environmental costs. The National Wildlife Refuge System is a crown jewel of American wildlife conservation, and invasive populations in refuges jeopardize the system's conservation value. We must ensure the Fish and Wildlife Service has the tools it needs to respond quickly to those threats.

The Fish and Wildlife Service currently uses invasive species strike teams to identify and respond to invasive species threats through prevention, early detection, and rapid response. H.R. 4219 strengthens this effort by establishing at least one strike team in each Fish and Wildlife Service region and encouraging coordination with Federal, State, Tribal, local, and private partners.

I support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 4219, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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