Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a dedicated leader, public servant, and good friend--Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

For nearly two decades, Cathy has been a champion for the people of Washington's 5th Congressional District and a powerful voice for rural America. From delivering for our veterans to advancing clean energy initiatives, she has left a lasting mark on our Nation.

Outside of her hard work as a Member of Congress, Cathy is a good friend. Over the years, we have joined forces in protecting the Pacific Northwest's hydropower operations and even hosted a high-turnout ``Save the Dams'' rally together in 2022 for the Lower Snake River Dams. I'll never forget shaking cowbells as we rallied the public behind our precious dams.

As she begins her well-deserved retirement, I extend my gratitude for all the work she has done for the Washington Delegation and wish her the very best for this next chapter of her life. I thank Cathy, for her service to our Nation and the communities across Washington's 5th Congressional District. She will be missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reflect on my 4 years serving as chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. It has been a tremendous 4 years, filled with memories and accomplishments that certainly will last a lifetime.

The caucus' work on behalf of the issues impacting Western and rural America is invaluable, and it has been a great honor to be a part of this effort. From supporting the multiple use mandate for public lands to upholding the rights of private landowners, supporting American farmers and ranchers, and pushing for American energy and mineral dominance, the caucus advocates for a stronger and more prosperous West and America.

While I could reminisce for hours about the caucus, I want to highlight some of my favorite memories and achievements over the past 4 years.

For the first time in its history, the caucus reached 100, actually 110, members. What once started out as a group small enough to literally meet in a closet is now the second largest caucus on Capitol Hill.

Last year, we also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the caucus, a noteworthy milestone. We have participated in numerous field tours hosted by our members over the years to connect our policymakers and staff with Westerners to learn firsthand about the issues impacting the region, bringing the voices of the people back to Washington, D.C.

We have visited miners from northern Minnesota, cattle ranchers in Fort Worth, park officials in Yosemite and Yellowstone, and those who use and benefit from the Columbia River system, all to get a better understanding of policy issues in these communities.

We have supported many pieces of legislation to unleash the full potential of domestic energy, support American farmers and ranchers, and end the assault on multiple use mandates for public lands.

I thank my colleagues who have joined and worked hard for the caucus over the past 4 years. It has been my pleasure to serve as your chairman.

I also thank the staff, who have made hard jobs easier and have accomplished much. I also want them to know that our successes on behalf of rural and Western America would not have been possible without their dedication.

Lastly, I congratulate my good friend, Doug LaMalfa of California, on his election as chairman for the next Congress. I am excited for the future of the caucus and know it is in good hands.

While I no longer will be serving as chairman, I will continue to be a strong advocate for Western and rural America.

Thanking Amanda Bihl

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to extend one more thank-you to my chief of staff, Amanda Bihl, for her leadership and service to my office and the people of Washington's Fourth District.

Rising through the ranks over the years, Amanda has been a strong leader who has delivered on our priorities and been an incredible mentor to my staff. I am fortunate to have had her by my side and will certainly miss her dearly.

Joan and I wish Amanda the best as she continues her journey with her husband, Peter, and her growing family, and we remind her that she will always be a member of Team Newhouse.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a remarkable leader, dedicated public servant, and good friend--Chairwoman Kay Granger.

Chairwoman Granger's tenure in public service began long before she came to the United States Congress. From her time as a teacher and businesswoman, to becoming the first female mayor of Fort Worth, she has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving her community and her country.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have worked side by side with Chairwoman Granger, and her leadership on the Committee has delivered on real conservative priorities. She has led critical policies that have touched every corner of our Nation--from bolstering our national security and supporting our veterans, to investing in American technology and backing rural America, her work here in Congress will continue to help Americans for decades to come.

Her departure from Congress is not just the end of an era for Texas' 12th District, but a significant moment for all of us who had the privilege of serving alongside her.

As she begins this new chapter of her life, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for her decades of service and wish her the best for all that lies ahead. I thank the Chairwoman for her incredible service to our Nation and the communities across Texas' 12th District.

Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Westerman for yielding me time to debate on this very important issue and bill.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Fix Our Forests Act. As chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I can tell you that wildfire risk remains top of mind as States across the West are ravaged by wildfires year after year.

In fact, as we heard, just this year alone, over 7 million acres have burned due to out-of-control fires, and get this: Fire season is not over yet. We are already above our 10-year average of acres affected, with fires burning larger and hotter than ever before.

We need proactive forest management now, and the Fix Our Forests Act will help us achieve that goal. This bipartisan effort will enable desperately needed active forest management by expediting permitting reviews and limiting senseless lawsuits from extreme environmentalists.

With more proactive forest management, we can prevent the risk of fires raging out of control and save our communities from devastating damage.

Mr. Chair, I thank my good friend from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman) for his leadership on this legislation. I am very proud to support this victory for rural Western America.

Mr. Speaker, the reality that we face is simple: The CCP, the Chinese Communist Party, is planting roots in our homeland and working around the clock to infiltrate our institutions.

In the last decade, Communist China's investment in U.S. ag land has grown tenfold. That is a dangerous trend that we cannot overstate, but today, we are taking an important step in keeping them out.

My bill to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is critical in keeping the CCP off of American soil.

Mr. Speaker, food security, as you have heard many times, is national security. This legislation strengthens the safety of our supply chains and opens a door to new reporting mechanisms that USDA can use to keep us safe from this threat.

With an already flawed foreign purchase reporting system within USDA, we must be sure our ag land is protected from nefarious actors.

As chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I hear from farmers and ranchers across the country who are concerned by the reality that not only is the CCP in our backyard, but we cannot accurately say where.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, my bill guarantees that the Secretary of Agriculture can accurately monitor and report purchases not just for land, but also for biotechnology, transportation, storage, and processing.

This bill is a first step. It is the beginning of the effort to keep our greatest adversaries from being able to purchase any American farmland because, the way I see it, a group like the CCP, who has made it their goal to cripple the United States, has no business having a hand in our supply chains and critical lands, but, first, we must know exactly how much they already have.

Mr. Speaker, time is not on our side here. Every moment we wait, the CCP tightens their grip on our system, further succeeding in their efforts.

I thank Speaker Johnson and Leader Scalise for bringing this important piece of legislation to the floor. A vote for this bill is a vote for our farmers, our economy, and our national security.

Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Guest for yielding.

Mr. Chair, it is no secret to anyone in this room that the CCP is working around the clock to infiltrate and influence our institutions.

In their attempts to undermine our economy and our livelihoods, they have made a concerted effort to target young Americans.

For years, agents of the CCP and the People's Liberation Army have executed a strategy to influence our students in college, a time when many young Americans form political ideologies, learn about the laws of the world, and how we all interact in it.

For many of these students, the CCP is there with a hand on the wheel that drives thinking in their favor and against the United States.

I applaud my colleague, Mr. Pfluger, for his leadership on this issue. Prohibiting DHS funds from going to universities with Confucius Institutes and ties to the CCP is a huge step in loosening the CCP's grip on American institutions. Our universities must be held accountable for their associations and any tie to the CCP or the PLA. They must not be rewarded with Federal investment.

Mr. Chair, our position on the CCP is clear, and we are doing what it takes to protect our students and our future.

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Fleischmann for yielding to me today.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment as part of this en bloc which addresses an important issue in my district as well as the State of Washington.

The Bonneville Power Administration is required to carry out a Fish and Wildlife program to protect, mitigate, and enhance species affected by the development of and operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System.

There has not been an inspector general report in over a decade regarding the effectiveness of the program, which has received significant resources and is supported by rate-paying customers in my district.

I want to ensure transparency and that ratepayer dollars are being used effectively in carrying out the mandates explicitly established by Congress for this program.

My amendment is simple. It highlights the need for a report from the Department of Energy Inspector General on the Bonneville Power Administration's Fish and Wildlife program to ensure it has fulfilled these mandates.

In light of covert efforts to breach the Lower Snake River dams, which are a crucial source of power, irrigation, and transportation in the Pacific Northwest, it is essential that Congress

continue to apply oversight and ensure that all entities involved in the operation of these dams meet their statutory requirements and provide clean, renewable power to our region.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the opening of the Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Facilities and Fish Reintroduction Project, a program to restore ecological connectivity and natural production of anachronous fish like sockeye salmon, spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, and coho salmon.

After years of studies, planning, and construction, the Cle Elum Fish Passage Project is finally ready to begin the important work of conserving our salmon species in the region. This impressive feat is accomplished through a multitude of projects, including a spill over dam, a fish collection facility, underground passage tunnels for juveniles, and multiple fish passage ramps.

I look forward to seeing what this program has in store, and I commend the Bureau of Reclamation, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and Garco Construction Inc. for their commitment to the conservation and protection of our wildlife and natural resources in Central Washington.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor my guest Chaplain, Bhai Mohan Singh.

Mohan Singh was the head granthi, or the head priest, at a Gurdwara in Yakima, Washington, and now travels the Nation spreading the teachings of Sikhism.

Sikhism is the world's fifth largest religion with nearly 30 million followers worldwide, and roughly 1 million of those are located within the United States of America. It was founded by Guru Nanak in west Punjab in 1469 and is based on three cardinal principles: Meditate on God, earn a living by honest means, and share with the less fortunate.

Mohan Singh is a dedicated preacher with an extensive educational background in Sikhism, with experience in both teaching and leading religious services. His career spans over two decades of service in both India and the United States, and we are very fortunate to have him here today with us to lead the opening prayer and to represent the good people of central Washington.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life of a dedicated first responder from Okanogan, Washington, Tiffany Ferdon, who we tragically lost last month.

Tiffany was a volunteer firefighter, an EMT for the Tonasket Fire Department and Aeneas Valley Fire Department, as well as a member of the Samaritan Riders, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who serve the medically challenged and socially disadvantaged children throughout our region. Her passion was making the world a better place, a quality which was clear in the work that she did.

Tiffany's death is a loss for the whole community, but her legacy will never be forgotten. May her family and community continue to be blessed with her memory, and may she rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize a newly retired public servant and good friend of

mine from the State of Washington, representative Joel Kretz.

Since 2005, Joel has been dutifully serving the people of Washington's 7th legislative district. As the largest and most rural district in the State, his dedication may be exemplified in just how long his commute is, over 600 miles round trip between Olympia and his ranch in central Washington.

He has been a champion of responsible land management, a crucial advocate in the fight for wildfire management, and a true defender of the western way of life.

His legislative accomplishments, though many, are not the most interesting thing about Joel. He is a true cowboy, world-class horse breeder, and the embodiment of what it means to be from rural America. Did I say that he is also a great friend of mine.

Now it is time for Joel to hang up his coat and tie, put on his cowboy hat and kerchief, and focus on the long honey-do list of his wife, Luska, that she has waiting for him.

I am delighted about Joel's retirement. He has more than earned it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee for allowing me to join in this conversation in support of the Alaska's Right to Produce Act.

Alaska truly is blessed with abundant natural resources that could empower American energy and mineral dominance. Alaskan oil and gas production cannot be taken lightly. It is home to our Nation's fourth largest oil reserve and third largest gas reserve. It is so unfortunate that the President has made the political choice to lock up millions of acres where these resources could be utilized.

The list of attacks on Alaskan energy production from this administration is long. Just 2 weeks ago, he added perhaps the most egregious example yet, when the Department of the Interior announced new restrictions on oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. These actions are not only detrimental to American energy production but also limit the future opportunities for prosperity in rural communities in Alaska that depend on energy projects.

When you look at what Alaska wants, the result is clear. The majority of Tribal communities and Alaskan residents support resource development. Why? Because these projects bring in unprecedented income and development to communities that desperately want and need it.

As chairman of the Western Caucus, I have been advocating for energy production across the United States of America. High domestic production keeps global prices down and ensures America is competitive with our global adversaries. That is why I am a staunch supporter of this bill to overturn the administration's restrictions on oil and gas development in the Last Frontier.

I encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation to ensure robust, reliable production in Alaska, and I am proud to join my friend from Minnesota in support of the legislation to unleash the full potential of Alaskan energy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Westerman, the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3397, the Western Economic Security Today Act.

Since day one in office, President Biden has consistently attacked our Western way of life. His administration's latest effort is one of the most egregious examples of Federal overreach against our public lands in decades.

Two weeks ago, the Bureau of Land Management finalized their conservation and landscape health rule in spite of staunch opposition to the proposal. This rule illegally elevates conservation under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act's multiple-use mandate for public lands, contrary to congressional intent, and means that America's lands could be locked up from their intended purposes.

The rule threatens production of America's abundant natural resources, grazing, and recreational access to our public lands, all for the sake of a political handout to climate alarmists and activists.

As chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, I have been fighting against this rule because prosperity in rural Western America is under attack. I am proud to join my friend from Utah in support of this legislation to overturn this rule and protect our Western way of life.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Theresa Sullivan, the CEO of Samaritan Healthcare in Moses Lake, Washington for winning a Malcom Baldrige Quality Award for healthcare. The Baldrige Quality Award is the highest formal recognition given by the President of the United States for performance excellence.

Samaritan Healthcare is a hospital that provides vital services for our rural communities

in Central Washington. There, Theresa has fostered a community focused on providing exemplary care through patient, provider, and staff satisfaction. Prior to her leadership at Samaritan, she served on various executive boards for hospitals in Washington State where she shared her exemplary standards for leadership and management.

I am honored to represent Theresa, and sincerely thank her for her work providing critical healthcare services to the constituents of the Fourth District of Washington and for inspiring innovation in the healthcare field.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 20th anniversary of the Chelan County Public Utility District's Habitat Conservation Plans, a program to conserve anadromous salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River.

The Habitat Conservation Plans committed the Chelan PUD to a 50-year- program to ensure the Roch Island and Rocky Reach hydro projects do not harm mid-Columbia salmon and steelhead runs. This impressive feat is accomplished through a multitude of projects, including spill over dams, offsite hatchery programs, improvements in fish survival metrics, and habitat restoration and enhancement in tributaries.

At the 20-year mark, the Habitat Conservation Plans' success is unmatched. The juvenile and adult fish survival is at an impressive high, and the improvements in habitats and hatchery production is remarkable.

I look forward to seeing what this program has in store for its next 30 years, and I commend the Chelan Public Utility's commitment to the conservation and protection of our wildlife, natural resources, and the clean and reliable hydropower in Central Washington.