Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be authorized to make technical corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 8790, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, section and title numbering, cross-referencing, conforming amendments to the table of contents and short titles, and the insertion of appropriate headings.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5490) to amend the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to expand the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5490, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Mrs. Kiggans' bill, the BEACH Act, which would reauthorize and amend the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, or

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Kiggans), who is the sponsor of the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, coastal barriers are important for the protection of coastal communities and for wildlife habitat. The BEACH Act balances these two needs by reauthorizing and amending CBRA to recognize the changes to coastal barriers that have taken place over time. The bill would also benefit coastal communities by providing much-needed transparency.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, Mrs. Kiggans, for her great work on the bill. 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. 7370) to amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to establish a deadline for processing applications related to geothermal leasing, 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 H.R. 7370, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7370, the Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act. Geothermal power has serious potential for growth in this country. In fact, DOE estimates that next-generation geothermal technologies, like enhanced geothermal systems, could provide up to 90 gigawatts of reliable baseload energy by 2050.

The best geothermal resources are located out West on Federal lands, and we must do all we can to ensure that bureaucratic red tape does not hamper the development of this resource moving forward.

H.R. 7370, the GEO Act, introduced by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), requires the Bureau of Land Management to process geothermal permits and authorizations unless a Federal court says otherwise.

In some cases, the Biden administration has stopped processing permits and authorizations for geothermal and oil and gas projects solely because of the threat of litigation or because they have unilaterally decided to wait for the appearance of new information.

Often, this delay tactic is meant to appease radical special interest groups who wish to stop all energy development on Federal lands and whose former employees have infiltrated the Department.

Simply put, agencies should continue to move projects forward until they are directed otherwise by a court, and agencies should defend their work in court.

Geothermal energy is becoming easier to produce every day, thanks to enhanced geothermal systems and the advanced methods these developers have borrowed from the oil and gas industry.

We cannot allow the mere threat of frivolous litigation to hamper domestic energy production. This bill would address concerns voiced by the Bureau of Land Management during our hearing to ensure they can comply with existing laws.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from

Utah (Mr. Curtis), the lead sponsor of the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis) for working on this commonsense piece of legislation. Again, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4094) to amend the Central Utah Project Completion Act to authorize expenditures for the conduct of certain water conservation measures in the Great Salt Lake basin, and for other purposes.

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 H.R. 4094, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation led by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), which amends the Central Utah Project Completion Act.

As we all know, the Great Salt Lake is one of Utah's most famous natural resources. In recent years, however, the lake levels have dropped to historic lows, posing a threat to the lake's ecosystem, local air quality, and the prosperity of surrounding communities.

Mr. Curtis' legislation would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to use Central Utah Project funds toward new water conservation measures to help recover the Great Salt Lake.

Importantly, this bill does not require any new spending authorizations. I thank Representative Curtis and the rest of Utah's congressional delegation for their leadership on this issue.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Curtis), the sponsor of the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1657) to provide for a land exchange in the Chippewa National Forest, Minnesota, 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 H.R. 1657, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1657, the Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2024, a bipartisan bill being led by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

This commonsense legislation will authorize the U.S. Forest Service to enter into a land exchange with the Bowen Lodge, a family-operated resort on the shores of Lake Winnibigoshish in northern Minnesota.

Exchanging parcels between the Chippewa National Forest and the Bowen Lodge will create a win-win scenario. The lodge will gain permanent access to the lake, and the Forest Service will be able to reconfigure part of its unwieldy checkerboard pattern of land ownership.

This change will provide excellent fishing and recreation opportunities for the local community and improve management efficiencies for the Federal Government.

I applaud Representative Stauber for his leadership in this effort to improve outdoor recreation opportunities for his constituents and for all who have the pleasure of visiting and recreating in northern Minnesota. He has long been a strong advocate for responsible public land management and access for outdoor recreation, and this

legislation is an excellent reflection of that commitment.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill that will benefit the people of northern Minnesota and our public lands. Once again, I applaud Representative Stauber for his work on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2468) to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the State of Utah certain Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, 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 H.R. 2468, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative Owens' bill, the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act.

This legislation would expedite the completion of the Mountain View Corridor by transferring roughly 200 acres from the Bureau of Land Management to the State of Utah to complete the final segment of this large and urgently needed transportation project in Utah.

Finishing the Mountain View Corridor will improve road safety and reduce traffic congestion, results that Utah residents will readily welcome.

Over 60 percent of Utah's land is federally owned. Without these types of conveyances, Western States have limited land they can develop into the homes, schools, and roads that growing communities demand.

H.R. 2468 is an example of Federal agencies, local stakeholders, and Congress successfully collaborating productively to address the problems of a growing population.

I hope this kind of collaboration will continue with all Federal land management issues in Utah and across the West.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Owens for leading this effort, which will finally deliver the Mountain View Corridor to the growing populations of Salt Lake and Utah Counties. He worked with local communities and stakeholders, including the Utah Department of Transportation, to address this need.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Owens), the lead sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is straightforward, commonsense legislation done correctly by prioritizing engagement with local stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6852) to designate Holcombe Rucker Park, in Harlem, New York, as a National Commemorative Site, 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 H.R. 6852, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, Representative Espaillat's bill, the Holcombe Rucker Park National Commemorative Site Act, will designate the historic Holcombe Rucker Park in New York City as a National Commemorative Site.

Located in the heart of New York City's Harlem neighborhood, Holcombe Rucker Park is a historically significant basketball destination that has hosted legendary basketball players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

Once described as the Mecca of Basketball, the park has appeared in many documentaries as the birthplace of streetball, a unique form of basketball that emphasizes creativity.

The park's namesake, Holcombe Rucker, was a highly influential figure in his community, and he helped over 700 children receive college scholarships for athletics.

The legislation before us today, H.R. 6852, would designate Holcombe Rucker Park as a National Commemorative Site. This designation would not affect private property rights, alter the local governance of the park, or make the park a unit of the National Park System. Instead, this bill presents a creative way to honor an important site that has offered generations of Harlem youth a positive outlet for sports, team building, and promoting racial equality.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to thank Representative Espaillat for his work on this bill, which honors an important landmark without adding to the Federal estate or using taxpayer resources.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1726) to require the Secretary of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death, 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 on H.R. 1726, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, Representative Tokuda's legislation, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act, directs the Secretary of the Interior to partner and collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address rapid ohia death.

Rapid ohia death is a fungal disease that has devastated Hawaii's ohia tree population. The ohia tree is important ecologically and culturally to Hawaii. Ohias regulate water flow and help prevent soil erosion. The continued loss of ohia trees can have significant economic impacts, including the loss of tourism revenue and increased water treatment and erosion control cost. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure that can help the affected trees.

H.R. 1726 would help address rapid ohia death by focusing Federal and State agencies' efforts on detection, prevention, and restoration efforts for combating this disease.

I recognize Representative Tokuda for her work on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC, September 15, 2023.

Hon. Bruce Westerman,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC,

Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter confirms our mutual

understanding regarding H.R. 1726, the ``Continued Rapid Ohia

Death Response Act of 2023''. Thank you for collaborating

with the Committee on Agriculture on the matters within our

jurisdiction.

The Committee on Agriculture will forego any further

consideration of this bill. However, by foregoing

consideration at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction

over any subject matter contained in this or similar

legislation. The Committee on Agriculture also reserves the

right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of

conferees should it become necessary and ask that you support

such a request.

We would appreciate a response to this letter confirming

this understanding with respect to H.R. 1726 and request a

copy of our letters on this matter be published in the

Congressional Record during Floor consideration.

Sincerely,

Glenn ``GT'' Thompson,

Chairman.

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

Mr. Speaker, the ohia tree is important to Hawaii's ecosystem, people, and the economy. This legislation will help focus Federal and State resources on conserving one of the most important tree species in Hawaii.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize and support my colleague Ms. Tokuda's work on this issue, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7422) to amend the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to provide cost-recovery authority for the Department of the Interior, 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 H.R. 7422, the bill now under consideration.

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

H.R. 7422, the Geothermal Cost Recovery Authority Act of 2024 grants the Department of the Interior the authority to impose fees on geothermal leaseholders. The fees would cover costs related to geothermal lease applications, production and development plans, site licenses, permits, and approvals, as well as inspection and monitoring activities.

In 2022, BLM updated its regulations and created new geothermal cost recovery fees but did not include a fee for geothermal permits to drill. BLM argued that there is no mechanism under FLPMA to charge cost recovery fees for geothermal facilities like there is for wind and solar.

This bill would provide DOI with explicit authority to charge geothermal leaseholder fees to recover costs for geothermal lease applications and other approvals associated with exploration, drilling, construction, and operation of well sites.

As we have seen in the past, agencies have blamed slow permitting processes on a lack of funding. However, when Congress provided additional funding, permitting timelines did not improve, and taxpayer dollars were squandered.

I appreciate the changes made to the bill during the committee process to ensure fees charged under the legislation will be used explicitly for geothermal permitting. Reporting language was also included to better enable Congress to ensure these funds are used appropriately.

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

Mr. Speaker, as part of an all-of-the-above approach to energy security, geothermal energy has great potential to help meet the United States' growing energy demands.

I appreciate Ms. Ocasio-Cortez' work with my team to address concerns raised about H.R. 7422 during the committee's hearing and markup process. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2950) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, through the Coastal Program of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, to work with willing partners and provide support to efforts to assess, protect, restore, and enhance important coastal landscapes that provide fish and wildlife habitat on which certain Federal trust species depend, 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 H.R. 2950, the bill now under consideration.

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

Representative Huffman's bill, the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023, congressionally authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Program.

The Coastal Program was administratively created in 1984 and annually receives appropriations even though it has never been statutorily authorized. H.R. 2950 would address this currently unauthorized program and ensure that the Committee on Natural Resources has increased oversight.

Importantly, it would better enable the Committee on Natural Resources to make substantive changes to how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers the program should those changes be necessary.

The Coastal Program is a voluntary, partnership-based program that allows the Service to provide technical and financial assistance for habitat conservation in coastal watersheds. The committee has heard testimony that outlined the successes of this program, which has conserved nearly 3 million acres of priority habitat nationwide.

The bill brings greater congressional oversight over an important program for coastal habitat conservation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Mrs. Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2950 authorizes the Coastal Program in a fiscally responsible manner and provides for increased congressional oversight and direction of the program.

By doing so, we, as Members of Congress, will be better able to fulfill our oversight responsibilities. At the same time, this program continues its work conserving coastal ecosystems for the benefit of species and our constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5509) to modernize permitting systems at the Department of the Interior, 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 H.R. 5509, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, Representative Porter's bipartisan legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to design and deliver electronic permitting systems for permits, forms, and other required paperwork to the extent practical.

Republicans have long supported streamlining and simplifying the permitting process. Additionally, the minority worked with us to address a concern raised with the legislation and how it would interact with recent changes to NEPA enacted under the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

These discussions led to changes to Ms. Porter's legislation to clarify that any permitting system related to NEPA be consistent with the priorities identified in the FRA's NEPA provision.

This legislation aims to streamline the management of operations of the Department of the Interior, improving access to our public lands and Department facilities.

Modernizing the permitting process is an overdue task needed to increase departmental efficiency and improve transparency.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government is long overdue in doing the work needed to bring its permitting processes into the 21st century. The bill before us instructs the Secretary to create an electronic permitting system to accept, process, and record applications for any permitting process under the Department's jurisdiction.

Mr. Speaker, even though the gentlewoman from California opposed my commonsense, straightforward forestry bill earlier today, I do recognize, commend, and support Representative Porter for her work on this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4596) to reauthorize the Bureau of Reclamation to provide cost-shared funding to implement the endangered and threatened fish recovery programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins, 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. 4596, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Representative Boebert's bill, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Reauthorization Act of 2024.

The Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins endangered fish recovery programs provide Endangered Species Act compliance for over 2,500 water and hydroelectric power projects.

Without these recovery programs, projects would be open to litigation and disruptions to operations that would negatively impact millions of Americans' water and power supplies.

These programs have been a conservation success story. Their goal is to recover four ESA-listed fish species: the Colorado pikeminnow, the razorback sucker, the humpback chub, and the bonytail. Yet, they also allow for the continuation of operations to meet current and future needs.

In recent years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized the program's success by reclassifying the humpback chump from an endangered species to a threatened species.

This service has also proposed to reclassify the razorback sucker from an endangered species to a threatened species.

In a report submitted to Congress in March of 2023, the service stated: ``When the recovery programs were initiated in 1988 and 1992, the trajectory of all four listed species was toward extinction. The implementation of these recovery elements not only prevented extinctions, but substantially improved the prospect for recovering the listed fishes.'' This is a rare occurrence and should be celebrated.

I urge my colleagues to allow this success to continue by supporting this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Boebert), the lead sponsor of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Endangered Fish Recovery Programs are essential to the region's future. These programs have been successful in conserving and recovering endangered species, which is the goal of the Endangered Species Act.

Mr. Speaker, as an Arkansas Razorback, I rise in strong support of this legislation that will continue to help recover the razorback sucker.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6474) to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 6474, the bill now under consideration.

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 6474, which will amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas.

First, I would like to thank my colleague, Representative Steel, for all the good work she has done on this issue.

Duplicative leasing and the permitting process for geothermal development result in timelines longer than those of many other energy projects. With such a high potential for geothermal access across the country, it is imperative we enact pragmatic reform to give all energy industries the same opportunity.

Categorical exclusions, or CEs, expedite the NEPA process for energy projects when the area being disturbed has already undergone environmental review.

Section 390 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 granted five different CEs to expedite the development of oil and gas projects.

It is necessary that these fees also apply to geothermal exploration and development because the processes utilized by these two industries are very similar, as is the technology and equipment used to drill.

Establishing categorical exclusions for geothermal energy in areas with existing production or areas that have been recently studied is a responsible way to increase the utilization of geothermal energy, expediting the permitting process without reducing environmental standards.

This bill would expedite the approval process for certain geothermal projects by adding geothermal energy development to section 390.

Again, I applaud my colleague, Mrs. Steel, for this commonsense and bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Steel), the lead sponsor of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from California (Mrs. Steel) for working across the aisle in this bipartisan, all-of-the-above energy bill. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 612) to reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, 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. 612, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support S. 612, the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act. This is a bicameral and bipartisan effort being led on the House side by Representatives Amodei, Kiley, and Duarte. I applaud their efforts to advance this legislation to the floor. This is a good bill that reauthorizes the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act for another decade, ensuring no lapse in funding for a significant program serving the iconic Lake Tahoe area.

During a hearing on this legislation in the Natural Resources Committee just last week, Julie Regan, the executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, ended her testimony with a quote from Congressman Kiley discussing the importance of Lake Tahoe to his community. Congressman Kiley is quoted as saying:

We can get past the political divides by implementing

projects of common importance at a local level. Tahoe is the

perfect example. Spanning two States, multiple overlapping

jurisdictions, and red and blue counties. Yet we can all

agree on the goal of protecting something that is larger than

us. That transcends political differences.

I could not agree more with Congressman Kiley's sentiment. I have had the pleasure of seeing the great work in Lake Tahoe firsthand, and the collaboration occurring in the Tahoe basin is truly a model of forest management for the rest of the Nation.

S. 612 will help ensure the continued funding for restoration and resilience activities around Lake Tahoe, including critical work mitigating wildfire risk and restoring forest health. The bill also extends the authorization to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with States and local governments to conduct fuel reduction, erosion control, and reforestation activities.

Again, I want to commend Representatives Amodei, Kiley, and Duarte for working with their bipartisan and bicameral colleagues to advance this important forest management effort and secure the swift consideration of this legislation in the Natural Resources Committee and on the House floor.

Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, September 20, 2024.

Hon. Bruce Westerman,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Westerman: I write to you concerning S. 612,

the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act. The bill was

referred primarily to the Committee on Natural Resources,

with additional referrals to the Committee on Transportation

and Infrastructure and Committee on Agriculture.

Specifically, provisions of S. 612 fall within the Rule X

jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure.

I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this

legislation before the House of Representatives in an

expeditious manner, and accordingly, the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo action on the

bill. However, this is conditional on our mutual

understanding that doing so will not prejudice the Committee

on Transportation and Infrastructure with respect to the

appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional

claim over the subject matter contained within the bill or

similar legislation that falls under the Committee on

Transportation and Infrastructure's Rule X jurisdiction.

Further, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I

appreciate your agreement to support my request to have the

Committee represented on the conference committee.

Finally, I would ask that a copy of this letter and your

response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest in the

bill be included in the Committee Report and Congressional

Record during consideration of S. 612 on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation

and Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Amodei). He is from the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a good, commonsense bill that will continue important forest management efforts in an area facing a high risk of catastrophic wildfire. This effort would not have been possible without the leadership of the Members representing the Lake Tahoe basin, including Representative Kiley of California and Congressman Amodei of Nevada.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 440.