Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Oklahoma for yielding me some time.

Well, Mr. Speaker, here we are again. Last night, the Rules Committee, under its new chairman, Mr. McGovern, voted to bring four spending bills to the House floor, four bills that have never had a hearing in this body, have never had a markup in this body, and now, under Democratic control of the House, will have no amendments made in order.

These bills may sound familiar to my constituents because these are the exact same bills that House Democrats forced votes on last week, only now we will be considering them one by one, rather than in a large package.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Rules Committee over the last 4 years, I can tell you I had the distinct honor of listening to the now- chairman of the Rules Committee spend hours, literally hours, berating those of us in the majority for not allowing amendments on bills.

So, Mr. Speaker, you can understand my full expectation as Democrats took control of this body that we would be seeing open rules allowing for vigorous debate on amendments and healthy, open dialogue and transparency on these important pieces of legislation. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

If I could, Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the now-chairman who spoke of his frustrations with the Rules Committee in recent months.

First of all:

The Rules Committee ought to be a place where people who

have good ideas, whether you agree with them or not, have

legitimate ideas, ought to be able to have the opportunity to

be able to offer them. Increasingly, we're moving away from

that.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker:

I'm always intrigued by the excuses why we can't be open .

. . and decry this very closed process.

And lastly, Mr. Speaker:

I hope if we're lucky enough to take over this place, I

hope that we're more accommodating.

Well, Mr. Speaker, they were, in fact, lucky enough. The Democrats took control of this body and very well could be allowing amendments today. But, unfortunately, that is not the case.

For instance, last night, I offered three amendments to two of the bills before us, all three of which were accepted unanimously in the 115th Congress in the House Appropriations Committee, again, on a bipartisan basis.

Unfortunately, the chairman isn't allowing a single amendment on the Republican or Democratic side to be offered on any of these four bills, including bipartisan amendments like those that I had offered.

I thank my good friend from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) for his effort to push these amendments to be made in order. It is sincerely disappointing to see the chairman and House Democrats manage legislation in the very manner they so vehemently decried.

Mr. Speaker, I will be voting ``no'' on this rule and ``no'' on these spending bills.

My constituents' priorities deserve to be represented in the people's House. Unfortunately, in this bill, they are not.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce legislation authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to transfer title of certain Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) works to the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) in Central Washington.

The legislation will transfer title of BOR works beginning at KID's headgate extending 40 miles east. The transfer includes the conveyance of land and project facilities and must be completed no later than two years after its enactment. This title transfer will allow KID to manage water supplies more efficiently, while also reducing federal liabilities and providing a cost savings benefit to the federal government.

KID was initially built to serve the agricultural community in the Tri-Cities area. Today, the majority of ratepayers live in residential developments, and the change from farmland to urbanization is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.

Madam Speaker, in the last Congress the House overwhelmingly supported this legislation. Unfortunately, the Senate was unable to bring the bill up for consideration before final adjournment, so that is why I am reintroducing this legislation to attain swift action and consideration by our Senate colleagues to get this to the President's desk.

I hope that we can move this legislation soon to ensure there will be a safe, reliable, and efficient water supply for the next generation in Central Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the good gentleman from California for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of my legislation, H.R. 6652, to transfer Bureau of Reclamation works to the Kennewick Irrigation District.

As many of my colleagues know far too well, communities across the Western United States too often are faced with the detrimental impacts of droughts and water shortages. Water providers across central Washington and across the West face numerous challenges to supply water, including growing demand, aging infrastructure, and changing precipitation patterns.

By transferring the Bureau of Reclamation works to a local entity, like the Kennewick Irrigation District, water suppliers can better manage critical water resources and empower water managers to be as responsive, efficient, and innovative as possible in serving their community.

In addition to transferring the works, the legislation before us will provide for reduced Federal liabilities and, with the Kennewick Irrigation District prepaying for the works, there is an additional cost-savings benefit to the Federal Government.

I thank the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in the House, Chairman Bishop, for moving this legislation forward, which truly is a win-win for local water providers, the Federal Government, and taxpayers. Mr. Speaker, I also thank Mr. Bill Ball, the staff director of the Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans, for his tremendous work at the committee; and a personal shout-out to one of my office staff members, Travis Martinez, for his work.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation on final passage, and I look forward to the Senate moving swiftly to get this legislation to the President's desk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, service, and spirit of my friend, Fredi Simpson. Fredi was well known and admired in central Washington. She was filled with passion and dedicated her time to improving her community and lending a helping hand to whomever was in need. She was a dear friend of mine, and I will miss her very much.

Dedicated to the conservative cause, Fredi's engagement in politics was inspiring to everyone around her. She served as a mentor to young people and encouraged them to get involved at the local, State, and national levels.

As national committeewoman, she represented Washington State with infectious enthusiasm and deep integrity. She traveled across our great State and the entire country leaving a positive impression on everyone she met.

So, today, I reflect on my own joyful memories with Fredi, and I find peace in knowing she is at rest and reunited with God.

My prayers go out for her husband Bruce, her son Kane, and all her loved ones, and I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating her wonderful life.

Fredi, we will miss you.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John Turner, who is retiring from his role as Walla Walla County Sheriff. He honorably served the public in this role for 8 years.

Sheriff Turner dedicated himself to working to make his community safer. He sought to provide 24/7 patrol coverage, reestablish the K-9 program, address gang activity in the county, and proactively address other public safety concerns.

He was nominated by his peers across Washington State for the National Sheriffs' Association Ferris E. Lucas Award for National Sheriff of the Year and received the National Sheriffs' Association Medal of Merit for his outstanding positive accomplishments.

In his retirement announcement, Sheriff Turner wrote: ``Being Walla Walla County Sheriff for the last two terms has been one of the greatest honors of my life. As I wind down my second term, I ask that you continue to keep those brave men and women who regularly and selflessly go into harm's way in your positive thoughts and prayers.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Sheriff John Turner for his tremendous service to the people of Walla Walla County and Washington State.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1176 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), my friend, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1176, providing for further consideration of a very important piece of legislation for America's farmers and ranchers: the conference report to accompany H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act, commonly referred to as the farm bill. This rule provides that the conference report shall be considered as read.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, as the House considered its version of the farm bill, I spoke in this Chamber about a farm bill listening tour I conducted in my own district, traveling to every county that I represent to hear from and listen to input and the concerns from farmers, ranchers, and producers across the State of Washington.

In the days since the House passed that bill earlier this summer, there has been growing concern that the job would not get done and that the 2014 farm bill would expire and our Nation's farm country would be left without the crucial tools this legislation provides to strengthen the farm safety net and provide certainty and flexibility to America's farmers and ranchers.

Fortunately, with the legislation before us today, we can report that this is not the case. After months of painstaking negotiations between the House and the Senate conferees, we have an agreement before us. This agreement, while not including several provisions I would have liked to have seen, sets us on a better path for our farmers and ranchers, for our rural communities, for small businesses, and for consumers across the country at the grocery store and at kitchen tables.

With this conference agreement to the farm bill, I can now go back to my district and confidently report to my constituents that we have provided a strong foundation to help our farmers survive a 50 percent drop in net farm income over the past 4 years. I can go back to Okanogan County and tell my constituents in Pateros that we have

strengthened market access programs and provided strong resources to open new sources for exporting across the globe.

I can tell farmers in Grant County that we have protected crop insurance and made several key improvements, including for whole farm revenue coverage for specialty crop producers. I can tell dairy producers in Yakima County that we have improved the dairy safety net for large, mid-sized, and small dairies. I can report back to producers in Prosser, in Benton County, who stressed the importance of agriculture research, that we have provided an increase in funding for research, extension, and education projects.

With the bill before us, I can let key agriculture partners in our community like Washington State University know that we will keep American agriculture at the forefront of innovation and productivity. Farmers from East Wenatchee will hear from me that this farm bill invests in critical cost-share and incentive-based programs to help farm families improve our soil, water, and other natural resources. I can tell farmers in Othello, in Adams County, concerned with the regulatory burdens on their shoulders, that this legislation protects our producers from costly, additional, and unnecessary red tape.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today as a third-generation farmer to say that this farm bill takes strong steps to address challenges facing America's agricultural community. The rule we bring before the House provides for further consideration of the conference report to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act, legislation that is critically important to my district in central Washington, and to rural districts across this great country.

This legislation maintains and strengthens important policies like Price Loss Coverage, Agricultural Risk Coverage, commodity loans, Dairy Margin Coverage, livestock disaster programs, and crop insurance. It enhances and permanently funds the Foreign Market Development Program and Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops, which are so vital for export-driven agricultural economies like those in my State of Washington.

It increases funding for land-grant universities, research, and education, as well as special research initiatives, including for specialty crops and organic research.

This legislation makes strides to expand quality broadband to all of rural America by including forward-looking standards to ensure we are meeting next-generation rural broadband needs. It also improves the tools available to reduce forest fuel loads that increase the size and force of catastrophic wildfires. By renewing key categorical exclusion and expanding its purpose to allow for expedited reduction of hazardous fuels in our forests, we can continue to reduce the threat these wildfires pose on rural communities.

Mr. Speaker, with support from the 2014 farm bill, American farmers have been able to combat depressed prices and severe drops in farm income, but they would not have been able to do so without a robust safety net in place. The conference report before us will build upon this effort and ensure a steady food supply will be on the shelves and in our markets for years to come.

As I mentioned, it doesn't include everything I would have liked to have seen in this bill, but, in reality, no piece of legislation is perfect, particularly comprehensive bills that have been negotiated for months But the fact of the matter is, this farm bill includes important and significant wins for American farmers and ranchers. It is now our responsibility to get the job done.

Mr. Speaker, the people's House has more than 20 farmers, ranchers, and producers serving in this body. Among us are a dairyman from central California; a blueberry farmer from Maine; a rancher from South Dakota; two rice farmers, one from California and another from Minnesota; a cattleman from Kentucky; an almond farmer from California; and, yes, a proud hops farmer from the Yakima Valley of Washington State.

This is the first farm bill that I have had the opportunity to engage in since coming to Congress, Mr. Speaker. I have spent my whole life on the farm, and my life in public service, including serving as Washington State's Director of the Department of Agriculture, has been spent working on behalf of American farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and families.

It is an honor today to bring this rule forward for the conference report to accompany the farm bill, H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act. I humbly urge my colleagues to support the rule, support the bill, and strengthen the future for America's farmers and all those who depend on them.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Mitchell).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson), who will expound on the importance of this bill and how it does respond to the plights in which farmers find themselves today and actually does give certainty to family farmers around the country.

Mr. Speaker, we all look forward to the classified briefing that we will be a part of tomorrow with the Department of Defense and others to talk about the situation in Yemen. It seems premature to make decisions regarding that issue at this present time, but tomorrow will give us much enlightenment on the issue.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) to get back to the issue at hand, the farm bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall).

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

Mr. Speaker, just let me say: Are the atrocities that are taking place in Yemen a serious matter? Absolutely, they are.

Do they deserve to be debated and discussed to find solutions on what we

can provide? Absolutely. And after tomorrow morning's briefing, if there is something that we feel that we need to do, we can respond with quickness, with nimbleness, and we can provide those solutions if we think there is a necessary solution to be had.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Gianforte).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).

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

I would just like to say that my farmers and ranchers in the State of Washington, as well as we have heard earlier from the State of Oregon, do support the strengthening of the provisions in this bill to make sure that the farm economy can continue on in as strong a manner as possible, so there is widespread support in agricultural country around the Nation for this farm bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis).

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

Our military is not involved in hostilities surrounding the Yemeni civil war. As I said, tomorrow we are having a briefing that if we learn things, we can respond with urgency and nimbleness.

To speak on this issue further, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), the chairman of the Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 10 seconds to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the good gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).

Mr. Speaker, I have a couple more speakers, yes.

Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of interest in this issue, as you can tell.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Crawford).

Mr. Speaker, there is no objection from this side of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, I can't tell you how much gratitude I feel to the gentleman from Massachusetts for leading in a bipartisan manner. I appreciate that very much.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers), my good colleague

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for being gracious with his time, but, no, I have no more speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Again, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for his yielding extra time to us to allow many of our Members to speak on this important issue. I look forward to reciprocating at some point in the future.

Mr. Speaker, as you heard, there are a lot of wins in this bill for rural America, especially in these extremely difficult economic times in farm country around the United States. The 2018 farm bill will help provide certainty for the American farmer and for the rural communities that they support.

Families who work every day to put food on our tables deserve our support.

Before I yield back, Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter that was led by the American Farm Bureau that has no fewer than 489 organizations around the country, every State in the union, supporting

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the rule and the conference report to accompany H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 6 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, December 12, 2018, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, every year, the Environmental Protection Agency honors students across the country for outstanding leadership and environmental achievements with the President's Environmental Youth Awards. Among this year's winners is Mr. Anderson's first grade class in Okanogan, Washington.

The students at Virginia Grainger Elementary School were recognized for their project titled ``Make Soil Not Smoke.'' The class created a school garden and learned about the benefits of composting leaves instead of burning them. They decided to use their project to spread awareness about the benefits of composting and the harmful effects of burning leaves.

Their project is important to a community that has experienced firsthand the destruction of wildfires. As excitement for the project grew, the community joined in by donating compost materials, garden tools, and worms for vermicomposting.

In one year, Mr. Anderson's students have created over 200 cubic yards of garden compost. They use demonstrations, a parade float, and booths at State fairs and farmers markets to continue spreading awareness.

Please join me in recognizing the outstanding work the Make Soil Not Smoke group is doing for their community.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1142 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

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

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 1142, providing for further consideration of H.R. 6784, the Manage our Wolves Act. The rule provides for consideration of the legislation under a closed rule.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have cointroduced the underlying legislation considered in this rule today, H.R. 6784, the Manage our Wolves Act, to return management of the gray wolf species to the States. The States are best equipped to provide more effective and accountable management that responds to the needs of the ecosystem, other species, as well as local communities.

On June 13, 2013, under the Obama administration, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would have removed the gray wolf from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This determination was made after Fish and Wildlife evaluated the classification status of gray wolves currently listed in the contiguous United States under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and found the ``best available scientific and commercial information indicates that the currently listed entity is not a valid species under the act.''

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Endangered Species Act is to recover species to the point where they are no longer considered endangered or threatened. The gray wolf is currently found in nearly 50 countries around the world and has been placed in the classification of least concern for risk of extinction by the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Some of my colleagues have asked, well, if Fish and Wildlife has proposed to delist the species, why haven't they done so?

That is a completely fair and reasonable question. Unfortunately, it is due to the fringe environmentalist efforts that any action from moving forward under the law has been stalled. So long as the courts are abused to prevent the proper adjudication of the law, we will not see progress made.

It is because of this exploitation of the law that communities like those in central Washington suffer the consequences.

Mr. Speaker, in my home State, the great State of Washington, the gray wolf is not listed in just the eastern third of the State, forcing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to rely on an arbitrary political boundary when delineating and managing a species.

I am sorry to share with you, Mr. Speaker, that as it turns out, surprisingly, wolves don't know boundaries or borders.

The arbitrary nature of this current status of the law is broken, and it is impairing the ability of Fish and Wildlife managers on the ground to properly manage the species, as well as the ecosystem, including the harm it poses on other indigenous species.

Mr. Speaker, this is why Congress, as a coequal branch, must act. This legislation directs the U.S. Department of the Interior to follow through with the proposed rule and delist the gray wolf from the list of endangered species.

We have a responsibility to protect the incredibly diverse species both in Washington State and across this country. These efforts to protect our wildlife species must be based on sound science and an open, transparent process. Unfortunately, that is far from the case when it comes to the process dictating endangered species policies, particularly in this case of the gray wolf.

For years now, Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife has asked the Federal Government to delist the gray wolf and provide relief from the burdensome, broken process dictating species management. I have received letters from the director of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, one in 2015 and one earlier this year. In them, the letters read: ``Dear Congressman Newhouse, The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife appreciates your continued assistance to encourage the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete the delisting of the gray wolf and remove it from Federal protection under the Endangered Species List.''

It continues: ``In 2008, the first wolf pack was documented in Washington State. Today, we have 22 known packs. During this time, the State's wolf population has increased by an average of more than 30 percent per year. . . . As demonstrated with the current rate of recovery, the Department is well suited to facilitate the recovery and management of wolves across the State. . . . Under the current Federal designation and management, we cannot fully implement our plan in the western two-thirds of the State. To ensure ongoing success in wolf recovery, the Federal listing needs to keep pace with the on-the-ground recovery status and allow the State to fully implement its management plan. Therefore, I support your efforts to advance the delisting of wolves and return management to the State.''

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the two letters I referenced.

Department of Fish and Wildlife,

Olympia, WA, April 27, 2015.

Hon. Dan Newhouse,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Congressman Newhouse: The Washington Department of

Fish and Wildlife (Department) would appreciate your

assistance to encourage the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(USFWS) to complete the delisting of the gray wolf (Canis

lupus) and remove it from federal protections under the

Endangered Species Act (ESA). As you may know, gray wolves in

the western two-thirds of Washington State remain federally

classified as ``endangered'' and are under federal

management.

The original delisting proposal was published on June 13,

2013, and then on March 27, 2014, the USFWS closed the second

round of public comments. The Department submitted letters of

support for delisting in December 2013 and March 2014. While

we have been working closely with the USFWS at the state,

regional and headquarter levels to ensure we are meeting our

shared conservation and recovery objectives, we are concerned

with the lack of progress on federal delisting.

Washington has a strong Wolf Conservation and Management

Plan that has received broad support, and we are committed to

maintaining a viable wolf population in Washington. The

Department is well positioned to facilitate the recovery and

management of wolves across the state.

Protection under Washington State Laws--The Department has

state-specific authority (RCW 77.12.020 and 77.15.120) to

designate and protect species at risk of extinction and has

classified wolves as endangered since 1980, an action akin to

federal protection granted under ESA). Wolves will remain

protected until their population reaches the levels

established in the state recovery plan.

The Department is equipped for wolf conservation and

management--In 2013, the Washington State Legislature acted

to provide $1.6 million per biennium for wolf management from

a permanent increase in the cost of personalized license

plates. Since then, the Department has hired two permanent

wolf biologists and has deployed 11 conflict specialists

across the state to address wildlife conflict issues.

Wolves are recovering in Washington State--In 2008, the

first wolf pack was documented in Washington State. Today we

have 16 known packs. During this time our wolf population has

increased by an average of more than 30 percent per year. At

current rates, we expect to meet our recovery objects within

six years. We want to have consistent management of wolves

across the state of Washington. For us, successful wolf

recovery means that we have a sustainable wolf population

distributed throughout the state, the public accepts the

presence of wolves on the landscape, and Washington citizens

are confident in the Department's wolf management.

The Washington wolf management plan establishes strong

expectations that livestock operators will use preventive

strategies to avoid wolf-livestock conflict. But sometimes we

may need to remove wolves that become habituated to livestock

as a food source. Under the current federal designation and

management, we cannot implement our plan in the western two-

thirds of the state. Therefore, I ask you for any help you

can provide to advance the federal proposal to delist wolves.

Thank you for considering this request. The Department is

available to assist you with any information you may need.

Sincerely,

James Unsworth, Ph.D.,

Director.

So, Mr. Speaker, to close, I would just like to say that, as a farmer and a lifelong resident of central Washington State, I consider myself a conservationist and a steward of our rich natural heritage, and that includes our incredible wildlife.

State governments are fully qualified to responsibly manage gray wolf populations and are better able to meet the needs of local communities, ranchers, livestock, wildlife populations, and ecosystems.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, just a couple of points in response to my good friend from the State of Massachusetts. Certainly, there are a lot of important issues in front of us and things that we should and will be addressing. But I have to say, as a representative of central Washington who represents communities that deal with wolf populations on a daily basis, I don't think it is fair or proper, even, for my good friend to minimize or diminish the importance of the issue that we have in front of us today. So with all due respect, the importance of managing wolves in our country deserves just as much attention as many of the other issues that my good friend from Massachusetts referenced.

Also, as relates to the Khanna resolution, just as you said, in just a few short weeks, your party will assume the majority. You will have the opportunity to hold the hearings and the markups and to take the votes of the all-important regular order that you continually talk about. I am looking forward to that. But forcing this type of vote on Members in the remainder of this Congress, in my view, is unnecessary at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), my good friend, the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, nobody is afraid to debate anything here on the House floor. The fact is, though, that the U.S. is no longer providing the very support that the Khanna resolution seeks to cut off, making this action unnecessary.

It is based on a factually faulty premise: We are not involved in hostilities in Yemen, so the War Powers Act should not apply. As a result, even if this resolution passed both Chambers, DOD would not need to alter any of its activities.

Like I said, again, in a few short weeks, the Democrats will assume the majority. They will be able to hold all the hearings and markups and votes that they want on this matter, as it should be. Forcing this type of vote now, in the remainder of this Congress, in my humble opinion, is simply unnecessary.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Gianforte), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar), chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, the organization that stands for finding solutions to the challenges that we face, not only in the Western United States, but all over the country to help steer debate back to the issue on the agenda that we are considering today.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing for the consideration of H.R. 6784, the Manage our Wolves Act, wolves were once hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 States. The gray wolf was listed by the Federal Government as an endangered species in 1974. Today, though, gray wolves are thriving both in my State of Washington, as well as throughout the United States, with more than 5,000 wolves now living in the contiguous United States.

According to Washington State's Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State's wolf population has grown over the past 9 straight years to 22 packs that contain at least 120 wolves.

Mr. Speaker, the gray wolf reaching recovered status truly is an Endangered Species Act success story, and we should celebrate.

Mr. Speaker, permanently listing species under the Federal Endangered Species Act is not how the process was ever intended to work. The process should rely on the best available science. It is a sign of progress that the species has recovered from the brink of extinction and no longer merits protection under the Federal Endangered Species Act. That is the key point here. While we seek to delist the gray wolf from the Federal ESA, we are empowering each State to manage their respective populations.

Washington State has a strong wolf conservation and management plan that has received broad support, and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife is committed to maintaining a viable wolf population in the State of Washington. Wolves remain protected in the State recovery plan, but so long as an arbitrary Federal line divides our State and, as you heard, the State of Oregon, listing the wolf on one side and not on the other, our State managers are prevented from effectively managing the population within our States. As I mentioned, wolves do not know borders.

Mr. Speaker, States are equipped to be more responsive and accountable to the needs of local communities than Federal agencies are, and they deserve the flexibility to manage the growing gray wolf populations. We should celebrate the return of the iconic species like the gray wolf. But meanwhile, States must be empowered to manage populations to ensure the healthiest balance between humans, wildlife, and the ecosystem.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the rule and its underlying legislation, again, H.R. 6784, the Manage our Wolves Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Michelle Moyer, Associate Professor and Viticulture Extension Specialist at Washington State University, for her contributions to the robust Washington wine industry.

Dr. Moyer was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Research Initiative. This grant will assist Dr. Moyer in understanding and combating fungicide resistance, which currently threatens the $5 billion wine, table grape, and raisin crop.

Dr. Moyer's research will be essential in protecting vulnerable farmers and their crops, ensuring that Washington State continues to grow the best wine grapes and produce high quality wine. As I congratulate her efforts, I also recognize the important contributions of women to agriculture--and especially to the wine industry, in which women tend to be underrepresented.

I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating Dr. Moyer's successful career, and I wish her the best in her research. Go Cougs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Will Keller of Omak for receiving Molina Healthcare's Community Champion Award.

Every year, Molina Healthcare recognizes community members who go above and beyond in their service and volunteerism. Will Keller is an exemplary Community Champion.

His friends and neighbors will tell you that he is always willing to lend a helping hand. He was instrumental in building and opening a homeless shelter in Okanogan County that will be able to provide year- round services to those who need them.

Will recently lost his wife, which is absolutely devastating for anyone to experience. However, he used her passing as inspiration to give back even more to his community. He hosted a yard sale to raise funds for the homeless shelter, and he built a prayer room for local church meetings.

His coworker, Cathy, states it best: Will doesn't go out to volunteer; he is the essence of volunteerism. He is extremely deserving of Molina's Community Champion Award.

I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking him for his service to Central Washington.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Staff Sergeant Jack Pendleton of Yakima, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during World War II.

In Germany in 1944, Sergeant Pendleton lost his life while drawing enemy gunfire away from his squad, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor one year later. He is the sole Medal of Honor recipient from Yakima.

I would like to thank U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Ramon Dang. Two years ago, Sergeant Major Dang was touring our state to care for the graves of Medal of Honor recipients when he discovered that Sergeant Pendleton's grave did not include an appropriate memorial. A memorial statue, a 6-foot granite sculpture, was subsequently dedicated at Tahoma Cemetery on September 26th of this year.

Sergeant Pendleton's Medal of Honor citation reads, ``[His] sacrifice enabled the entire company to continue the advance and complete their mission at a critical phase of the action.'' He made the ultimate sacrifice for his brothers-in-arms and our nation, and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory of Staff Sergeant Jack Pendleton.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize two extraordinary individuals from my district--James and Angie Sessions-- who opened their hearts to foster care and adoption.

I was proud to nominate James and Angie as ``Angels in Adoption,'' an award by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. It recognizes individuals, couples, and organizations who improve the lives of children in need of families.

The Sessions family is more than deserving of this recognition. After learning about foster care at a local church camp for children in state custody, James and Angie were inspired to become foster parents. While they were providing foster care for four siblings--three young brothers and their baby sister--James and Angie were determined to keep the siblings together.

In August of 2017, the Sessions family grew from 2 to 6 when Ajay, Nathan, Kyler, and Layla found their forever home with James and Angie in Pasco, Washington.

Thank you, James and Angie, for your love and dedication to children in Central Washington