Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the following people who have worked with me to achieve the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area Boundary Modification Act of 2017 which was legislation I drafted and was included in the Fiscal Year 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act. They each played a role in their own way and because of their help, the West is building critical energy infrastructure that will improve reliability and efficiency and also increase continuing conservation efforts while saving Idaho ratepayers money.

Let me start by thanking Brian O'Donnell and Danielle Murray from the Conservation Lands Foundation. Their solution oriented attitude helped guide the success of this effort. I would also like to thank Rick Johnson, Craig Gehrke, Will Whelan, Kai Anderson, and Amelia Jenkins from the conservation community.

I want to thank Jeff Malmen and his terrific team at Idaho Power, including Mark Stokes and Mitch Colburn who were there every step of the way to ensure the project recognizes conservation and saves Idaho ratepayers. Their friends at Rocky Mountain Power, including Pat Reiten, were also great partners.

I would also like to thank the hard working men and women at the Bureau of Land Management. Tim Murphy and his team in Idaho include Peter Ditton and Erin Curtis. Their work was instrumental throughout the entire Gateway West project and I thank them for their public service in Idaho.

Additionally, I need to thank Governor Otter and his team of John Chatburn and Scott Pugurd for their diligent work. I also want to thank Senator Risch and his staff members John Sandy, Darren Parker, and Melanie Steele.

Thanks to Chairman Bishop and the House Natural Resources Committee for their thoughtful consideration of the Gateway West legislation. Erica Rhoad and Aniela Butler were a huge help to guiding this legislation through Chairman Tom McClintock's subcommittee.

I want to thank Gregory Kostka, Lisa Daly, and Hank Savage at Legislative Counsel. They drafted and redrafted countless versions of this bill under tight deadlines.

I would also like to thank the Senate and House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Chairmen Lisa Murkowski and Ken Calvert along with their ranking members Tom Udall and Betty McCollum. Their staff were relentless in guiding this agreement to the finish line and a special thanks is owed to Dave LesStrang, Betsy Bina, and Rita Culp for their efforts in finalizing the agreement in the Fiscal Year 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

Finally, I want to thank my staff, Lindsay Slater, Jamie Neill, Nikki Wallace, and Craig Quarterman who helped in many different ways to ensure this was the best possible deal for my constituents in Idaho.

Mr. Speaker, Mark Twain once said, ``Few things are harder to put up with than a good example.'' I can tell you there is no finer example of a greater man than my dear friend, Bruce Newcomb. I have had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to be part of Bruce's life for over 30 years and in that time I have known him in several capacities, an Idaho rancher, a state legislator, a majority leader, and the Speaker of the Idaho House. I have seen him as a husband; father, grandfather, uncle and brother. But, the role I know him best as, is friend, and not just to me, but to all he meets.

My friend is retiring for the second time. He retired from the Idaho State Legislature in 2006 where he served for 20 years, the last eight serving as Speaker of the Idaho House--making him the longest-serving speaker in state history. Bruce is the type of leader that defines America, a leader who has strong values and convictions, but is willing to listen and show compassion to all. A leader who isn't afraid to stand up for what is right or take the road that is more difficult, knowing in the end it will lead to a successful outcome.

When Bruce retired from the Idaho Legislature he could have sought any job he wanted in public office or in the private sector. His commitment to students led him to Boise State University where he pursued expanding higher education opportunities in Idaho. Bruce also established a scholarship program for Burley High School students to attend college.

Friday, June 30, 2017, my friend Bruce will retire from BSU where he served as the university's director of government relations. The University recognized Bruce earlier this year and presented him with the `Commitment to Idaho' Award. There is no one more deserving of this award than Bruce Newcomb.

If you ask Bruce why he entered public service, he will tell you President John F. Kennedy inspired him with his famous quote, ``Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.'' But I know that Bruce always wanted to help others; it is simply part of his soul.

Bruce is loyal. That's a simple statement, but a trait that's not easy to achieve. He puts God and family first, and friends are so close to that line it is hard to decipher. I am beyond fortunate to be inside his circle and am forever grateful.

I congratulate Bruce, and look forward to seeing him more.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank the ranking member and the chairman of the full committee for their hard work on this bill. Most people don't realize how hard the work is. I thank the ranking member, Ms. Kaptur, for her hard work and committed efforts throughout these many months spent on drafting this bill, and also our Senate partners, Lamar Alexander and Dianne Feinstein. I want to thank the majority and minority staff for the incredible work and long hours that they spent in preparing this bill.

The Energy and Water section of this bill strengthens our Nation's defense, makes important investments in our Nation's water infrastructure, and advances an all-of-the-above energy strategy to ensure America's energy independence.

Weapons Activities, which provides funding to maintain the safety, security, and readiness of the Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, is $471 million more than last year. Within that, funding for nuclear weapons infrastructure is $2.8 billion, an increase of 23 percent, and will address a backlog of deferred maintenance and high-risk, deteriorating infrastructure.

The Naval Reactors program, which supports the Navy's nuclear propulsion program, is increased by $45 million over last year. This fully funds the replacement of the Ohio class ballistic missile submarine.

The Army Corps of Engineers, which manages critical infrastructure projects supporting the health of our Nation's water resources, is increased by $49 million over the fiscal year 2016 levels. The bill makes full use of estimated annual revenues in the Inland Waterways Trust Fund and includes $1.3 billion for harbor maintenance trust fund activities, hitting the WRDA 2016 adjusted annual target.

Flood and storm damage reduction activities are provided with $29 million more than last year to mitigate damage from flooding events.

The bill capitalizes on America's abundant natural resources to ensure a balanced, all-of-the-above energy policy. These investments will improve our energy independence and keep our consumer prices affordable for constituents. The bill protects these investments by including $24 million more than last year to improve the resiliency and reliability of the Nation's electric grid against cyber attacks and extreme weather events.

The bill also helps peel back regulatory red tape, prohibiting changes to the definition of ``fill material'' and ``discharge of fill material,'' and also prohibits the regulation of certain agricultural activities. These are commonsense provisions that were included in this bill.

In addition to the Energy and Water section, I also would like to acknowledge some of the important provisions in the Interior section of this bill.

The inclusion of language routing the Gateway West Transmission Line through the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, critical funding provided for wildfire programs in the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service, and the full support of the PILT program greatly strengthens this bill.

I thank Chairman Calvert, Ranking Member McCollum, and the staff on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee for the work they do.

No westerner can hold their head up if they vote against this bill and the provisions in this bill for the Western States.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call your attention to an extraordinary facility located on the Department of Energy's 890- square-mile site in Idaho, and the many people who have been employed there over the last 50 years.

Idaho National Laboratory is this nation's lead nuclear research, development and deployment laboratory. It also has emerged as a world leader in cybersecurity, keeping our critical infrastructure safe from those who would do us harm, and broader clean energy research and development.

One of INL's crown jewels is the Advanced Test Reactor. This summer, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of ATR, and recognizing that experiments conducted there have helped ensure our national security and advance knowledge about clean nuclear energy.

Just as importantly, we also recognize that, with regular maintenance and upgrades, ATR will continue to be this nation's test reactor of choice at least through 2050.

What makes ATR so unique--and valuable--is its ingenious cloverleaf design, envisioned by an engineer named Deslonde deBoisblanc on a lonely stretch of Highway 20 in the Idaho desert more than a half century ago.

deBoisblanc's design resulted in a one-of-a-kind reactor that can house simultaneous experiments under distinct temperatures, pressures and irradiation conditions. That means, at the ATR complex, we can test materials for academia, industry and the U.S. Navy--all at the same time. The knowledge that our talented scientists, engineers and technicians pull out of this reactor is incredibly valuable.

For example, when the Navy began sending fuel samples from its nuclear submarines to the INL site, that science was in its infancy. Eventually, nuclear fuel became more complex. The Navy needed to test larger fuel elements, not just samples, and with the Cold War accelerating, it needed those test results more quickly.

So, ATR was built, started up in 1967, and two years later brought to full power of 250 Megawatts. The impact on America's Nuclear Navy has been remarkable Early submarines had to be pulled out of duty every two years or so for expensive and time-consuming refueling. Because of what we have learned from experiments at ATR, the reactor cores for the Navy's newest submarines last for their entire lifetimes, more than 30 years.

Idaho National Laboratory's Advanced Test Reactor has saved taxpayers millions of dollars and made our country safer and more secure. That's a testament not only to the facility--and deBoisblanc's unique design-- but also to generations of world-class scientists, engineers, technicians and mechanics who have kept the reactor functioning at the highest possible level these five decades.

ATR has also played a central role in helping sustain this nation's current light-water nuclear reactor fleet, which produces 19 percent of America's electricity and 63 percent of its carbon-free electricity.

In 2007, ATR became a National Scientific User Facility. That allows our colleges and universities to run experiments at ATR, with the Department of Energy footing the bill. As a result, we have expanded knowledge about clean nuclear energy throughout the nation and built a foundation for the next generation of reactors, including small modular reactors, such as one that could begin producing power in the Idaho desert as soon as 2024.

It is a great honor to congratulate INL on ATR's 50th anniversary, acknowledge its dedicated, talented and determined workforce,

from past and present, and look ahead to many more years of valuable service to our nation.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, March 27 and Tuesday, March 28, I was absent from votes due to business in my Congressional District. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

Rollcall No. 195--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 196--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 197--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 198--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 199--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 200--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 201--``Yea.''

Rollcall No. 202--``Yea.''

Personal Explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project's (AMWTP) nearly 15-year effort to retrieve, treat, and remove legacy nuclear waste from the State of Idaho.

Since 2003, AMWTP has been the nation's premier transuranic radioactive waste processing facility. Operated by the U.S. Department of Energy, AMWTP was constructed during the Clinton Administration to meet the nation's obligations to treat radioactive transuranic waste left over from the Manhattan Project.

During the 1970s and 1980s, truckloads and rail cars of waste were shipped to Idaho primarily from the Energy Department's Rocky Flats Plant near Denver, Colorado. These shipments brought 65,000 cubic meters of clothing, machine parts, and tools contaminated by plutonium and housed in wooden and fiberglass boxes and metal drums to the Idaho desert. Over the years, the condition of these boxes and drums deteriorated significantly, making cleanup a challenging task. As outlined in the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement, AMWTP's mission, unique facilities, and skilled workforce were charged with characterizing, treating, processing, and removing from Idaho the single largest concentration of transuranic radioactive waste in the United States.

For 14 years, the workforce at AMWTP has prepared and sent more than 5,800 shipments of transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. This represents nearly half of all the waste disposed in that facility. At the same time, the workforce has accomplished this feat in a safe and compliant manner. The staff at AMWTP has also received and processed radioactive waste from 15 other Department of Energy sites, eliminating the need to build expensive, new processing plants.

Today, AMWTP and its workforce take another step in completing their mission, with 100 percent of the above-ground waste now retrieved and ready for characterization, treatment, and packaging, in anticipation of being removed from the State of Idaho for permanent, long-term disposal within WIPP. As a regional asset, AMWTP and its exclusive capabilities and experienced workforce remain a viable facility for future waste processing missions.

While challenges continue with cleaning up the remaining buried and liquid radioactive wastes in Idaho, the milestones met by the thousands of contract and federal workers in Idaho should not be forgotten. Their long-standing efforts have set the benchmark and proven to critics that promises can be met given enough time and support. Today, I can say with confidence and congratulations that the State of Idaho is better because of the AMWTP and its employees' commitment and service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank John Tensen for his service to the State of Idaho and specifically the City of Boise. The opportunity to work with John has been an absolute pleasure for me personally, and for my staff.

John started working for the City of Boise in 1986 and has served in several capacities ranging from Civil Engineer to Interim Public Works Director. For the last 14 years, John served as City Engineer which allowed him to directly oversee projects that we benefit from every day.

One initiative I was fortunate enough to work with John on, was the geothermal heat project which expanded to Boise State University in 2012. With John's expertise and the collaboration between Boise State, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 600,000 square feet of building space on campus is now heated with clean and affordable geothermal energy. It was an honor to work alongside John to make this possible.

Another project where John played a central role, was the recently completed Dixie Drain Project. In Idaho, water is life and even the smallest water issue can be fraught with complexities. That is why the Dixie Drain Project is considered a success, not only here in Idaho, but as an example the entire nation can look to when addressing water quality issues. Thanks to John's innovative engineering, the city was able to come up with a sound solution to divert the water from the drains into settling ponds to remove phosphorus which would enter back into the river system. While the project was far more intricate than this simple explanation, the underlying point is the same--John saved the city and ratepayers countless dollars with exceptional results. This is the ultimate example of federal, state, and local partnership and would not be possible without John.

There are many more projects that highlight John's incredible work. We all know these sites including the Boise Whitewater Park where technicians shape the perfect wave during the summer and the brand new Esther Simplot Park that is truly a gem for the city. However, what is equally impressive to his legacy here in Boise is what he plans to do after.

This fall, John will follow his family to Belize where his son-in- law's foundation, Restoration Smile, will provide dental and oral surgeries to patients that need it most. However, John will make the journey so the local communities can draw on his expertise in the areas of water quality and sewer systems. John certainly has earned a quiet retirement, yet his ambition compels his desire to continue serving and for that, we are all grateful.

My staff and I consider it an honor to have worked with John Tensen. His institutional knowledge and creative engineering are a legacy to the City of Boise and we are touched by his work. I wish him and his family the best in retirement and I hope he finds time to watch his beloved Oregon State Beavers alongside his family of Julie, Kristyn, Cole, Brad, Oliver and Max.

I am proud to honor John's service and look forward to staying in touch with him and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Anthony Chung- Yi Ho. Mr. Ho has served with distinction as Deputy Director of the Congressional Liaison Division of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office. His leadership and expertise have been invaluable in working with me and my staff and many other congressional offices on Capitol Hill. I want to congratulate him for moving back to his home country of Taiwan, and thank him for his many years of service.

Mr. Ho has worked closely with my staff for many years on many matters related to U.S.-Taiwan relations. Thanks in large part to his efforts, my staff and I have engaged many times on matters important to Taiwanese-American interests and our shared values of democracy, freedom and human rights.

In addition, over the years the State of Idaho has maintained a fruitful relationship with the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Under Mr. Ho's guidance, our office has cultivated a valuable relationship with the Taiwan Foreign Ministry, which has benefited both Idaho and Taiwan greatly.

Taiwan is one of Idaho's top trading partners, and many sectors of the Idaho economy benefit from the strong ties between the U.S. and Taiwan. Mr. Ho has fully dedicated himself to strengthening this relationship, and my constituents and I are very grateful for his efforts in this regard.

I commend Anthony Ho for his dedication to the enduring friendship and respect between the U.S. and Taiwan. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with him, and we will greatly miss him when he leaves Washington, D.C. I join many of my colleagues and their staffs in recognizing the devotion of Mr. Anthony Chung-Yi Ho and for his exceptional service and immense contributions to strengthening relations between Taiwan and the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman.

It should be noted also, Mr. Speaker, that this is the last time we expect to see you presiding before you retire also. You have done a marvelous job, and thank you for your service to this institution. I hope this vote doesn't go on for 3 hours and 45 minutes, but if there is anybody that can handle that, I am certain you have that experience.

I am pleased that after months of work, the committee has been able to bring this package together before the full House. I would like to thank my ranking member, Ms. Kaptur, for her close collaboration throughout the entire process of putting together the Energy and Water sections of the omnibus.

I would also like to thank the hard work of our Senate counterparts, Senator Feinstein and Senator Alexander, for their hard work in bringing this package together.

Now, I want to be clear: I didn't get everything I wanted in this bill; none of us did. But we have worked hard to ensure that the bill clearly reflects the will of the American people.

The bill makes critical investments and makes important policy changes that we will continue to build on in coming years. For instance, I am pleased with how strongly it invests in our national defense and water infrastructure. Weapons activities receives the largest increase in this bill, $387 million over last year. Within this level is full funding for the critical warheads such as the B-61 and the long-range standoff.

Investment in naval reactor programs increases by $144 million, including the full request for the Ohio class replacement reactor. Funding for the Army Corps of Engineers is modestly increased from last year, including not less than $1.1 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund activities. Last year, we directed no less than $1 billion.

We also include some policy changes critical to supporting our country's economic development in a responsible manner. New this year, we included provisions prohibiting the regulation of certain agricultural activities such as the construction and maintenance of farm ponds or irrigation ditches under the Clean Water Act.

This is a major victory for our country's farmers and ranchers who consistently tell many of us that they are concerned about the potential of the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers' overreach into their operations.

We continue prohibitions from last year against changes to the definition of fill material under the Clean Water Act and the implementation of the new lightbulb efficiency standards. These are commonsense provisions that protect consumers' choice and responsible commercial operations.

I think every one of us in this body including myself can think of other things that they wanted to see in this package and things they would have liked taken out, but overall, this bill moves the country forward in a balanced way and allows the new Congress to proceed with its most important obligation, that of governing this country.

I want to echo the words of my chairman, Mr. Rogers, how important the staff is in putting these bills together. Most people that don't serve on the committee don't know the time that they put in. They are here on Thanksgiving Day, trying to put together this package so that it will be ready for the floor, and they do incredible work, not only of the subcommittee that I am lucky enough to be the chairman of, but the staff of all the subcommittees, and they do a tremendous job, and we owe them a great deal of gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, this deserves our support.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, we are here today under a Special Order because at this time of year--at the end of a session--we have Members that are retiring, Members that deserve recognition, and Members that other Members of the House would like to talk about for a few minutes.

Today, we have one of the best that, unfortunately, is retiring at the end of this year. He is a gentleman that I have known since I came to Congress and have become good friends with. We have had many entertaining times.

I am sorry to say that the thing that people in Washington are going to miss the most, probably, is a rendition of Roy Orbison duets by Mr. Latham and myself. I don't know how, but we certainly had fun with those at various events.

Before I say anything else, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack).

I thank the gentleman from Iowa for his statement. Now I would like to yield to another gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).

I thank the gentleman from Iowa.

Let me say, Madam Speaker, that Mr. King just mentioned the difference between Iowa and Idaho. I will tell you a funny story.

When I was first elected, Tom had been here for 4 years. When I got elected, they used to have a function with a lot of the D.C. reporters and political reporters in town at the Washington Hilton, and they would select a freshman Republican and Democrat from both the House and the Senate to give little speeches, and they were supposed to be kind of funny speeches and stuff.

So I didn't know what to do. They selected me as one of them. So I decided

that I was going to explain the difference between Iowa and Idaho because there is a difference. So I went through all the differences in Idaho and Iowa.

Of course I recorded it, and I got home and turned it on to see how I had done. Underneath, and this is on C-SPAN, underneath it said, Congressman Mike Simpson, Republican, Ohio. So we not only get mixed up with Idaho and Iowa also, but also between Ohio and Idaho and Iowa. So that has always made it a little more challenging.

But Tom and I have served together on the Appropriations Committee for, I guess the last 12 years that I have been on it, and he was on it before that. He has been, as was mentioned, the chairman of the Transportation Committee and chairman of the Energy and Water Committee, both committees very important to both Idaho and Iowa and to the country. We have been able to work cooperatively to try to address issues that affect the country and our respective States.

The thing I have always noticed most about Tom, and both speakers have already mentioned it, is the way he works, the way he gets things done. I have always noticed that Tom takes the job that he was elected to do very seriously, but he never takes himself too seriously, which is an important characteristic, I think.

Others have enjoyed working with him on both sides of the aisle. I have certainly enjoyed working with him. And again, we are going to miss him.

At the end of the each session, some people, as Steve King mentioned, decide that it is time to retire, and Tom has decided that. Not only are we, in Congress, as friends, going to miss him but, frankly, the country is going to miss him.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Nunes).

I thank the gentleman from California.

The gentleman from California mentioned something that is very important that a lot of people don't realize: it takes a special individual and a special relationship with your spouse, be it husband or wife, to be able to serve in this place. Most people don't realize how many nights you spend away from your family when you are here. I am certain that with most spouses--when I look at mine and when I look at Tom's Kathy--this was not something that they had planned on when they got married. To be able to, I want to say, put up with that and the separation that it causes and the pressure it puts on a family is extremely difficult. Kathy is, truly, a person who is special and has put up with him for 20 years in the House and 39 years of marriage. She has really put up with him for a long time, and we are honored to have spouses like that who support us and keep us going.

The reason I asked for unanimous consent at the first of this Special Order--for people to insert their comments--was that tonight is the White House Christmas reception for Members of Congress, so there are going to be a lot of people getting ready to go down to the White House. Now, one of those individuals who had some responsibilities tonight but who wanted to be here was the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, who is one of Tom's best friends. They have been together ever since I have come, and, consequently, I have been allowed to associate with him--I don't know why--but we have gotten along and have done some great things.

We are going to miss Tom, but this process goes on. People will get elected--whether it is any of us--who will replace us, and they will step up to the plate and do the job. It is an amazing system that we have been given by our forefathers.

At this point, I yield to my good friend from Iowa, Tom Latham.

I thank the gentleman.

Again, Tom, we are going to miss you. We have become good friends. Don't become a stranger. You still have another week or two to serve before we sine die, and there are some important votes to cast.

Now that you qualify for Medicare, I wish you and Kathy the best in the next part of this journey of life, and I am sure you will do fantastic. Make sure you get out to Idaho when you get an opportunity, and we will take some famous Idaho potatoes and some famous Iowa corn, and we will put them together with some steak and have a little barbecue.

I thank you for your service to this institution, to the State of Iowa, and to the country. We will miss you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hastings for bringing this bill and the subsequent bill that will follow to the floor and see rapid action. I thank the gentleman for his support of this.

Let me also say that this is the last year that Chairman Hastings will be in Congress. He has chosen to retire at the end of this year, and it has been a pleasure to work with him on both resource issues and on energy and water issues that I am involved with. We are going to miss him and his 20 years of service representing Washington and all the people in this country. So I appreciate the work that you have done, and we will miss you.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5050, the May 31, 1918 Act Repeal Act. This is a simple but significant piece of legislation addressing issues that impact the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho.

As its name suggests, H.R. 5050 would repeal the 1918 Act that gives the Federal Government authority to unilaterally take Shoshone-Bannock tribal land out of trust and transfer it to a local government for use as a township. This act is antiquated, and any purpose it may have served toward its stated goal of providing trading opportunities for the tribes has long since expired. Today, thanks to an MOU dating back to 2009, the local county government has granted jurisdiction over the remaining town-site to the tribes for law enforcement, emergency services, roads, and infrastructure.

It is time to wipe this 1918 law off the books. From a practical standpoint, the tribes are already managing the land in question, for which the county has no interest in being responsible.

From a more general point of view, allowing the Federal Government the authority to unilaterally take tribal land out of trust violates the spirit of the relationship the government should have with the tribes. Repealing this act is the right and sensible thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, as I conclude today, I would like to take note that H.R. 5050 has been introduced by my colleagues in the Senate and was unanimously passed out of the committee, and I am hopeful that the Senate would take action on this quickly so that this bill and the subsequent bill can be signed into law and the tribes can move on these issues.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the chairman for bringing this piece of legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2040, the Blackfoot River Land Exchange Act of 2014. This important bill provides a needed fix to a longstanding problem regarding the northern boundary of the Fort Hall Reservation of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho. When I grew up in Blackfoot, which was on the northern side of the Fort Hall Reservation, the Blackfoot River was the designation of the northern boundary of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation and the southern part of the city of Blackfoot. As I was growing up, I can remember in the early days it used to ice up because it was a meandering, small river, and it would ice up, flood, and cause havoc.

Since its designation, however, in 1960, the Corps of Engineers flood control project changed the flow of the river, leaving some tribal land located north of the river and some non-Indian land located south of the river. For years, the tribes and affected landowners have collaborated to find a solution to this problem that works for all concerned. S. 2040 is that solution. The bill is a simple land exchange that would make both the tribes and the affected landowners whole.

S. 2040 is the result of cooperation and give-and-take. The bill passed the Senate in September with unanimous consent, and the House version of the bill was passed unanimously by the committee this fall. I look forward to seeing it signed into law before the end of this year. It will solve a longstanding problem for the Fort Hall Indian Reservation and the city of Blackfoot.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my thanks to Teri Ehresman, a dedicated public servant who recently retired from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). As a Member of Congress representing Idaho's Second Congressional District, I got to know Teri as the communications lead for the Nuclear Science and Technology Division of Communications and Governmental Affairs at INL. In that capacity, Teri played an instrumental role in spreading INL's influence as the nation's lead lab for nuclear energy, and that designation has served the nation, the nuclear energy industry and the State of Idaho very well. For all of her hard work and the extra effort she always gives to her tasks, Teri deserves our recognition and praise. I want to wish Teri all the best.

Teri Ehresman has received communications awards from Media Network Idaho, National Federation of Press Women, Idaho Press Club, and the Society for Technical Communications. She was also named Idaho's 2008 Communicator of Achievement by Media Network Idaho, and in 2010 received a ``Presidential Citation'' from the National Federation of Press Women President for her volunteer efforts. She is currently serving as first vice president of the National Federation of Press Women, a national organization for communications professionals. She has previously served as second vice president and secretary of the national organization. Additionally, Teri is active in the Idaho affiliate, Media Network Idaho, where she organizes a yearly writing contest for high school journalism students throughout the state.

Teri served two years as chair of the Idaho Section of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), and during both of those years, the local section received the honor of being named ``Best Local Large Section'' while she was leading the 500 plus member organization. Teri has been an elected board member for ANS and helped to organize several international meetings for the national organization. She was also appointed by the American Nuclear Society president to the ANS Public Information committee and helps organize communications-related sessions for the organization's national meetings.

Teri Ehresman is a wonderful lady and she has served honorably and with distinction. As a valuable contributor to the State of Idaho and to the country, I want to offer my praise as she moves forward to the next stage in her life.

I thank the gentleman from Alaska for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4283, which is intended to authorize the use of maintenance equipment and the replacement of some outdated and potentially hazardous energy facilities at the River of No Return Lodge in Smith Gulch on the Salmon River in Idaho.

As it currently sits, the River of No Return Lodge is a small outfitter on the Salmon River that provides a unique recreational experience operating under a Forest Service permit.

Unfortunately, the Forest Service does not believe it has clear authorization to permit the use of necessary maintenance or replacement of facilities. This proposed bill is an effort to clarify Congress' intent in legislation passed in 2004 to retain the basic characteristics of the lodge without substantially altering the existing use.

This legislation makes it clear that the owners of the lodge are authorized to use weed trimmers, chainsaws, and other maintenance equipment needed for the general upkeep of the lodge.

It also will allow the outfitter to reduce or eliminate his reliance on propane fuel and replace it with modest renewable energy sources. I believe H.R. 4283 keeps recreational opportunities available on our public lands, while maintaining the ability to keep our lands in even better shape for future generations of Americans. The Congressional Budget Office has also scored this bill at no cost to the taxpayer.

It should be noted that a few small changes were made during the markup of H.R. 4283 to address both the technical corrections and concerns raised by interested parties. The bill, as amended, has been crafted with the sentiments of both the Idaho Conservation League and The Wilderness Society in mind.

We trust that the Forest Service will faithfully grant authorization for the maintenance and replacement activities without the burden of unreasonable environmental review costs.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation that has been carefully crafted with the stakeholders' views in mind, so the operator of the River of No Return Lodge can perform the fundamental maintenance and replace outdated energy sources needed to carry out this small business with respect to the existing law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my thanks to a dedicated public servant who is moving on to another important assignment. Bill Magwood, currently a Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), will depart for Paris in September to serve as the Director General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Nuclear Energy Agency. I want to wish Bill and his wife Janet all the best as they embark on this great adventure. I know Bill will do a wonderful job in this new position.

As a Member of Congress representing Idaho's second congressional district, I got to know Bill as the Director of the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. In that capacity, Bill played an instrumental role in forming the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as the nation's lead lab for nuclear energy and that designation has served the nation, the nuclear energy industry and the State of Idaho very well. Bill Magwood's vision for INL and creative institutions such as the Center for Advanced Energy Studies has exceeded all of our expectations and we owe Bill a debt of gratitude for his foresight and perseverance.

After leaving the Department of Energy and working in the private sector for a few years, Bill was asked by President Obama to return to government service and serve on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Bill accepted this challenge, but I do not believe he or anyone else had any idea of what was in store for him Under Bill's watch at the NRC, the Fukushima disaster hit Japan and the NRC was thrust into the spotlight to explain the situation to the American people. At the same time, the NRC was faced with serious internal challenges, which Bill met with courage and conviction, and for this he deserves our recognition and praise.

Bill Magwood has served his country with honor and distinction and I want to offer my praise as he moves on to his new international leadership role.