Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 512, YEA on Roll Call No. 513, and YEA on Roll Call No. 514.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2781, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024, authored by Senator Heinrich of New Mexico.

This bipartisan bill, also introduced in the House by Representative Maloy and myself, would address the significant environmental challenge posed by tens of thousands of abandoned hardrock mining sites by creating a pathway for Good Samaritan entities to receive the legal assurances they need to move ahead with remediation of historic mine pollution.

I applaud the bipartisan work that has gotten the bill to this point, and I am pleased to see that we are on the cusp of enactment.

The potential harm to the environment and society caused by these abandoned mines is great. Tens of thousands of miles of streams around the Nation are contaminated by acid and metals drained from these abandoned mine sites, and hundreds of thousands of acres of lakes and reservoirs are impacted from runoff from abandoned mines.

The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 would establish a pilot program to allow EPA to issue certain permits to allow remediation of abandoned hardrock mine sites.

The legislation has the support of a range of outdoor conservation groups, including American Rivers, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and Trout Unlimited.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Lee).

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

Mr. Speaker, mining is a very interesting field, and a lot of modern mining is very, very environmentally conscious. I think it is noteworthy to recognize that all rock is between zero to six or seven stages of acid rock leaching. All that means is, if acid-leaching rock is crushed, its exposure to water and air becomes a contaminant to fish.

Acid-rock drainage was not very well understood in some of the early mines, and I know that there are a lot of entities that are very interested and have a lot of philanthropic money behind them to put toward remediation and reclamation.

This act provides a reasonable, commonsense approach to ensure that voluntary parties that had nothing to do with the cause of pollution are able to take steps to reduce the environmental health and safety problems associated with abandoned mine sites.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8692. This bill requires Amtrak's board of directors to hold open meetings, ensures the public is notified of upcoming meetings, and allows the public to observe board meetings.

The bill increases transparency and allows exceptions when certain sensitive financial and contractual obligations are discussed, including contract negotiations with Amtrak's workers.

Transparency is important, and the concept of open board meetings has support from the Rail Passengers Association and the States for Passenger Rail Coalition.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill will increase transparency of Amtrak decisions as Amtrak uses Federal funding to improve operations, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and remember a very special Alaskan.

On August 25th, a devastating landslide in Ketchikan destroyed homes and took a fellow Alaskan from us. That Alaskan was Sean Griffin. Sean was a selfless husband, father, son, neighbor, and public servant. Ketchikan families knew him for his positive spirit and his devotion to his friends, family, and community. At the time of the landslide, Sean, a senior maintenance technician for the city, was clearing stormwater drains on his day off.

It's heartbreaking to see that such a model Alaskan and public servant is now gone from our Ketchikan community. He will be so deeply missed.

Earlier this month, I witnessed the landslide damage in Ketchikan firsthand. It was horrific. Alaskans had their entire lives uprooted.

Our delegation will be working closely with those affected to make sure Ketchikan is safe. But Sean was taken from us too soon. I am sharing my deepest condolences to his friends, family and all those whose lives he touched. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the honorable Mr. Stauber, for his work on this measure.

I rise today to speak about Alaska's Right to Produce Act and how I will be voting.

This bill unintentionally pits two of Alaska's most important industries, energy and fisheries, against one another. Alaska faces an energy crisis, which is more than slightly ironic since our State has vast energy resources. Alaska pays some of the highest prices in the country for the petroleum we need to heat our homes through winter and the fuel that we need to transport ourselves and our goods.

Everyone knows Alaska is rich in oil and gas, but we also have great wind energy potential in the Cook Inlet, geothermal exploration in the Aleutians, and expanding hydropower in the southeast.

However, many Alaskans live in extremely rural areas that rely on diesel and biomass to heat our homes through harsh winters. Those fuels are more expensive and contribute to air pollution in regions like Fairbanks, which has some of the worst air quality in the Nation.

While some would love to jump straight from diesel to wind, that is unrealistic in Alaska. What we can do is use natural gas as a bridge fuel to move more people to cleaner-burning energy and reduced air pollution.

That is why I believe Alaskans should be able to develop and transport the natural gas we have available on our North Slope for our use throughout the State. I genuinely support an all-of-the-above approach on energy.

Alaskans can't afford to be picky about where energy comes from. My personal energy bills are over $1,000 a month, a reality that many of my lower 48 colleagues do not fully understand.

I was the only Democrat to support this legislation at markup, and I still support the bill's intent. Alaska needs to develop energy for our use and economic well-being.

However, this bill would nullify the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area. This resilience area was created at the request of Alaska Native Tribes in the region. It empowers the people who have lived there for thousands of years to exercise their self-determination and be equal voices on policy decisions facing the Northern Bering Sea.

Let me be clear: This bill never intended to target the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area. That is why I proposed an amendment that would have removed this resilience area from the final bill text. That is

also why today I introduced a clean version of the Alaska's Right to Produce Act that doesn't impact the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area.

Alaska's Right to Produce aims to ensure my State can continue to develop its onshore oil and gas resources in areas like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

It is a reserve, not a refuge. It was set aside for oil and gas development, not permanent preservation. Even as recently as the Obama administration, companies were encouraged to develop in the National Petroleum Reserve as opposed to other parts of Alaska.

On the other hand, the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area is necessary to help manage the impacts of climate change on our Arctic environments, including increased vessel traffic, moving fish stocks, marine debris, and increased military activity.

We saw recently why the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area needs to remain in place. NOAA developed the Northern Bering Sea Effects of Trawling Survey, an experiment to see the impacts of commercial bottom trawling in an area of the Bering Sea where it is currently banned.

In their opposition to this project, the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience intertribal advisory council said that NOAA's plan perfectly illustrated the two reasons why the area was established in the first place: the history of the Bering Sea Tribes not being involved in policy discussions and decisions, and the threat of bottom trawling moving into the Northern Bering Sea ecosystem.

By nullifying this area, we are breaking our promise to the Tribes and directly harming fishing communities. Alaskans face many challenges and threats to our unique ways of life. We are on the brink of being forced to import natural gas from a foreign country, and our fishermen are in the midst of an economic free fall, coupled with depleted fish stocks.

Unfortunately, the way this bill was written puts energy development against fisheries, and for that reason I will be voting ``present'' today.

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 117 and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 118.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor two exemplary Alaskans. They have been inspirational to others, as well as a gift to the communities they serve across our great state.

Jessy Lakin of Wasilla has served as the Program Lead for the Alaska Warrior Partnership since December 2022. As a combat veteran, co- founder of Battle Dawgs 501(c)(3) and veteran advocate, Jessy's skillset in collaboration, problem solving, marketing, and community relations has helped AKWP grow exponentially. Jessy's ability and collaboration skills have helped find solutions to generate momentum within the state to address difficult issues that veterans face. Jessy has spearheaded and organized monthly meetings that host up to 85 various agencies. This collaboration and partnership have been instrumental in the ability to assist veterans and their needs. Jessy also volunteers as a Co-Chair for the Veteran Community Partnership (VCP) with the Department of Veterans Affairs Alaska Health Care System. This group works with VA programs and community partners to address gaps in service, access to care, and provide outreach opportunities to connect veterans to the VA system.

Tiana Freeman of Eagle River serves as a case coordinator for the Alaska Warrior Partnership. Tiana works to engage veterans and stakeholders who are seeking resources for the warriors in our community needing assistance. Her duties include intake of warriors, determination of needs, and screening for Suicidal Ideation and Risk before then connecting the warriors with resources in the community. Tiana has worked and closed 147 cases so far this year. Tiana goes above and beyond for each warrior; she establishes a trusting and lasting relationship with everyone she encounters. She has outstanding reviews from veterans, community partners and state and federal level agencies.

Together, Tiana and Jessy work to identify gaps in services. They also work to obtain grants and funding. Their efforts to engage and recruit community agencies, businesses, and other non-profits have resulted in over 85 partnerships across Alaska. These partnerships have worked and closed 730 cases resulting in a successful closure rate of 97.5 percent since December 2022.

Jessy's and Tiana's dedication, selflessness, and empathy have positively impacted the veterans they assist as well as the community partners they engage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn with the city of Wrangell, Alaska. At 9 p.m. on November 20, 2023, 37 acres of land descended on three houses at mile 11 of the Zimovia Highway in Wrangell. The landslide scattered everything, cutting off 55 homes and 71 people from their community.

Navigating wind, rain, and snapping trees, first responders went straight into the debris to find their neighbors.

With no cell service, firefighters went door to door. Local fishing boats transported survivors back to the city.

In the days following, the Coast Guard, State geologists, State troopers, and other public servants joined the search and rescue teams.

Like Alaskans always do, the Wrangell community pulled together in the face of adversity. Christina Florschutz was rescued from the debris and, for that, Alaskans are grateful.

Tragically, her husband, Otto, and the neighboring Heller family with three children aged 16, 12, and 11 did not survive.

Their loss will forever change this small community, and it should remind us of our duty. From better monitoring systems to faster FEMA responses, Americans expect the Federal Government to be ready when disaster strikes.

I hope that my colleagues will join me in making that a reality and remembering the story of Wrangell.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to defend Alaska's rights to affordable groceries, which are under threat from a corporate mega- merger.

The Albertsons-Kroger merger would combine Alaska's two largest grocery stores. Many of our communities just have two grocers, a Carrs- Safeway and a Fred Meyer, often across the street, whether it is Airport Way in Fairbanks or the Sterling Highway in Soldotna.

If they merge, 14 of these stores will be sold to a company that has never operated in Alaska. That matters.

Alaska is a remote State with one-of-a-kind logistical challenges. We know what happened in the 1999 Carrs-Safeway merger, when a new operator had to close its stores after barely a year. Alaskans got higher prices and fewer choices.

We won't be ignored this time. We are asking the Federal Trade Commission to listen to our voices, stop this merger, and protect our access to food and jobs.

As the FTC meets this week, Alaskans will be speaking up, asking them to do the right thing and listen to those who have the most to lose.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the House to honor the career of a great Alaskan, Justine Gundersen, upon her retirement from the Board of Directors for the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, known generally as ``APICDA.'' APICDA is one of six Community Development Quota Groups formed pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management and Conservation Act, as amended which created in statute the Community Development Quota Program. This revolutionary and game-changing program ensured that remote underserved Alaska Villages, would have a real and economically viable stake in the vast and valuable federal fisheries harvested in close proximity to their communities. Justine Gunderson played her own invaluable role in making it happen.

In 1976, Justine Gundersen made Nelson Lagoon her home with her late husband, Paul Gundersen. ``The Lagoon,'' is nestled on the north side of the Alaska Peninsula, on a narrow sand spit, 580 miles southwest of Anchorage and 70 miles north of Cold Bay. Nelson Lagoon, which the Unangax people originally used as a seasonal fish camp, has developed into a close-knit, year-round community with commercial fishing as its economic backbone.

Since the inception of the CDQ program, Justine has been a cornerstone, holding a position on the APICDA board since its earliest days. Her guidance helped lay the foundation for the APICDA board and played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the entire program.

Justine's list of accomplishments is extensive, serving on influential bodies such as the Advisory Panel for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Alaska Seafood

Marketing Institute Board, the Aleutians East Borough Assembly, and the Nelson Lagoon Advisory Board.

What truly distinguishes Justine is not merely the duration of her service, but the unwavering commitment that propels it--a resolute determination to ensure that the state's villages, regardless of their size and remoteness, receive the attention they deserve. With the accumulating of nearly 50 years of service, Justine has become a beacon of knowledge, dedicating herself to educating others about village life.

Beyond her board service, Justine assumed the role of Administrator for the Tribe and Corporation in Nelson Lagoon. In these capacities she worked tirelessly to shepherd projects aimed at enhancing the quality of life for the village residents. These projects include a community dock, erosion mitigation initiatives, a boatyard and storage facility, a community greenhouse, and two seasonal tourism adventure sport fishing camps that provide employment opportunities for Nelson Lagoon residents.

Justine's wealth of knowledge in the region and the fishing industry, coupled with her extensive experience and unyielding passion, positioned her as a formidable advocate. Her dedicated service to APICDA leaves an indelible and positive mark upon its history and its future, and upon the CDQ Program generally and continued economic opportunity that it provides to Villages throughout areas of Western Alaska. I thank Justine for her service to Alaska.

Madam Speaker, I have heard stories from people across Alaska, some of the most rural and distant parts of our country, of about 20 people sharing a house with only three bedrooms and one bathroom. They sleep in shifts because they don't have enough space.

Without enough places to live, people are being forced out of their communities, the communities they love and the Native cultures they were raised in.

The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, or NAHASDA, is called the backbone of Indian housing for the essential support block grants and financing it guarantees in order to develop critical affordable housing and community facilities. However, 15 years of inflation since the last reauthorization has decimated housing production.

I am asking Congress to reauthorize and properly fund NAHASDA. We cannot force Alaska Natives to make a choice between the communities of their place-based cultures or a roof over their head.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask my fellow Members of the 118th Congress to join the proud Members of the Alaska Delegation in congratulating and thanking the Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) for 100 years of service to our State and to our Nation. The ``Railroad,'' as we call it back home, and the builders, operators, and leaders that are its lifeblood, have been the backbone of the Last Frontier's evolution. For the last century, the Railroad has been catalyzing economic development, supporting war efforts, transporting passengers between Alaska's largest cities, helping build the Trans- Alaska Pipeline, investing in real estate, and facilitating tourism and commerce across miles of remote and beautifully wild landscapes.

Like Alaska itself, the Alaska Railroad story is full of peaks and valleys. The Alaska Central Railway (later renamed ``The Alaska Railroad'') laid the first track in Alaska in 1903. It started in Seward and extended 50 miles north. The Alaska Central Railway reorganized in 1910 as the Alaska Northern Railway Co., later extending the railroad to Kern Creek--71 miles from Seward. In 1914, the U.S. Congress, noting it's essential national importance, funded construction and operation of a railroad from Seward to Fairbanks at an estimated construction cost of $35 million.

On July 15, 1923, President Warren G. Harding drove a golden spike in the ground at Nenana thereby connecting the track and marking the completion of the Alaska Railroad. From 1940-43, World War II brought large profits from hauling military and civilian supplies and materials. In 1962, the Alaska Railroad established its first car-barge service in Whittier, followed by train-ship service in June 1964, revolutionizing Alaska by enabling rail cars from the Lower 48 to be shipped to any point along the Alaska Railroad. In the early to mid- 1970s, the railroad supported construction of the Trans Alaska Pipeline, shipping and storing pipeline between Valdez, Seward, and Fairbanks, from which it was then trucked to the North Slope. In 1981, the Railroad entered into agreements with Fairbanks and Anchorage school district career centers for a tour guide program that trained high school students to serve as hosts onboard summer passenger trains.

President Ronald Reagan penned into law the authorization of the transfer of the Alaska Railroad to the state in 1983. Officially, in 1985, it became the property of the state, and the Alaska Railroad Corporation was born. By 1996, ARRC showed a profit of $8.0 million and passenger ridership had grown to 512,000. Former Governor Bill Sheffield became CEO in 1997. In the early 2000s, the ARRC's real estate operations exceeded $11 million in profits for the first time and a web-based passenger reservation system was implemented. Simultaneously, the Railroad initiated a program to reduce diesel emissions and noise. And 2003 was the railroad's most profitable and safe year in its history up until that point. In 2013, the Railroad's own Bill O'Leary was named CEO, becoming the first lifelong Alaskan to lead the Railroad. Today, the ARRC operates a regularly scheduled public transportation service extending from Seward north through the traditional lands of the Alutiiq and the lands of the Athabascan groups: the Dena'ina, Ahtna, and Lower Tanana people. Passengers gain access to remote regions and areas off the road system and to the state's public land treasures including the Chugach National Forest and Denali National Park, which are visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually. During the last 100 years, ARRC has proudly nurtured and promoted a relationship with the Alaska Native community. The ARRC team includes Native members throughout its history; from laborers during initial railroad construction between 1914 and 1923, to track maintenance during World War II, through to top leadership guiding corporate policy on the ARRC Board of Directors after state ownership.

The Executive Team is comprised of President and CEO William G. O'Leary, CFO Michelle Maddox, COO Clark Hopp, Chief Counsel Andy Behrend, Vice President of Real Estate & Facilities James W. Kubitz, Vice President of Marketing and Customer Service Dale Wade, Vice President Chief Engineer Brian Lindamood, and Chief HR Officer Jennifer Mergens.

The Board of Directors are Ryan Anderson, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities; John Binkley, Chairman, Godspeed, Incorporated; T.J. Dinsmore, Conductor/Engineer, ARRC; ARRC Board Vice Chair: Judy Petry, President & General Manager, Farmrail System; John Reeves, Owner, Fairbanks Gold Co., LLC; Julie Sande, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development; ARRC Board Chair: John Shively, Chair, Pebble Mines Corporation.

Throughout the Railroad's storied history, the corporation's team, as much as the iron and steel of the locomotives, has served as the foundational infrastructure driving economic development in my great state of Alaska. By carrying freight and passengers across wide expanses of wild plains, rivers, and mountains, and by harnessing human ingenuity and creativity, the Railroad has played an irreplaceable role in turning Alaska into a destination for tourists and new residents alike.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the winner of this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race, also known as the Last Great Race. This year's winner, Ryan Redington, finished the 1,000-mile race from Willow to Nome with his team of six dogs in 8 days, 21 hours, 12 minutes, and 58 seconds.

This win means a lot to Ryan, his family, and all of Alaska. Ryan's grandfather, Joe Redington, Sr., was there at the very beginning of the modern Iditarod race and to this day is known as the ``father of the Iditarod''. He competed in seventeen races--finishing his last at 80 years old. With Ryan's victory, the Redington family has brought the Iditarod trophy home.

I also want to highlight this year's second and third place finishers, Pete Kaiser and Richie Diehl. For the first time, all 3 top finishers of this year's race are Alaska Natives from rural communities. The spirit of mushing is truly alive and well across the state.

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and celebrating the achievements of Ryan Redington, Pete Kaiser, and Richie Diehl, as this year's Iditarod champion, and second and third place finishers.

Madam Speaker, with enactment of the Social Security Act in 1935, this country promised Americans that if they worked hard and contributed to the program to support others, when they retire or become disabled or lose a spouse, they will be taken care of, too.

Social Security helps us provide for retirees but also disabled workers, widows and widowers, spouses, and children.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt claimed that Social Security would ``promote the common welfare and the economic stability of the Nation,'' and it has.

Social Security has kept millions of seniors out of poverty and continues to do so. Today, Social Security provides monthly checks to more than 65 million beneficiaries who rely on it for food and other necessities.

For over 85 years now, trusting in the promise of Social Security, millions of Americans have worked hard, paying into the program out of every single paycheck for decades.

In 2019, Social Security had helped 31,146 Alaskans stay out of poverty. A report from a few years ago found that without Social Security the elderly poverty rate in Alaska would have increased from 7.6 percent to 28 percent. As of 2021, over 110,000 Alaskans were receiving monthly Social Security benefits, including 84,796 who are 65 and older. In total, that is over 13 percent of Alaskan residents.

I was raised, as I think many others were, with the value of treating elders with great deference and respect, to care for them as they have cared for us. I can think of no better way to do that than to ensure that they have a safe and secure retirement. Simply, this program reflects our values. All Americans deserve to retire with dignity.

We must support our senior citizens by strengthening Social Security and not slashing it. We need to protect and expand Social Security.

Despite the many demonstrated successes of the Social Security program, there have been no benefit increases to the program in over 50 years. I hear from many Alaskans back home who are scared that they will not receive the Social Security benefits they have worked so hard for all their lives.

Alaskans worry that the checks they depend on will suddenly disappear, and they have no plan B. They count on receiving this earned benefit that they rely on to pay for essentials like heating. My own monthly heating bill in my hometown of Bethel, Alaska, is over $1,000 a month, and my understanding is that is a low bill.

People do not deserve to live with this kind of uncertainty and insecurity. That is why safeguarding and reforming Social Security must be a priority for this Congress.

Social Security was a solemn promise made to Americans by its government in full faith and credit. I commit to protecting this promise for Alaska and all Americans and implore my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart I rise today to pay tribute to a great Alaskan and dedicated leader of the Artic Slope Regional Corporation, Dr. Oliver Leavitt. Sadly, Oliver passed away earlier this year on January 9, 2023, at the age of 79 in his lifetime hometown, Utqiagvik. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as the entire Artic Slope community.

Dr. Leavitt was a long-time Inupiat public servant who held innumerable leadership positions on the North Slope and across Alaska. In 1971 he played a key role in the Alaska Native lands claims fight and was a significant contributor to the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). His wisdom and guidance in establishing the Alaska Native corporation system was monumental and will be recognized for generations to come.

Dr. Oliver Leavitt was elected as the first president of the North Slope Borough Assembly in 1972, a position he held for four years, followed by more than 20 years of service in the Assembly. He also served on the boards of the Arctic Slope Native Association and the Alaska Federation of Natives. As Vice President of Lands and Vice President of Government Affairs for the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, he effectively messaged Tribal, economic, and cultural priorities in Washington, D.C. and Juneau. His presence will be forever remembered by policymakers who interacted with him.

While working in Washington, D.C., he was pivotal in passing numerous amendments to ANCSA, improving the law for future generations of Alaska Natives. He also contributed to legislation that authorized development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and allowed for increased economic opportunity for Native corporations across Alaska.

Throughout Dr. Leavitt's lifetime, each success was achieved with the support and love of his family and his community. Oliver's legacy will live on through the community and the continued work they do to advance Alaskan priorities. He will forever be survived in the North Slope Borough and throughout all of Alaska.

Oliver dedicated his life to advancing Alaskan priorities and improving the quality of life for Alaska Native communities. I honor his legacy and mourn his loss alongside his family and community.