Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 382) to take certain land in the State of Washington into trust for the benefit of the Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, 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 S. 382, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, S. 382, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Land Into Trust Confirmation Act, would place approximately 17 acres of land in Pierce County, Washington, into trust for the Tribe.

The land in question is currently owned by the Tribe in fee simple, and the Tribe intends to use the land for economic development purposes to benefit the Tribe and the surrounding area.

The parcels contain evidence of environmental contamination, which complicates the process by which the Bureau of Indian Affairs would take land into trust through the administrative fee-to-trust process. Under an administrative process, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA, would require full land remediation before the process even begins. This would be cost prohibitive for the Tribe and unnecessary given the Tribe's intended use of the land as a shipping terminal and transportation facility.

Additionally, S. 382 makes clear that the United States is not liable for any environmental contamination on the land and includes a prohibition on gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this legislation would take approximately 17 acres of fee land in Pierce County, Washington, into trust for the benefit of the Puyallup Tribe to support the development of a 21st century shipping and transportation facility.

I thank the sponsors of this legislation for their work on behalf of their constituents. I support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1792) to amend the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988, 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. 1792, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1792, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act of 2023, sponsored by Mrs. Radewagen of American Samoa.

This legislation would make critical updates to the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, consistent with amendments that were agreed to between the United States and the 16 Pacific Island parties in 2016 and ratified by the Senate in 2022.

The amendments will provide the United States fishing vessels with greater clarity about the areas that they can access in the parties' exclusive economic zones. This relationship gives the United States access to an abundant fishing resource while strengthening our presence in the region.

Despite the importance of this treaty, the recent amendments are not self-

executing. This has led to conflicts between our domestic regulatory regime and the treaty structure. Making the necessary changes in the statute to allow the United States and its regulatory agencies to fully implement the treaty amendments will ensure that they are carried out effectively.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mrs. Radewagen, for her leadership on this important issue and urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from American Samoa (Mrs. Radewagen).

Mr. Speaker, when President Ronald Reagan signed the initial legislation establishing this treaty, he spoke of the longstanding cooperation and partnership between the United States and the South Pacific. He stated that the legislation would ``reinforce the bonds of friendship and affection that unite our peoples.''

The bill we are considering today furthers that effort.

By updating the South Pacific Tuna Treaty in accordance with the 2016 amendments, we begin the next chapter of the partnership between the United States and the South Pacific. Strengthening these relationships could not be more important at a time when the United States' leadership is needed in this region to counter the growing malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party.

I, once again, thank Mrs. Radewagen for her leadership on this important issue. I urge the adoption of 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. 3250) to recognize the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum in Rochester, New York.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 3250, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3250, the National Museum of Play Recognition Act, which recognizes the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum in Rochester, New York, as the National Museum of Play.

This bipartisan bill, led by Representatives Morelle and Langworthy, provides Federal recognition without adding to the Federal estate or burdening taxpayers.

Inspired by her parents' passion for traveling, Margaret Woodbury amassed more than 27,000 dolls from around the world.

After her passing, Ms. Woodbury left a large portion of her financial resources for a museum, which opened in downtown Rochester in 1982.

Today, the museum spans over 100,000 square feet, serving as a reminder of the importance of play to visitors from around the country. As our country evaluates the implications of technology in our children's lives, this bill recognizes how play can be utilized to encourage learning, creativity, and discovery in child development.

This bill recognizes the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum, which draws over half a million visitors annually, in no small part, due to its unique important purpose.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill provides recognition to a museum that is a source of local pride without draining taxpayer resources or increasing the burden on the National Park Service. I support this bill, and 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. 1829) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona, 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. 1829, as amended, the bill now under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Representative Crane's bill, H.R. 1829. This is a good bill that would transfer land from the Forest Service to create a retreat facility in Gila County, Arizona, for veterans and their families to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Gila County is home to more than 5,000 veterans. Overall, the State of Arizona has a population of more than 500,000 veterans. Creating this facility will help those who have served our country find healing and reconnect with nature, and it will help ease the transition back to civilian life.

Almost 60 percent of the land in Gila County is federally owned, which creates significant limitations on available land for laudable efforts like this proposed retreat for veterans. This retreat center would be created from a Forest Service site that was scheduled to be torn down. In total, this 232-acre site includes 17 buildings, 2 residences, 2 barracks, a historic ranger house and barn, and helipads.

Gila County intends to remodel many of the buildings to provide an excellent experience for veterans and their families. Repurposing the site in this way is a win-win, as it will be a great resource for Arizona's veterans while freeing the Forest Service from maintaining the property that it no longer needs.

I applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. His diligent work with Gila County and the Forest Service has led to an important effort which will make a meaningful difference in the lives of Arizona's veterans. I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Crane).

Mr. Speaker, I again applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. As a veteran himself, I know that he understands just how important this veterans retreat center will be for the community.

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

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in favor of my amendment No. 3 to H.R. 6276, which expands on the bill's reporting requirements to have the Federal agencies also evaluate whether occupancy and utilization rates are affected by the agency's remote and telework policies.

The underlying bill, as drafted, requires Federal agencies and the General Services Administration, or GSA, to measure and report on occupancy and utilization in public buildings and federally leased spaces.

My amendment builds on this reporting requirement and forces the agencies to measure how telework and remote work impacts the utilization of its physical office space.

Telework and remote work have long been available to the Federal workforce, but the wide scale and regular use of such policies drastically increased during COVID.

Two priorities of this majority have been to return the Federal workforce to work and to understand how remote and telework impacted the efficiency of the Federal Government and the services it is required to provide to our constituents.

The Committee on Oversight and Accountability under the leadership of Chairmen Comer and Sessions have done great work to accomplish this goal.

Mr. Perry's bill and other bills reported by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee measuring the usage of Federal office space make further meaningful steps in achieving the goals of this majority.

Yet, the agencies have been anything but fully transparent. My amendment seeks to build on this great work by requiring that the agencies measure the new age of remote and telework on the usage of physical government space.

With telework and remote work so widely used in 2024, any study on the usage of office space would be incomplete without measuring it against the number of employees which only sometimes or never have to physically report to work.

This would help Congress understand how much of the Federal office spaces are actually being used on a regular basis in the post-COVID world, which would also help us to determine if we need to divest of physical office space to save taxpayers' dollars and streamline the Federal Government.

Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I again urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in favor of amendment No. 4 to H.R. 6276 which clarifies that the General Services Administration, or GSA, should use PIV badge swipe data isolating the first credentialed use of the day for each cardholder as a tool to measure utilization of Federal office space.

The bill, as currently drafted, explicitly directs GSA to use sensors and other technologies in public buildings and federally leased space to measure occupancy and utilization.

The GSA states that occupancy data has proven to be a vital tool for agencies to accurately evaluate space utilization and to manage property accordingly.

As part of this effort, the GSA is piloting occupancy data collection technologies. Another method GSA uses is badge swipe data which relies on Personal Identity Verification or PIV card swipe data at building access points.

PIV data is broken down into unique credentials and isolated to the first usage of the day. In short, it uses a Federal worker's PIV card to check attendance at the door.

My amendment would clarify that badge swipe data is and should be a tool GSA uses as part of the measurement of office utilization space.

While occupancy sensors measure the utilization of specific rooms, according to the GSA, badge swipe data can provide a historic daily count of the number of unique credential individuals in a space or building, daily building density based on square foot per person, and annual rent per person occupying the space.

This is absolutely the type of data we need to achieve the outcomes of the underlying bill.

The collection of the daily attendance to each Federal office building, which is then reported to Congress, will also help further our majority's goal to measure the impact of agencies' telework and remote work policies.

Again, my amendment is simply to clarify that this important data collection technology that GSA is piloting is utilized to the extent it can be in this

mission to measure usage of government office space.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, just one final statement. This amendment is to clarify that Congress intends for GSA to use all occupancy data collection techniques.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of my friend, Mr. Pat O'Toole, a Wyoming cattle and sheep rancher and hay grower whose deeply rooted passion for agriculture and love for his community and State will never be forgotten.

I first met Pat when he served with my father in the Wyoming House of Representatives. He championed numerous agriculture issues during his time in the State legislature and with the many organizations that he was a part of. He worked with several Governors' administrations to advocate for agriculture on the State level and testified before the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate on multiple occasions.

Pat was one of the first individuals to ever call my Congressional office. He did so seeking help for farmers and ranchers in southwestern Wyoming who were experiencing record amounts of snow and winter kill. Because of his efforts working with State and Federal leaders, a state of emergency was declared for the impacted area.

Pat, along with his wife, Sharon, and their family, operated Ladder Ranch in the Little Snake River Valley and were the recipients of the 2014 Wyoming Leopold Environmental Stewardship Award. Ladder Ranch has been in Sharon's family since 1881, 9 years before Wyoming even became a State, and is an excellent tribute to the O'Tooles' devotion to agriculture and conservation.

Pat loved his neighbors, cared for his community and State, and sacrificed his time to bless the lives of others. He passed away peacefully on February 25, leaving behind a legacy of selfless service that will be forever cherished by those who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in remembering the life of Mr. Pat O'Toole.

Recognizing the Life and Legacy of Nevada Krinkee

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Sergeant Nevada Krinkee, a Wyomingite who courageously defended our country and whose selfless service to his community will be remembered for generations.

Sergeant Krinkee dedicated his life to serving others and was a proud member of the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army during the global war on terrorism. During his 8 years in the Army, Sergeant Krinkee earned the rank of staff sergeant and was awarded numerous accolades, including the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and his Jump Master Wings.

Following his time in the Army, Sergeant Krinkee joined the Sheridan Police Department as a patrol officer, where he quickly rose in the ranks to patrol sergeant.

Sergeant Krinkee cared deeply for his community, our great State, his wife, Karla, and daughter, Bella. Although Bella may not remember her father, she will grow up knowing that his heroic actions protected the lives of all of those around her. Sergeant Krinkee's integrity, selflessness, and leadership will always be remembered by his colleagues and community.

On February 13, Sergeant Krinkee tragically lost his life while serving and protecting his community.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in remembering the life of Sergeant Nevada Krinkee.

Recognizing the Life and Legacy of Kelly Krause

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Mr. Kelly Krause, a Wyomingite whose love for his neighbors and the culinary arts will continue to live on through all who knew him, just as Wyoming will continue to cherish him for many years to come.

Kelly was a remarkable individual whose presence graced the lives of everyone he came across. Kelly, along with his wife, Lynette, owned a local Jackson eatery called the Virginian Restaurant, where his passion for his community was evident by all who visited. He always greeted guests with a smile and made them feel as if they were right at home.

On March 1, Kelly tragically lost his life in a skiing accident. As his family, friends, and the Jackson community mourn his passing, please know that my sincere prayers and thoughts are with you.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in remembering the wonderful life of Kelly Krause and standing with his loved ones during these difficult times.

Recognizing the Goshen County Irrigation District

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Goshen County Irrigation District's 100 years of dedicated service to Wyoming water users.

The district covers hundreds of miles of laterals, drains, and canals and delivers water to over 52,000 acres of farmland in my State. It maintains and operates a portion of the Fort Laramie Canal in partnership with the Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation District, improving the lives of farmers, ranchers, and everyone who lives in the region. Its work is absolutely vital to the prosperity of these local communities.

Unfortunately, in July of 2019, tunnel number 2 on the Fort Laramie Canal collapsed, impacting more than 100,000 production acres in Wyoming and Nebraska and causing $89 million in economic impact. Updating and repairing this collapsed tunnel has been an incredibly arduous process, and there is still so much more work to be done. However, Goshen Irrigation District was both resourceful and quick to respond.

Its efforts have helped Wyoming to optimize water usage, balancing the needs of agriculture, industry, and the environment more effectively. It has been instrumental in mitigating the challenges of water in the West.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in celebrating Goshen Irrigation District's 100 years of development and prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, the Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act.

This important legislation initiates the transfer of the Pilot Butte Power Plant from the Bureau of Reclamation to the Midvale Irrigation District.

Specifically, the Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act requires the Bureau of Reclamation to enter good-faith negotiations with the Midvale Irrigation District for the conveyance of the Pilot Butte Power Plant, located in Pavillion, Wyoming. This is a critical step towards improving responsible resource management.

Several months ago, we had the privilege of learning from Wyoming's Midvale Irrigation District on this important topic in a hearing in the Subcommittee of Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

In this hearing, we learned from both Midvale and the Bureau that this conveyance will allow the district to more easily maintain and operate the plant after the title transfer.

The message from each party involved in the conveyance was that this is a win-win for everyone involved. Transferring ownership of the power plant to Midvale will provide for greater flexibility and relieve administrative burdens for the Bureau of Reclamation.

As we all know, local communities and entities are often better equipped to understand the unique needs and challenges of their communities.

Placing control of the hydro plant in the hands of Midvale Irrigation District will empower them to make decisions that directly impact their region. This conveyance promotes a sense of ownership and accountability that will lead to more efficient operations and responsive governance.

This transfer will have positive economic benefits. Hydroelectric plants have the potential to generate substantial revenue. By allowing Midvale to control these resources, they can reinvest profits into the community. This will ultimately mean improved infrastructure and more support for local businesses.

The economic ripple effect can be profound and positively impact the lives of those living in the district.

Moreover, it is important to note that Midvale is intimately familiar with the intricacies of water management and distribution in their area. Updating and repairing this hydro plant will expand the State's portfolio, allowing for a more holistic approach to resource management.

This will help Wyoming to optimize water usage, balancing the needs of agriculture, industry, and the environment more effectively.

We have an obvious need to increase the amount of water stored through surface infrastructure and groundwater storage projects.

This particular conveyance will allow us to more effectively manage our water and provide power to our communities. Additionally, environmental stewardship is a critical consideration.

Wyomingites are more attuned to the ecological nuances of their surroundings. By placing the hydro plant under local control, we increase the practice of responsible environmental practices. This includes measures to protect aquatic life, maintain water quality, and ensure the responsible operation of the plant without compromising our ecosystems.

The Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act will empower Wyoming communities, boost Wyoming's economy, enhance resource management, and promote responsible environmental practices.

It is a decision that reflects the values of decentralization, self- determination, and self-reliance.

I thank Senator Barrasso and Senator Lummis for their leadership on this issue on the Senate side, and Midvale Irrigation District manager Steve Lynn, who was critical in elevating this issue and the solution we have before us this evening.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, for years, we have sounded the alarm about the crisis at our southern border. Yet, this can no longer be called a crisis.

What we face is an existential threat to our Nation, and it is a threat enabled by the Biden administration. Since taking office, the Biden administration has flouted and defied countless laws of the United States in order to prop up their blatantly illegal open-border policies.

Countless officials, including Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas, have violated their oath of office by failing to faithfully discharge the duties of their offices and protect our Nation.

Under President Biden, 8 million illegal aliens have been stopped at our borders, and over 1.7 million known got-aways have entered the Nation, with an untold number of illegal aliens crossing undetected.

In total, Biden's border failures have resulted in illegal immigrant totals that are well over 14 times the entire population of the State of Wyoming.

The 94 executive actions taken in President Biden's first 100 days alone have decimated all progress made by the Trump administration to secure our Nation, ending the remain in Mexico program, halting construction on the border wall, and handicapping the ability of Federal law enforcement to actually enforce the law. These actions and dozens like them by the Biden administration have deliberately created an environment where the rule of law no longer exists, where fentanyl kills our children and friends, and where no community in America can be considered safe.

Our hospitals are incurring literally tens of millions of dollars in uncompensated care, and our farmers are going broke because of the destruction of their crops.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 957 and call on the Biden administration to end their dangerous open-border policies that place Americans at risk.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ryan Pasborg, a truly remarkable Wyomingite, whose exceptional character and heroic actions left a profound impression on both the community and the State of Wyoming.

The morning of February 2, 2022, began like any other for Ryan as he went about his daily commute to work. During his drive, he began to smell smoke, witnessed flames, and noticed three young children escaping from a burning home.

Ryan immediately stopped, and after speaking with the children, learned that their mother and younger brother were still inside the House. Without hesitation, and at great risk to himself, Ryan rushed into the burning home and managed to rescue both their younger brother and mother for whom he later administered CPR--all while on the phone with 911.

No lives were lost that day due to Ryan's selfless actions and unparalleled courage.

Upon being nominated, he was later rightfully awarded the Carnegie Medal, North America's highest civilian honor for heroism.

While Ryan's extraordinary actions that day will be remembered for generations, the courage, compassion, and integrity he exhibited are simply a part of who he is each and every day.

I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Ryan Pasborg for his valor and commitment to the safety of his fellow Wyomingites.

Mr. Speaker, it should come as no surprise that this administration, known for its reckless spending and misuse of congressionally appropriated money, has resumed the Obama-era practice of redirecting settlement funds away from the American people and to activist groups championing the radical left's projects.

Instead of going to those harmed by a defendant or placing such funds into the U.S. Treasury to serve the American people, vast sums of money, literally millions and tens of millions of dollars, are instead being directed to Democratic Party-aligned groups by Federal agencies, placing these newly acquired Federal funds outside of Congress' purview while also funding radical progressive agendas to boot.

These groups are then free to spend dollars on partisan priorities expressly denied by Congress or to fund their own sue-and-settle tactics against the Federal Government.

Simply put, these funds are weaponized against the American people and are yet another way Democrats are abusing their power. Twice, the Trump administration limited this practice, only to have each attempt reversed by Joe Biden.

Clearly, this is not a partisan abuse. It is coming from only one side. As a Member of Congress, such actions are a blatant affront to our power of the purse and an effort to sidestep congressional oversight.

These slush fund activities deprive victims of the proper restitution our justice system promises.

H.R. 788 will end this unconstitutional, fraudulent, and immoral practice and provide Americans greater transparency in Federal settlement practices.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time. I rise in favor of S.J. Res. 38 to rescind the Biden administration's careless rule, which waives Buy America requirements for federally funded EV charging infrastructure projects.

Instead of abandoning this crackpot environmental project that has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars with no tangible benefit, the Biden administration is now doubling down, waiving the Buy America requirements in a desperate attempt to save the floundering EV industry.

Under this change, hard-earned taxpayer dollars will not only be wasted on useless charging infrastructure; no, now these funds will be squandered on useless charging infrastructure produced from foreign materials. Meanwhile, China continues to maintain an outsized hold on EV manufacturing and the critical materials required to construct them.

In other words, rather than invest in domestic energy resources and infrastructure, the Biden administration will prop up a failed industry whose entire existence is dependent upon government subsidies while increasing our reliance on China and other adversarial nations.

These actions will force millions of more Americans into a state of energy poverty and undermine American sovereignty all to kowtow before the climate gods.

Mr. Speaker, we must resist the Biden administration's forceful attempts to transition us to an electric future, whatever that means, while also advocating for solutions that empower America to restore its energy and manufacturing independence.

It is for these reasons that I sought to defund one of these useless EV programs through an amendment amid our appropriations process.

The fact is that this rule is wrongheaded at the wrong time and should not be implemented. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy

of Alfred Hill, Jr., a Wyomingite who courageously defended our country and whose life was marked by a track record of accomplishments and deeply rooted compassion for others.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Alfred made the selfless decision to serve his country as a member of the U.S. Sixth Army from 1963-1966, completing a tour of duty in Korea and earning a promotion to the rank of specialist.

Following his time in the Army, he earned a degree in business administration and accounting from the Universities of Texas and Montana.

Alfred and his wife, Barbara, moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, in 2010 where he dedicated his time to supporting others and bettering the community.

Alfred was an active member of the Rotary Club, served as a Scoutmaster, volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels, and arranged hunting trips for disabled veterans through the Hunting with Heroes Program.

Alfred valued his Christian faith and family above all else and cherished every minute he could spend with his grandchildren and great- grandchildren.

Alfred passed away peacefully on the morning of October 20, leaving behind a legacy of selfless service in his community that will be forever cherished by his friends and family.

I urge all my colleagues to join me in remembering the life of Alfred Hill, Jr.

Mr. Chair, as if Biden's border crisis isn't bad enough, this administration is now seeking to convert our national parks, America's most cherished national treasures and historical sites, into tent cities for illegal aliens.

Such actions not only debase our national heritage but blatantly violate numerous Federal statutes, including those covering management and protection of our national parks, NEPA, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

How bad is this latest move to convert our national parks to ungovernable tent cities? While Wyoming's efforts to prevent catastrophic wildfires destroying our national forests are met with intensive scrutiny from the unelected bureaucrats in this administration, President Biden is categorically exempting the housing of thousands of individuals in our national parks from any type of environmental review.

This double standard is indefensible, and the Biden administration's refusal to engage with Congress on this bill only confirms that fact. We need serious reforms to end the flood of illegal immigrants into our Nation, not half measures that fail to correct the disaster of this administration's own making and endanger what is the very best idea America ever had.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to protect our national parks by voting in favor of the bill.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment No. 105, which prohibits the Department of Labor from providing so-called climate literacy training.

In September 2022, the Department of Labor released a ``Climate Adaptation Plan.'' This plan identifies the Department as the agency that developed the climate training and discloses that it is exploring collaboration with other agencies for the purpose of promoting climate literacy training.

Madam Chair, this climate literacy training is yet another example of the extent to which radical climate hysteria has permeated every agency and subagency within the Biden administration.

The Department of Labor's mission statement actually says that it is responsible ``To foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, jobseekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.''

Perhaps it would be a surprise to the Department of Labor, but creating a Climate Adaptation Plan is not listed as either part of the agency's mission or priorities, yet here we are.

It is time for the Biden administration to stop catering to a politically radical agenda and actually focus on governing.

It is time for the Department of Labor to focus on its mission of fostering, promoting, and developing the welfare of the wage earners, jobseekers, and retirees.

The purpose of my amendment is to ensure that the Department of Labor does just that, that it focuses on its true mission and leaves the politics of global warming out of it.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to send a message to the DOL that we will no longer tolerate its foray into this nonsense.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, since President Biden took office, the American worker has suffered a 3.1 percent pay cut caused in large part by this administration's obsession with all things climate change and its war on affordable energy. The dramatic increases in energy costs have translated into higher costs for everything else, including food, housing, clothing, entertainment, and travel.

This administration's war on affordable, domestic energy has thus dramatically and negatively affected the very people that the DOL was created to serve--the American worker.

In short, American energy independence is good for the American worker, but the converse is also true; dependence on foreign-produced energy is bad for the American worker. Yet, that is the very outcome of these wrongheaded programs such as the DOL's climate literacy training. Such training won't improve the lot of the American worker, it will hurt it.

Last year, U.S. inflation-adjusted household income fell by the most in over a decade. This reduction in income is the direct result of the inflationary pressures caused by the Biden administration's energy and climate policies.

These policies have also impacted our labor force participation rate, which remains low and has never fully recovered since the pandemic.

There are serious labor issues to address in this country, and while I would argue workforce development and job creation are not a role of the Federal Government at all, so long as the Department of Labor exists, it should be focused on how it will work with American industries to foster a strong labor market.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment 106, which prevents the Department of Labor from carrying out the Environmental Justice grant activities described in its 2022 Climate Adaptation Plan.

Similar to my previous amendment on climate literacy training, this is climate change political capture inside the agencies of the Federal Government.

Since taking office, President Biden has issued several executive orders directing Federal agencies to address climate change and environmental justice--whatever that means.

The DOL has been very busy in implementing that directive, and in the process it has deflected resources away from its mission and wasted taxpayer dollars on trying to implement the Green New Deal--with its Climate Adaptation Plan and Environmental Justice grant activities just being part of those efforts.

The fact is that we don't need any such plan, and the justice that the DOL is peddling isn't justice at all. It is government-imposed wretchedness dressed up with nonsensical language, the very purpose of which is to pursue an agenda that has never been approved by this body.

Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to vote for my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, while the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities does fund rural grant opportunities, this amendment would simply prevent the Department of Labor from infusing environmental justice priorities into the program and return its focus to building economic opportunity for rural Americans. In other words, it uses the money the way that it should.

My amendment would block using money for things that it should not be using it for. While the YouthBuild program does on face value sound like a beneficial program for development of vocational skills, the 2022 climate plan outlines how skills can be developed for demand in industries, including the clean energy sector.

The reality is that it is a misapplication of funds, and it is being used inappropriately. When outlining its so-called environmental justice work, the DOL's climate plan references a strategic investment, but such a waste of resources isn't an investment at all. It is a colossal waste of taxpayer money.

Madam Chair, the Department of Labor is dedicating limited resources, manpower, and money towards implementing the left's climate change agenda while the very American citizens on whose behalf it is supposed to be advocating--the working man--lose ground every day, with inflation eating away at their buying power, individuals having to give up on work, and intergenerational government dependency being some of the fallout related to those policies.

A vote for my amendment is a vote for sending a message to the Department of Labor and any Federal agency engaged in pushing radical climate change initiatives. It is time for the DOL to focus on the job the American people expect it to do.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment No. 107, which prohibits the Department of Education from carrying out strategies listed in the Department's report titled: ``Strategies for Increasing Diversity and Opportunity in Higher Education.''

In June 2023, the Supreme Court through the decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard rightfully ended affirmative action and processes related to the admission of students into higher educational institutions based upon racial factors.

This landmark case has finally ended affirmative action, an agenda that its supporters lauded for maintaining equity and inclusion, was actually founded upon, implemented, and pursued for the purpose of furthering racial discrimination.

As Justice Roberts has previously said: ``The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.'' I agree. That, however, is not the way that the Biden administration sees it. The Biden administration and the Federal Department of Education don't seem to care what the Supreme Court says and have every intention to continue implementing programs that directly violate the Fair Admissions decision.

The current Federal Department of Education has done what agencies like this do best: They release a report that, while having no force or effect of law, provides a roadmap for colleges and universities to effectively continue their race-based admission practices. The Federal Department of Education, in other words, is simply continuing with its race-based discrimination, just calling it by another name.

My amendment is designed to block the Department of Education's efforts in that regard, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, this report, released in September of 2023, describes the strategies that colleges and universities may use to continue their discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda by suggesting admission procedures including a holistic review of student candidates emphasizing such factors related to their experiences with hardship, including racial discrimination, sources of inspiration or demonstration of resiliency, and other qualities with clear racial undertones.

Let me be clear. Admission practices and professional recruiting standards are areas in which merit should be the sole and primary focus when selecting new candidates.

My amendment prohibits the Department of Education from carrying out its strategies listed in the Department's report and ensures compliance with the Supreme Court's decision.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of my amendment 108 which prevents the Department of Education from carrying out its ``American History and Civics Education'' priorities referenced in the Federal Register titled: ``Proposed Priorities-American History and Civics Education.''

Under this 2021 proposed rule, the Department of Education sought to institute a variety of priorities under the National Activities program and within American History and Civics Academies seeking to promote a divisive educational curriculum. The real agenda behind these priorities is to attack our Nation's history and pursue an agenda to allegedly address what it refers to as systemic marginalization, biases, inequities, and discriminatory policy and practice to allegedly help students understand their own biases when reviewing information. What complete and total hogwash and drivel.

While the Department was forced to abandon its efforts to institute its offensive agenda, it has also disclosed its intent to maintain what it refers to as invitational priorities, meaning it will encourage others to do what it cannot.

Madam Chair, our children deserve to be educated on history, mathematics, English, science, and other programs that are accurate, robust, educational, and that will prepare them to join the workforce and be productive members of society. They do not deserve to be indoctrinated into far-left hatred of America.

My amendment would block the Department of Education from instituting these insidious priorities. I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, as I have said numerous times before, critical race theory and related programs are simply a mechanism utilized by the radical left to assert their control and to further divide Americans.

Madam Chair, my amendment is one small effort in combating the left's effort to turn our educational system into indoctrination camps, pushing racist policies that are not grounded in reality.

Once again, my constituents are fed up with the failures of the Department of Education in actually educating our children while using our taxpayer dollars to destroy America from within.

Support for my amendment will send a message to the Department of Education and other Federal agencies who pursue implementation of critical race theory initiatives that their time is up; that we are no longer going to allow them to use our educational system to implement policies that are not only based on lies but that put Americans against Americans.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3496 makes technical amendments to update statutory references to certain provisions in title 25, U.S. Code, and corrects related technical errors.

According to the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, or OLRC for short, the purpose of editorial reclassification is ``to reorganize areas of law that have outgrown their original boundaries, or to eliminate organizational units that are no longer efficient.''

Without altering any statutory language, OLRC relocates and rearranges provisions to make the organization of titles more logical and accessible. As a result, statutory references in other titles of the code must also be updated.

In September of 2016, the OLRC moved provisions from chapter 14 in title 25 into four new chapters toward the end of title 25. The reauthorization was necessary because more than 900 sections had accumulated in this chapter over years of legislating. Another small number of provisions within chapter 14 were transferred to other locations within the code.

The text and some provisions in chapters 14 and 19 were omitted in order to bring the coverage of the code into line with current classification practices with respect to general and permanent laws.

This is a routine exercise as these bills were prepared by OLRC pursuant to its responsibility under section 285(b) of title 2, U.S.C., and under the Judiciary Committee's responsibility for laws pertaining to the codification and revisions of the U.S. Code.

No substantive statutory text was repealed or altered and this bill merely improves the organizational structure of the material in the U.S. Code.

In the 115th Congress, Representative Issa sponsored a bill, which the Judiciary Committee ordered reported, making the necessary changes to cross-references in other titles of the Code affected by this editorial reclassification.

The Committee similarly favorably reported this bill during the 117th Congress. H.R. 3496 is an updated version of this legislation, which the Judiciary Committee passed this Congress by voice.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation.