Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I associate myself with Mr. McGovern's remarks condemning the unconscionable silence we hear across the aisle in the wake of these pardons of violent criminals, seditionist thugs who should never be pardoned or celebrated. Yet, that is exactly what is happening even here in the building that they desecrated.

Turning to the bill at hand, one thing I hope we can agree on, which is clearly missing from this bill, is a permanent pay raise for Federal wildland firefighters. These brave men and women put everything on the line. They deserve to be paid fair wages for the long hours, dedication, and sacrifice they are putting out.

The good news is that under that Democratic leadership, Congress approved a pay raise in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The bad news is the authority to continue paying Federal wildland firefighters the wages they deserve is about to run out because of partisan politics.

Thanks to Republicans, the entire Federal Government is operating under a continuing resolution, a short-term patch that will expire March 23.

Good luck hiring a Federal firefighter right now, being underpaid to start with and having a looming pay cut because of partisan politics just weeks away.

Fixing this should be an unequivocal bipartisan priority, and we have an opportunity to do it right now. That is why two of my Democratic colleagues filed amendments to address these issues. Unfortunately, the Rules Committee is refusing to allow a vote on the amendments from Representative Neguse and Representative Lee. That is a shame.

A permanent pay raise is not merely a matter of fairness. It is a recognition of the invaluable service these frontline heroes provide. It is an investment in their future, ensuring they can provide for their families and have peace of mind knowing their sacrifices are valued.

Instead of rushing this so-called Fix Our Forests Act to the floor to exploit a disaster in Los Angeles, we should be working together to address a real problem and doing right by our wildland firefighters.

In a few moments, Republicans will be moving the previous question to end debate on the rule. I urge my colleagues to vote against the previous question because doing so, voting no, will allow Mr. Neguse's Tim's Act to be brought forward instead of the Fix Our Forests Act, ensuring that Federal wildland firefighters are getting the pay and benefits they deserve.

That is the bill we should be considering instead of a bill that rolls back our environmental laws and does nothing to help Los Angeles.

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

Madam Speaker, I agree with the chairman. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration. It is awarded to brave individuals whose extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice exceed the call of duty.

In 2021, Congress authorized establishing a National Medal of Honor Monument to honor over 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, ensuring that their courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment are shared for generations to come.

The bill before us today would allow for this memorial to be placed on The National Mall in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial. That is appropriate, and Democrats support it.

In December of 1861, as the first brutal year of the Civil War came to an end, President Lincoln signed a bill authorizing the Medal of Honor recipients. I think it is appropriate to place this memorial in the footprint of the Lincoln Memorial as a fitting tribute to that legacy.

I thank Representatives Moore and Veasey for their collaboration and leadership on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Before moving on, I do want to mention that there are growing demands on The National Mall. In 2003, Congress declared The National Mall a completed work of civic art and prohibited future construction of new memorials and monuments in the core area known as the Reserve. As we all know, Congress changes its mind. Since then, it has agreed to authorize the placement of several new memorials and for good reason.

Just last month we approved the Women's Suffrage National Monument sponsored by Representative Neguse. That new memorial will ensure that women's stories are better reflected, filling an important gap that perhaps was not considered when Congress established the Reserve 20- plus years ago.

The National Medal of Honor Monument is another fitting tribute that deserves a place on The National Mall. We need to be clear-eyed about the future of The National Mall. I hope that this is a conversation we can have this Congress so that we can continue to make the best decisions about what has been dubbed America's front yard, one of the most visited and revered units of the National Park System.

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

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

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

Madam Speaker, I support this bill. It is a good idea to standardize information to improve the accessibility of that information if we want to help users, such as recreational fishers, navigate and access Federal waterways. This includes access, fishing restrictions, and navigation information, which are all very important.

On the Natural Resources Committee, we strive to ensure that Federal outdoor spaces are accessible to fishers, hunters, boaters, and other recreational users. It is important that they have up-to-date, easily accessible maps. This will allow us to improve outdoor recreation experiences while protecting existing natural, cultural, and recreational values.

To that end, this bill will direct agencies to develop and adopt interagency standards, ensuring that their databases are compatible and interoperable. They can more effectively collect and disseminate geospatial data to help inform folks about recreational opportunities.

I see multiple important applications for collecting and publishing this data. It could include vessel speed restrictions, the types of watercraft allowed in certain areas, the location of boat ramps, fishing sites, equipment and bait usage restrictions, and even waterway catch and release policies which can vary from place to place.

By standardizing and digitizing all of this, it gives Americans the information they need and the confidence to engage in recreation without the nightmare of searching through and trying to decipher a tangled web of information on numerous agency websites.

Madam Speaker, this is a good bill. I support this bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, this bill would establish a new task force led by the National Marine Fisheries Service to identify shark conservation needs and depredation research. That is fine.

Before getting into that, I want to point out that the suspensions today are supposed to reflect some of the bipartisan work of the Committee on Natural Resources to find common ground and move bills that had process last Congress. This legislation should certainly be one of those, but committee Republicans blocked an accompanying bill, Representative Keating's Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Act. We should be voting on that bill today, and we are not.

Last year's hurricanes and floods damaged key sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation facilities, forcing them to lose money and space that would otherwise go toward recovering stranded turtles. Representative Keating's legislation would help support these facilities as they care for Endangered Species Act-listed sea turtles.

The Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Commerce Committee secured a deal in December to move that bill, along with this SHARKED Act and two other bills. Unfortunately, unelected billionaire Musk's last-minute power play on the CR scuttled that modest package, and here we are.

It is disappointing that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have decided to forgo those bipartisan commitments and move this legislation as a standalone. If House Republicans won't even follow through on these easy bipartisan agreements, it is hard to see how Democrats can trust them to keep their word in the midst of the tougher negotiations that lie ahead. It is very disappointing and part of a growing pattern of striking deals and then immediately walking away from them.

Turning to this bill, sharks are critical to healthy ocean ecosystems. As the oceans' apex predators, they help shape marine food webs, and they are a key indicator of ocean health. Unfortunately, many shark species are also threatened or endangered. Oceanic sharks and rays have declined by a whopping 71 percent since 1970. That happened in many of our lifetimes. Three-quarters of these remaining species are at risk of going extinct.

In the seventies and eighties, a fundamental lack of understanding of shark biology and their ecological importance, combined with widespread fear, was partially responsible for dramatic increases in the recreational harvest of sharks in the U.S.

Some shark populations are recovering now, but human activities are reversing even those meager gains. Scientific estimates are that humans are causing nearly 100 million shark deaths every single year, and current levels of fishing pressure will cause the majority of shark populations to continue to decline. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, overfishing threatens half of coastal sharks and rays with extinction.

Given these declines and their causes, any effort to address shark depredation must align with our Nation's goal to recover shark populations and consider the impact of heightened fishing pressure and climate change.

Last year, we passed the SHARKED Act in the House. However, I recognize the concern over whether this legislation goes far enough to ensure good outcomes for shark populations and isn't just a slippery slope toward increasing shark harvests.

Through a collaborative effort, we refocused this bill on changing angler behavior and managing expectations, as well as building out the scientific understanding of shark ecology and the impacts of climate change on predators and prey in the ocean. This is vital because nonlethal deterrents and simple changes in angler behavior are proven to reduce the probability of sharks taking fish by 65 percent.

NOAA admitted in the legislative hearing on this bill that depredation research is complex and requires sustained investment due to sharks' high intelligence and adaptability.

Another area of concern is that this bill doesn't include funding. Without it, NOAA will be unable to expand their work to address shark conservation and depredation.

I hope my colleagues who support this bill will also work with us to ensure robust funding for shark conservation priorities, like increased shark stock assessments.

This bill should promote better collaboration between the fishing community and shark researchers. That is a good thing. This partnership is necessary to reduce risks to both sharks and humans from depredation events and build our understanding of the importance of sharks and how to conserve them. These are goals we should all support.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I support this bill, which would authorize the Forest Service to exchange a parcel of the Chippewa National Forest for a parcel of land currently owned by the Big Winnie Land and Timber company in Minnesota.

We note that the Forest Service land in question is already used commercially through a permit at the site of Bowen Lodge, a fishing and hunting resort that operated a marina on the shores of Lake Winnie, a place where Mr. Stauber has never invited me to go fishing, I am sad to say, even though it sounds pretty wonderful and I might be able to catch the first musky in my life. I will continue to wait for that invitation.

In the meantime, the land exchange in this bill would help simplify the operation of the resort and marina for continued visitor and commercial activity. In turn, the Forest Service would gain a parcel of land directly adjacent to the Chippewa National Forest and the shoreline of Lake Winnie.

Integrating this parcel into the Forest Service will provide for better management of undisturbed sites, critical wetlands, and wildlife habitat that are currently adjacent to Federal lands. That makes good sense.

To quote my Republican colleague, this is a win-win near Lake Winnie, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Forest Service manages millions of acres of forestland, including vital watersheds, critical wildlife habitat, and countless outdoor recreational areas.

The Forest Service's 10-year wildlife crisis strategy implementation plan stresses the importance of fire-adapted landscapes and hazardous fuel treatments to build resilient forests. These critical wildfire risk reduction projects are complex, multistep processes requiring significant planning and investments often carried out over several years.

In order for these projects to operate effectively, we must receive accurate, transparent, and accessible data on how they are planned and implemented. This bill proposes requiring the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to include in the President's annual budget a report on hazardous fuel activities carried out in a given fiscal year to account for each treated acre.

The ongoing reporting requirement would enhance transparency and accountability, providing critical information that could help guide investments in the management of our national forests, including how we deploy the historic funding for wildfire risk reduction efforts that were included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and in the Inflation Reduction Act if we can hang on to that historic funding in the coming months. I certainly support this bill for proposing that idea of an ongoing reporting requirement. However, I want to clarify that the bill does not actually require or even authorize it. The Congressional Budget Office found that the reporting requirements proposed by this bill would need significant funding, including for hiring 30 additional Federal employees.

Now, I think that would be a worthwhile investment for wildfire risk reduction. These days the Freedom Caucus tends to call the shots on these matters, and they don't allow us to consider bills that authorize that kind of money without spending reductions elsewhere.

So what we have before us is a revised version of the bill, a workaround, that doesn't even authorize the reporting activities that it describes. It is right there on the last page of the bill in all caps: No additional funds authorized.

Madam Speaker, you will notice that the CBO score on this bill is now zero. That is because the revised bill doesn't actually do anything.

We need to do better than this. We have a serious, real fire crisis in front of us. We can't fight climate change with window dressing or thoughts and prayers. I am going to support this bill because it doesn't do any harm and it does bring attention to a good idea, but this is nowhere near enough.

I will point out that the Biden-Harris administration achieved record acres of annual forest treatments thanks to the investments secured by House Democrats in both the IIJA and the IRA. This includes vegetation management to reduce hazardous fuels and prescribed burns.

That is important work worth doing, and I look forward to continuing to work with the majority and the new administration if they are willing to make those investments. We have to ensure that agencies have resources so they can continue reporting back with record-breaking numbers that we achieved under the last administration.

Unfortunately, this bill and the so-called Fix Our Forests Act that we will be considering later this week simply fail to provide any resources. Team extreme might be unhappy with a bill that includes a price tag, but I guarantee that it would be far less than the cost of the mass destruction from fires that we are seeing in places like L.A., and it is certainly worth the lives that would be saved.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with our friends across the aisle on the accounting issue that has been discussed here today. Obviously, we want to make sure that the Forest Service is not taking advance credit for phases of projects that haven't happened yet.

I think that is for the most part what has happened that the gentleman from Arkansas identified. I don't believe there has been any actual double or triple counting, but either way, we want it to be accurate. We all need good, accurate data on that reporting.

We will work together on that. In the meantime, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 165, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act.

This is an important step to honor the Lakota lives lost at Wounded Knee and the Lakota people for generations to come.

The bill would place approximately 40 acres of land located within the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation into restricted fee status for the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. This is land believed to be the site of the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre.

In the late 1800s, Tribes began holding Ghost Dances for the renewal of stolen land and in protest of the U.S. Government, which had prohibited American Indians from practicing their religious freedom.

In December of 1890, the government, our government, sent the Army's 7th Cavalry to disarm the Lakota near Wounded Knee Creek, and what resulted was a brutal massacre. Troops murdered over 350 American Indian women, men, and children. Mr. Speaker, 25 U.S. soldiers were lost in that massacre, as well.

The Wounded Knee Massacre was one of the most atrocious moments in our Nation's history, the dark side of that manifest destiny that was romanticized in the President's speech yesterday.

In 2022, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe purchased this land and signed a covenant to hold and maintain the land as a memorial and sacred site.

This bill would reaffirm that covenant and would allow the Tribes to hold, maintain, and protect the land from any development.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Dakota for this bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act, introduced by my colleague from Hawaii, Representative Jill Tokuda. We worked on this bill last Congress. Unfortunately, it didn't make it all the way across the finish line, but I thank Chair Westerman and my colleagues across the aisle for agreeing to schedule a vote early in this new Congress to keep the momentum going.

This legislation is vital. It addresses an urgent need to combat rapid ohia death, which has already led to the loss of over 1 million native ohia trees in Hawaii just since 2014 when this harmful fungus was discovered.

The significance of these trees can't be overstated. They are Hawaii's most abundant native tree. They play a critical role in preserving the State's unique biodiversity and protecting its native ecosystems. It is essential that we take immediate action to prevent further devastation and ensure the survival of this iconic species.

This bill emphasizes the need for research and aid to enhance our understanding of this deadly fungus and explore innovative solutions to combat its impact. It also fosters collaboration between Federal agencies, the State of Hawaii, and local stakeholders.

This comprehensive approach will help mitigate the threat of this disease and protect Hawaii's native forests and ecosystems, safeguarding these treasured and ecologically vital trees for future generations and preserving the unique ecosystems and rich biodiversity that make our Nation so exceptional.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tokuda for her leadership and tenacity on this critical issue, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Tokuda).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of more than two decades of extraordinary public service by Catherine (Katie) Rice to the County of Marin Board of Supervisors, as an aide, supervisor, and president.

Supervisor Rice has deep roots in Marin County. Raised in Mill Valley, she graduated from Tamalpais High School and received degrees in both Liberal Studies and English from Sonoma State University. After college, she worked as a journalist for several North Bay publications and developed professional skills researching complex community issues. She settled in San Anselmo where she raised her three children and became an active community leader.

An effective advocate for high-quality education, land preservation, and environmental stewardship, Supervisor Rice co-founded the Ross Valley Schools Foundation, served on the Sleepy Hollow Homeowners Association Board, and assisted in the creation of a master plan for San Domenico School.

In 2003, Supervisor Rice expanded her public service work as an aide to former Marin County Supervisor Hal Brown. Her connections throughout the greater Ross Valley community made her an important asset to Supervisor Brown. After helping him win reelection, he chose Supervisor Rice to lead his office as Chief Aide, a role she held for eight years. When Supervisor Brown was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2011, she was appointed to his seat by Governor Jerry Brown. She was then officially selected by voters in 2012, 2016, and 2020.

Supervisor Rice is known for her critical thinking skills and professional style, always applying informed decision making and attention to the concerns of her constituents. She doesn't shy away from complicated issues. She has taken lead roles in a multitude of initiatives, including flooding in Ross Valley and developed a keen understanding of how to work with agency partners such as the United States Army Corp of Engineers.

Always steadfast in her values to protect our vulnerable communities, she was largely responsible for the completion of major projects including Project Homekey, permanent supportive housing in Larkspur, and the establishment of the Marin Wildfire Protection Authority, which organizes countywide wildfire prevention and preparedness efforts.

It was my privilege and honor to work with Supervisor Rice. She is not afraid to rise to the occasion and embrace complex challenges from mitigating sea-level rise and greenhouse gas admissions to improving community health and reducing homelessness. I appreciate her collaborative leadership style, strong work ethic, and wit.

Mr. Speaker, Katie Rice was a tireless advocate for Marin County and her legacy cannot be overstated. I respectfully ask that you join me in expressing my sincere gratitude for her decades of good work and in sending her best wishes on her next endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act.

This bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide a one-time grant to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, as the chairman just mentioned, if future legislation authorizes such activity and if future legislation appropriates such funds.

This museum and memorial is the principal tribute of remembrance and honor for the nearly 3,000 people killed on 9/11. Over the years, Congress has provided significant financial support for the site and recognized it as the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Though I rise today in support, I would like to highlight that the 9/ 11 museum has faced criticism since its opening related to some terminologies used in some of the exhibits. Organizations such as the Muslim Community Network and a coalition of prominent academics have raised concerns that the terminology used for Islamic extremism and terrorism is sometimes generalized, improperly defined, and excludes necessary context. In response, these groups have requested that an interfaith advisory council be established for the memorial and museum to increase inclusive representation, content review, and educational initiatives.

I acknowledge and deeply understand the significance and importance of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. It is a site for remembrance and mourning. Members of the House Natural Resources Committee will continue to support the ongoing management needs of the museum, but we encourage the museum's management to engage with stakeholders to develop an interfaith advisory council to ensure that the site is welcoming and representative of all.

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

Mr. Speaker, we support this legislation. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. It would designate the Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida, as a National Commemorative Site to honor the legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson.

I did not know this, but this park is the oldest active ballpark in minor league baseball. It opened in 1914. The historic significance, of course, is that heading into spring training in 1946, every other minor league park locked their stadiums and canceled games rather than allow Jackie Robinson to play as part of the Montreal Royals in that minor league season. So only Daytona Beach set side segregation laws to permit Robinson to play at the ballpark that now bears his name. A year later, he was called up to the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the rest is history.

The park was renamed the Jackie Robinson Memorial Ballpark in 1990 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. By designating it as a National Commemorative Site, we would continue to honor and bolster Robinson's legacy, which is a good thing.

I appreciate this bill. I appreciate that it is sponsored by the entire Florida delegation, displaying not only the truly bipartisan nature of this effort, but also a universal understanding of the importance of memorializing Jackie Robinson for the contributions he made to the civil rights movement.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of Senator Padilla's Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act. This would designate approximately 172 acres of land located in San Diego County, California, into trust for the benefit of the federally recognized Tribe of the Jamul Indian Village of California.

This land is within the Tribe's ancestral territory and is located near their existing reservation. This Tribe has fought for years to restore their homelands and protect and preserve their cultural sites.

With this land, the Tribe will be able to increase Tribal housing, preserve and protect cultural sites, and better provide essential government operations, including healthcare services, administrative offices, law enforcement, and other community resources, such as a grocery store and educational services.

Earlier this year, we passed the House version of this bill by voice vote. I ask my colleagues to support the bill once again so that we can send it to the President for his signature, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

I rise in support of the Reversionary Interest Conveyance Act, introduced by my colleague from the Sacramento area in California, Representative Matsui.

Her bill would allow for the conveyance of certain Federal Government claims associated with approximately 8.43 acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Sacramento.

It is currently encumbered by what is known as a reversionary interest, in this case dating back to the 19th century.

The original conveyance of the land from the Federal Government stipulated that it must be used for specific stated purposes or ownership would revert back to the United States.

Lands with reversionary interests like these have what is called a clouded title, which limits allowable uses and development.

In this case, the reversionary interests originate from the initial conveyance that provided public land for railroad purposes in the 19th century, but the land changed hands over the years, eventually without knowledge of this requirement.

The bill aims to clear up the land ownership issue by resolving the Federal Government's ownership claims on these parcels. Under the sale authorized by the bill, landowners would be given the opportunity to purchase the reversionary interests from the government so that they can pursue development or future conveyances of the land.

Importantly, this bill has standard conveyance language, including a requirement to sell the interest at fair market value, and the authorized conveyance is supported by the Department of the Interior.

This is a win-win for the government and the community in Sacramento. Mr.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, this is a great bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

I rise in support of H.R. 8931. It is unclear to me why when this park changed from being a State park to part of the National Park Service the word ``battlefield'' was dropped, but, obviously, the Battles of Saratoga are a very important part of history. This is where American Revolutionary forces won decisive victory in 1777.

The change proposed in this legislation is appropriate, I support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation by my colleague from northern California, Representative Josh Harder.

This bill would reauthorize the Nutria Eradication and Control Act through 2030. This will benefit Maryland, Louisiana, and California, enabling them to manage and eradicate this destructive, invasive species.

The chairman described a little bit about the nutria and how it came to the United States. The reason it is such a problem is it breeds very rapidly, has destructive tendencies towards native wetland vegetation, which has led to erosion and displacement of native species. It can lead to levee breaches and the introduction of diseases and parasites that threaten humans, livestock, and pets.

These effects pose severe threats to our national wetlands which are essential habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife and which act as buffers from extreme weather events.

To give you an example, according to estimates, had measures not been adopted to control and eradicate the species in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, nutria could have destroyed 17 percent of the bay's marshes in just 50 years.

In 2003, the Nutria Eradication and Control Act authorized the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to Maryland and Louisiana for a program to eradicate or control nutria and restore marshland that they had damaged.

In 2020, my friend, Representative Josh Harder, passed a bill through Congress that amended that legislation to include California. That was a very timely law because California faced a rapidly expanding breeding population of nutria in the San Joaquin Valley and adjacent areas.

The Nutria Eradication and Control Act has significantly reduced nutria populations in all three States. In Maryland, they were entirely eradicated from the Chesapeake Bay in 2022. In California, nutria captures peeked in 2020 and have been steadily declining, but they are not yet fully eradicated. That is why this bill is needed. It would ensure the critical work of eradicating this destructive, invasive species can continue through fiscal year 2030.

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

Mr. Speaker, when the last nutria in the United States is eradicated, it will not be missed, but the gentleman from Louisiana will be missed. It has been a pleasure serving with him. He is colorful, both in his rhetoric and in his fashion. We appreciate him and wish him well.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from northern California (Mr. Harder).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this very important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.