Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2606) to amend the Act of August 4, 1947 (commonly known as the Stigler Act), with respect to restrictions applicable to Indians of the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma, 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 materials on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2606, the Stigler Act Amendments of 2018.

The bill would amend the 1947 Stigler Act to remove the Indian blood quantum requirement for certain land to be maintained in restricted fee status for any member of the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation, Muscogee Creek Nation, and the Seminole Nation, which are collectively known as the Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma.

Under current law, when a person of less than one-half degree Indian blood from one of the Five Tribes inherits an interest of an allotment of land, the land can be taxed and be conveyed without approval of the Secretary of the Interior.

Under H.R. 2606, restricted fee land currently owned by members of the Five Tribes would remain in restricted status regardless of the blood quantum of the owners.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) for his tireless work on issues impacting Indian Country, including this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6287) to provide competitive grants for the operation, security, and maintenance of certain memorials to victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 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 materials on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6287, offered by Congressman Tom MacArthur of New Jersey, honors and memorializes the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001.

The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to award grants through a competitive process to nonprofit organizations for the operation and maintenance of memorials to commemorate the events and honor the victims of the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

It has been 17 years since that dark day in American history. The National September 11th Memorial in New York City, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial just across the Potomac River in Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, stand as solemn tributes and remembrances to the thousands of victims of those attacks.

H.R. 6287 authorizes a competitive grant program for operation, security, and maintenance of these memorials.

Throughout our Nation's history, Congress has stepped forward to authorize operating funds in public-private partnership with nongovernmental organizations for memorials and museums of national significance. Like congressional authorizations of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Kennedy Center, a Federal authorization for grants in support of 9/11 memorials at the sites of the attacks will help to operate and maintain these sites of national remembrance and reflection.

We should always remember and forever honor those who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Representative MacArthur for his work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. MacArthur).

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3186) to establish an Every Kid Outdoors program, 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 materials on the bill under consideration.

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

The Every Kid in a Park program launched in 2015 as part of the National Park Service's centennial anniversary to encourage the next generation of park visitors. The program offers fourth graders and their families free entrance to our national parks. To date, Every Kid in a Park has enabled more than 350,000 fourth graders to use our national parks and public lands as outdoor classrooms. I have personally seen the positive impacts visiting national parks, historic sites, and recreation areas can have on young people in my home State of Montana.

Special places like Glacier National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, and the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument will be more accessible to fourth graders from all over the country with the passage of this bill.

H.R. 3186 codifies this program by directing seven agencies to jointly establish the Every Kid Outdoors program to provide any fourth grader in the U.S. with a pass to gain free access to Federal lands and waters. This includes the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Agriculture,

Washington, DC, June 14, 2018.

Hon. Rob Bishop,

Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Bishop: Thank you for the opportunity to

review the relevant provisions of the text of H.R. 3186, the

Every Kid Outdoors Act, which was favorably reported out of

your Committee on May 16, 2018. As you are aware, the bill

was primarily referred to the Committee on Natural Resources,

while the Agriculture Committee received an additional

referral.

I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this

legislation before the House in an expeditious manner.

Accordingly, I agree to discharge H.R. 3186 from further

consideration by the Committee on Agriculture. I do so with

the understanding that by discharging the bill, the Committee

on Agriculture does not waive any future jurisdictional claim

on this or similar matters. Further, the Committee on

Agriculture reserves the right to seek the appointment of

conferees, if it should become necessary.

I ask that you insert a copy of our exchange of letters

into the Congressional Record during consideration of this

measure on the House floor.

Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look

forward to continued cooperation between our respective

committees.

Sincerely,

K. Michael Conaway,

Chairman.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5532) to redesignate the Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, 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 materials on the bill under consideration.

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

The Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War was a time of significant transformation for the United States. Reconstruction addressed how the 11 States that had left the Union would be reestablished in Congress, as well as how the civil rights and integration into a free society of 4 million formerly enslaved individuals could be secured.

The Reconstruction Era National Monument was established by Presidential declaration in January 2017 as a unit of the National Park Service. It is located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, an area that has been called the birthplace of Reconstruction.

In and around this area, some of the first African Americans enlisted as soldiers and founded the first African American schools and hospitals during Reconstruction.

This was also the home of Robert Smalls, a former slave who became a political leader, serving on two State constitutional conventions: in the State legislature and, ultimately, the U.S. Congress.

H.R. 5532 redesignates Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to expand the park boundary. The bill also establishes the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, which will connect similar sites across the country to promote education and preservation efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 660) to require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for all Members to have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 660 is bipartisan legislation introduced by Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona.

For more than a century, the Bureau of Reclamation has transformed the West into a powerhouse that feeds the Nation and the world, and provides renewable and emissions-free energy for millions.

Bureau of Reclamation projects have proven to be critical to the American way of life in the West, and we must ensure their protection for future generations. This means having open and honest discussions about the challenges the Bureau of Reclamation faces maintaining and repairing these projects.

To that end, H.R. 660 is a bipartisan bill that requires the Federal Government to make public in a unified way the estimated cost of repairs for reclamation facilities. The American public has asked for and deserves laws that reflect transparency and open discussion. H.R. 660 delivers that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for his work on this. I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4689) to authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Mr. Smith for his work on this bill, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5317) to repeal section 2141 of the Revised Statutes to remove the prohibition on certain alcohol manufacturing on Indian lands, 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 the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Herrera Beutler).

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6040) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land and facilities of the Central Valley Project, 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 the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6040 would transfer the Contra Costa Canal to the Contra Costa County Water District. Contra Costa seeks to enclose the earthen canal to increase water supply availability and improve public safety.

Officials in the region have documented 81 instances where individuals have drowned from falling into the canal, but, currently, Contra Costa faces financial and bureaucratic challenges to conducting this important upgrade because it doesn't have title to the canal.

This bill would allow local water users who best understand the unique challenges of the area to determine what is right for them. H.R. 6040 is not only advantageous to local beneficiaries, but it is also a relief to the American taxpayer.

Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the tragic epidemic that impacts too many Montanans and Americans.

Suicide rates are increasing across the country. On average, a Montanan dies by suicide every 33 hours. Suicide is now the eighth leading cause of death in Montana. The Centers for Disease Control recently reported a 30 percent increase in suicide rates in the last 20 years, with nearly 45,000 Americans taking their own lives in 2016.

Veterans account for almost 20 percent of all suicides in the United States. Suicide rates amongst farmers have been increasing.

We, however, can reverse the trajectory of one of the leading causes of death in this country.

There is good news coming out of Montana. The Billings Clinic, which I recently toured, announced it will launch Montana's first psychiatric residency program. This will expand access to mental healthcare for our more rural areas.

I speak out today during Suicide Prevention Week because suicide is preventable. Access to crisis resources saves lives. Mental and behavioral health research saves lives. Ending the stigma surrounding suicide saves lives

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Betty Campbell of Hays who, at 83 years old, paid tribute to her late husband by walking in the annual Bataan Memorial Death March in the high-desert terrain of New Mexico.

Michael ``Bud'' Campbell became a prisoner of war during World War II and survived the brutal Bataan Death March.

Bud was among thousands of Philippine and American soldiers forced to march nearly 70 miles with little food or water, enduring torture along the route and at POW camps where he was held for over three years.

After the war, he and Betty raised seven children, and owned a ranch in north-central Montana. Betty served her community as an educator for over 30 years, teaching in area schools and serving as a principal. For 20 years, Betty has served as a board member of the Big Flat Electric Cooperative.

In March 2018, Betty and her granddaughter Vernelle paid tribute to Bud by walking approximately seven miles at the 29th Bataan Memorial Death March, crossing the finish line together. The Bataan Memorial Death March is an annual tribute to honor the service members who defended the Philippine Islands and were taken as prisoners of war.

Betty said her emotions ran high as she thought about what her late husband and other prisoners endured. She reflected on the shoes she wore and the water she had available at nearly every mile, saying, ``It wasn't the same. It didn't seem fair.''

Mr. Speaker, for her courage, sacrifice, and dedication in honoring her late husband, a World War II POW, at the Bataan Memorial Death March at age 83, I recognize Betty Campbell for her spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor an amazing young child whose compassion for others and giving nature touches the lives of thousands in need of comfort.

In 2012, Emma Anderson from Kalispell, founded Emma's Cuddle Bears after seeing family friends undergo cancer treatment. An adult friend described the challenges she faced while battling cancer and said her heart went out to the young children fighting cancer in the treatment center.

Emma, only 5 years old at the time, asked if the children ever got scared, to which the friend replied that they probably did. Emma thought for a moment and said, ``I have an idea.''

Emma used her own allowance money to purchase 20 teddy bears. She carefully examined each one to make sure it passed her cuddle test. She then gave each one a name and wrote a little note for the person receiving a bear. The bears arrived at the University of Washington Cancer Center, where the Andersons' friend was receiving treatment. The bears immediately warmed the hearts of children who needed the special comfort a cuddle bear can provide.

Since then, the young humanitarian has sent over 3,000 Cuddle Bears to those suffering from cancer, debilitating diseases, and other difficult circumstances. Emma has a special gift for picking just the right bear to encourage and comfort young and old alike. She still insists on naming all the cuddle bears.

Emma continues to answer her calling to help others. She joined Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child at her local church as an assistant project coordinator. Emma's bold and affectious personality inspires other to give.

There's a saying on display in the Anderson household: ``From small beginnings come great things.'' It was on the nursery wall when Emma's adoptive mother, Jeri Anderson, brought her home from China as an infant.

Starting from small beginnings, Emma and her cuddle bears continue to accomplish great things. All those who know her believe the best is yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, for her compassion, generosity, and willingness to reach out to those in need, I recognize Emma Anderson for her spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize six young Montanans who are among the best in the sport of rodeo.

The National High School Finals Rodeo concluded last weekend in Rock Springs, Wyoming. The competition featured nearly 1,500 of the top contenders from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Montana was well represented, and six competitors from Big Sky country earned a coveted Top-Ten Buckle.

Alaina Griffel of Columbus placed eighth in breakaway roping. Shai McDonald of Gardiner finished eighth in barrel racing. Meghan McGinley from Bozeman placed tenth in goat tying. Jhet Murphy and Luke Murphy from Helena finished eighth in team roping. Morgan Rising of Wibaux placed seventh in bull riding.

Rodeo is a time-honored sport in Montana and part of our way of life. Montana's young rodeo athletes work hard to compete at the highest level. I congratulate these young Montanans for their excellence at the National High School Finals Rodeo and for being among the best in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two Montana veterans and entrepreneurs committed to creating good-paying Montana jobs and revitalizing their community.

Jim Markel and Perry Jones own Red Oxx Mfg. Inc., a producer and retailer of durable travel bags. Their award-winning products are handcrafted in Montana, have nationwide recognition, and account for over $2.5 million in annual company sales.

The U.S. Small Business Administration named Red Oxx Montana's Veteran-Owned Business of the Year in 2016. CEO Markel served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and company president Jones in the U.S. Navy.

The Red Oxx factory and retail store are in a commercial and industrial area east of Billings' vibrant downtown. Looking to reenergize the neighborhood instead of relocating the business as it grew, Markel served on an advisory board of the Billings Industrial Revitalization District.

Improvements guided by the district are attracting new businesses, renewing the area, and creating greater opportunity and more jobs.

This spring, Markel and Jones broke ground on a project that will transform about half a city block into a large outdoor event center, turning broken asphalt and recycled metal into an open, green space with ornamental fencing, sculptures, and park benches.

The event center will host community activities, feature performances, and be available for local nonprofit organizations to hold benefit events. Several years in the making, the event center will play a critical role in further rejuvenating the neighborhood.

Mr. Speaker, for their service to our country, entrepreneurship, and dedication to their community, I recognize Jim Markel and Perry Jones for their spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, the men and women of ICE work every day to make our country and our communities safer. They secure our borders. They enforce our laws. They protect our safety. And I stand with them.

America's borders have been too open for too long. Drug cartels, dangerous gangs, and human traffickers exploit our weak borders and bring crime to our Montana communities. As America and Montana face an epidemic of drug abuse and addiction, ICE agents seized nearly 1 million pounds of illegal drugs last year, including nearly 2,400 pounds of fentanyl and 7,000 pounds of heroin.

ICE agents arrested more than 127,000 criminal aliens last year. These criminals were charged with weapons offenses, drug crimes, gang- related activity, sexual assault, kidnapping, and murder.

Now, some of my friends across the aisle have called for abolishing ICE. Abolishing ICE is a reckless idea. Abolishing ICE would embolden violent criminals, like members of the vicious MS-13 gang, intent on doing us harm. Abolishing ICE would jeopardize the safety and security of our Montana communities.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose abolishing ICE. And, Mr. Speaker, I proudly stand with ICE agents who are dedicated to making our Nation and Montana safer and more secure.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. It would prohibit funds from being used to advance guidance or make rules that rely on Obama-era social cost of carbon guidance.

I have heard from folks in Montana who cannot get a permit to expand a coal mine because they didn't account for the carbon released by the trains that would carry the coal. I have heard of the difficulties of building railroad bridges because they might allow more coal to be transported.

We must stop relying on metrics that were designed by the keep-it-in- the-ground crowd. Similar language passed, on a bipartisan vote, here in the House last September. I urge adoption of the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment.

This amendment would block funds used by the agencies to pay legal fees under any lawsuit settlement that arises under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

While the intent of these pieces of legislation was good, serial litigants and special interest groups have turned these laws into tools used to block access to our forests and our mineral resources.

In Montana, we have a litigation problem, as many of our forest management projects are locked up by environmental extremists filing frivolous lawsuits. Agencies spend more time behind a desk and more resources defending their actions than they do working on our lands.

These lawyers continue to get richer as Montana's landscape goes up in smoke and taxpayer funds are wasted.

This same amendment passed the House last September, and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment again.