Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, along with my colleagues Senator Mike Crapo and Senator Jim Risch, I rise to call attention to the outstanding life of Stephen Anthony Hartgen, long-time editor and publisher of the Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho, five-term Idaho

State legislator, community businessman, and Magic Valley cultural historian. Steve, as he was called by his family and friends, passed away on December 31, 2021, at 77 years old.

Steve was born on September 30, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland, one of twin sons of Vincent and Frances Hartgen. He grew up in rural Orono, Maine, spending his young years in the state's forests, and along its trout streams and coastlines. He graduated from Hebron Academy in Hebron, Maine, in 1962, and from Amherst College in 1966. He later earned an MA degree from Brandeis University in 1968, and a PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1976, both in American history.

He began his newspaper career while in college as an intern reporter at the Bangor Daily News in Bangor, Maine. He went on to work as a reporter and editor at The Minneapolis Star, and later at the San Diego Union and the Casper Star-Tribune as managing editor. He also taught journalism, media history and public affairs reporting at the University of Minnesota and Ohio State University.

Steve came to Twin Falls in 1982 as editor of the Times-News. working alongside then-publisher William E. Howard and general manager Richard High as Howard publications expanded across the country. By 1990, he was promoted to publisher of the Times-News.

In his years at the Times-News, Steve's leadership raised the newspaper's visibility and impact, making it one of the state's leading conservative newspapers. His common-sense and fiscally responsible editorial perspectives earned him much respect among business leaders, public officials and the community. It was during his time at the Times-News when we had the opportunity to meet and talk with Steve during our many interviews with the editorial board. We greatly enjoyed our lively visits with Steve.

Not one to be idle, Steve continued his involvement in the Magic Valley community after he left the newspaper in 2005. He became Executive Director of Business Plus, a Magic Valley economic development group, which brought hundreds of new jobs and more than $2 billion investment dollars to the valley. The growth was so spectacular that then Governor C. L. ``Butch'' Otter called it the ``Magic Valley Miracle.''

Steve was a stalwart member of the Twin Falls County Republican Central Committee where he served as state committeeman for more than a decade, from 2008 to 2019. He also served on the Idaho Capitol Commission from 1998 to 2016, a group which oversaw the renovation and remodel of Idaho's premier public building.

In 2008, Steve was appointed to the Idaho House of Representatives by Gov. Otter where he served until 2019. While in the legislature, Steve chaired the Commerce & Human Resources Committee. He retired from the legislature for health reasons at the end of 2018 and was replaced by his wife Rep. Linda Wright Hartgen.

Following his retirement, Steve wrote extensively on the cultural history and patterns of Life in the Magic Valley and southern Idaho, publishing ``Tradition & Progress: Southern Idaho's Growth Since 1990'' in 2019, and ``Spirit of Place: Southern Idaho Values Across Generations'' in 2020. Additionally, he wrote columns for several Idaho newspapers and blog sites on southern Idaho politics and cultural changes. His books and columns frequently reflected his love of the Magic Valley, which he often called the best region in the best state in the best nation on the planet.

Beyond his media work and his public service, Steve maintained an interest in western history, particularly the settlement of southern Idaho. He was also an avid fly fisherman, an outdoor activity he learned as a young man in Maine.

In his later years, Steve developed health problems, but he continued to serve in public roles and did not think of himself as disabled in any way. Steve is survived by his devoted wife Rep. Linda Wright Hartgen and his family.

While we will miss Steve's common-sense approach to public issues, fiscal policy and statewide public affairs, we will miss his friendship the most. Rest in peace, good friend, and loyal servant.

Madam Speaker, due to personal reasons, I was unable to vote on November 3, 2021. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on roll call No. 354, and YEA on roll call No. 355.

Madam Speaker, due to personal reasons, I was unable to vote on H.R. 5763.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 339.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in reluctant opposition to H.R. 4502, the seven-bill fiscal year 2022 appropriations package that includes the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. I had hoped to be able to support the appropriations bill this year. Unfortunately, the overall funding framework for these bills lacks bipartisan support. The House framework includes massive increases for non-defense programs and shortchanges our national security needs.

Taken in isolation, there are many things in the Energy and Water bill that House Republicans could support. For example, strong support for the Corps of Engineers, including specific community project funding and additional programmatic funding, is a bipartisan priority.

Of great importance to me, of course, is the Department of Energy's nuclear energy program. I appreciate Chairwoman Kaptur's efforts to address many of my priorities within this account.

In particular, I am pleased to see increased funding to continue three demonstration projects under the Advanced Small Modular Reactor and Advanced Reactors Demonstration programs, as well as continued work on microreactors, including the MARVEL program.

Also notable is the support for ensuring a supply of high-assay, low- enriched uranium, or HALEU, that will be the fuel that will be used by many of the next generation of reactors. The Department of Energy will serve as an essential, temporary source of HALEU until the commercial market can be established.

While I support the focus on demonstrating new technologies, I am disappointed to see that the bill does not also continue support for the Versatile Test Reactor. The VTR will be a valuable domestic testing facility for many advanced technologies. Continuing work now, even if at a slower pace than was originally planned, will allow us to benefit from collaboration with one of the demonstration projects.

I was pleased to join Congressman Weber in offering an amendment to highlight the importance of the VTR, and I urge the full House to adopt it. I look forward to working with my colleagues to support progress on the VTR as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the bill before us underfunds our national security needs. An increase of less than 1 percent for weapons activities does not even keep up with inflation. And while the budget request was itself insufficient, the bill before us does not even meet the budget request for certain stockpile sustainment and major modification programs. We must uphold our Nation's strong national deterrence posture, and to do that we must adequately fund the activities necessary to maintain a safe, reliable, and effective stockpile.

In closing, I would like to thank Chairwoman Kaptur for putting together this year's Energy and Water bill in her typical cooperative style. It is clear that she and the majority staff worked hard to address individual Members' priorities from both sides of the aisle, and I thank her for that consideration.

I would also like to thank Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger of the full committee for their leadership and support of the important programs in this bill.

I look forward to working together as the bill moves through the legislative process to develop a final Energy and Water bill that reflects a balanced set of priorities that can be supported by Members on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from New York.

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

Mr. Speaker, I support this amendment and hope that Members will vote for it.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Lesko).

Mr. Speaker, I support this amendment, and I encourage my colleagues to support it also. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, we support the amendment and would encourage our colleagues to vote for it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Kathleen ``Kitty'' Hill Kunz. Kitty worked as my regional director in Pocatello, Idaho. Kitty always had a smile and a compliment for everyone. She was cheerful and hard working even as she battled an incurable cancer for many years. Kitty raised five beautiful children with her husband Kent Kunz in Pocatello and later they moved to Boise.

She was politically active and her love for our country ran deep. She worked for three Congressmen, ran numerous campaigns, and served as an attache at the Idaho State Legislature. She was active in Republican groups both in Pocatello and Boise and served for a decade as the secretary of the Idaho Republican Central Committee. She also served faithfully as president of the Idaho Federation of Republican Women. She helped found the Connor Academy in Pocatello, which is named after her grandson, and served as a member of the Idaho Charter School Commission.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, she said she wanted to get a red Mustang convertible and visit as many national parks as possible. Kitty did just that and she and Kent visited almost every national park in the western United States.

Her cheerful disposition, smile, laugh, and hugs will be treasured memories for all who knew her. She served her family, country, and the second congressional district of Idaho for many years.

My wife, Kathy and I, offer our deepest sympathies to Kitty's family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time of bereavement. I will forever be grateful for Kitty's tireless service. Truly, so many of us are better people for having known Kitty Kunz. We will miss her, but know her good work continues in heaven.

Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 138 on Agreeing to the Waters of California Part B Amendment En Bloc No. 1 for H.R. 2547, the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act and Roll Call No. 143 on passage for H.R. 1065, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, I was unable to vote.

Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 138, and YEA on Roll Call No. 143.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

For years, my constituents have been asking me to fix our Nation's broken immigration system. They have told me that the shortage of legal workers in agriculture is wreaking havoc on our farmers in rural communities.

That is why I joined with my good friends, Representatives Newhouse, Diaz-Balart, and LaMalfa to come up with a bipartisan solution to this problem. Along with Chairwoman Lofgren and other Democratic colleagues, we crafted a bill to create a merit-based agricultural immigration system for our Nation's food producers, and make much-needed reforms in the H-2A program.

But don't just take my word for it. There are over 250 agricultural industry groups from all across America that have written to Congress to support this bill. From potatoes and dairy in my district to citrus and strawberries in Florida and California, growers agree that this bill is good for agriculture and good for our country.

But I want to take a moment to address the current situation on our southern border. What is happening there is a crisis and we must address it. We all realize that. Unfortunately, years of congressional inaction has made ``immigration'' a toxic word. This bill is not about what is happening on the border, but that seems to be what all of the debate is about--

what is happening at the southern border.

This bill is not amnesty. It does not grant anybody amnesty. It allows individuals to get right with the law and to become part of the legal workforce in the United States. It is about providing a stable legal workforce for the people who put food on our tables.

This isn't a perfect bill. No one would agree that it is. But it is a very good compromise that actually gives us a chance to solve a real problem for our constituents. That is why I came to Congress, to do those things, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 80.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I take a few moments to recognize the tremendous career of public service of Ms. Kristine Svinicki, who recently announced that she will step down later this month as Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

As the Representative of Idaho's Second Congressional District and Chair and Ranking Member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee, I have spent my career advocating for the expanded use of safe and reliable nuclear energy. In that effort, I had the distinct pleasure to work closely with Kristine in a number of capacities, and like everyone else who has worked with her, I found her to be a consummate professional and dedicated public servant.

After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in nuclear engineering, Kristine's career led her to the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Her time with DOE also included a stop at the Department's Idaho Operation Office in Idaho Falls. Kristine was later detailed by the DOE to the U.S,Senate where she supported Idaho Senator Latty Craig on a variety of energy issues. After a stint with the Senate Armed Services Committee, in 2007 President George W. Bush nominated Kristine to serve as a Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and in 2017, President Donald J. Trump designated her as Chairman.

During her three terms at the NRC, Kristine brought unparalleled knowledge, passion and leadership to her work. Kristine never came to a meeting unprepared, and I always left hearings and meetings with her impressed by her insights and persuasiveness.

As the nuclear industry has faced challenges, the federal government has worked to support the current fleet of reactors as appropriate, to modernize the regulatory process to allow advanced reactor technologies to enter the market and to right-size the staff at the NRC. In all of those issues, Commissioner and Chairman Svinicki brought a steady hand and a constructive ``let's get to work'' attitude to the process.

Chairman Svinicki's commitment to public service has been exceptional and she is a role model for those who want to serve our government and make an impact in a positive way. Kristine blazed her own trail, and she will leave behind scores of friends, colleagues and coworkers who will miss her intellect, her commitment to public service and her wry sense of humor.

While Kristine was born and raised in Michigan, we in Idaho like to claim her as one of our own. I am so proud of all Kristine has accomplished, and more importantly how she did it. On behalf of so many grateful Americans, I want to say thank you to Kristine for her service and extend my best wishes in the future.

Madam Speaker, election law and regulations must be developed and administered at the state and local level. To that end, I believe criteria and engagement from all Idahoans must be included in this debate and want to enter the Committee's recommendations into Congress' current debate on free and fair elections.

The Citizen's Committee for Election Integrity's findings

and recommendations:

All political power rests with the people.

Our Constitutionally guaranteed Republican form of

government relies on free, fair, and honest elections to

select our representatives and leaders.

To ensure equal protection and equal representation of the

people, laws governing our elections must meet certain

minimum standards.

It is the purpose of this Citizens Committee to concisely

articulate the minimum standards for free, fair, and honest

elections. These standards shall then be used by our local,

state and federal legislators as a metric for reviewing and

revising election law to ensure free, fair, and honest

elections where the outcome is accepted by all citizens of

good will.

Minimum Standards for Fair and Honest Elections

Our Constitutionally guaranteed republican form of

government relies on free, fair, and honest elections to

select our representatives and leaders. The standards listed

here shall be used by our local, state and federal

legislators as a metric for reviewing and revising election

law to ensure free, fair, and honest elections where the

outcome is accepted by all citizens of good will.

All voting processes, other than those needed to preserve

the privacy of a citizen's vote, must be open and available

for direct observation, with no minimum distance

requirements, and audit by agents of the candidates or

parties.

All election materials must have a secure chain of custody

at all times. Election officials must be accompanied by

observers when accessing any election materials. Records of

the chain of custody shall be complete and available for

audit.

All votes, regardless of voting method, shall be held to

equal standards.

Voters shall only be qualified electors that are able to

verifiably provide their government issued photo identity

before being issued a ballot. Voters who provide false

information, including information of voter qualification,

should face severe penalties.

As a condition of being issued a ballot, the voter's

identity and signature must be recorded in a permanent record

(Poll Book).

Original Ballots must have a physical form that allows

voting choices to be examined and properly interpreted by the

naked eye.

Ballots must have features designed to prevent

counterfeiting.

An auditable system for tracking the status of all ballots

must be implemented and maintained in the State of origin.

The total number of printed ballots must equal the sum of the

number of cast ballots, spoiled ballots, and unvoted ballots.

Ballot tabulation must be conducted by two independent and

unrelated systems. The difference in totals between the two

systems must be less than one half the margin of victory or

0.1% of the vote total, whichever is less. Tabulating

machines must only tabulate and not modify ballots in any

way, or be connected to the internet.

Before the results of an election can be certified, the

ballot counts must be reconciled with the voter records. The

margin of uncertainty must be less than one half the margin

of victory or 0.1% of the vote total, whichever is less.

Lists of qualified electors must be purged of unqualified

persons 180 days before an election. Voter Rolls should be

vetted and compared with available government records to

identify duplicate or ineligible registrations.

Laws and regulations governing an election may not be

changed for 180 days prior to that election.

All election records should be retained and preserved for

not less than 22 months.

Voter identification for provisional ballots must be

verified, with information provided by the voter, prior to

that ballot being counted.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my appreciation and commendation to Shane Johnson who will be leaving the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy after thirty years of service and success.

When you have the honor of representing Idaho's Second Congressional District and the Idaho National Laboratory, you learn a lot about nuclear energy and the important role the federal government plays researching, developing and deploying this amazing technology. Another part of that education is collaborating with the people at the Department of Energy who oversee the labs and these programs. It is in that capacity that I was able to see Shane Johnson lead the Office of Nuclear Energy on multiple occasions with extreme professionalism and vision.

If you go back and look at the major programs and accomplishments of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, you will see Shane Johnson's fingerprints all over the place. When DOE helped industry get two advanced light water reactor designs licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Shane was there; when DOE worked with industry to get the first small modular reactors ready for deployment, in Idaho, Shane was there; when the Office of Nuclear Energy set up a robust university program to educate and graduate the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers, Shane was there; when the Office of Nuclear Energy made its labs and facilities available to industry and universities to support technology development, Shane was there; and, when the Office of Nuclear Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission began working together to use lab developed codes to enhance reactor safety and security, Shane was there again. At the end of the day, when you look at Shane's career and you see significant impacts and lasting contributions. A ``thank you,'' and a ``job well done is deserved.''

While Shane's accomplishments are real and impactful, his leadership of the Office of Nuclear Energy and his stewardship of the Idaho National Laboratory deserve special recognition. As administrations and initiatives come and go, it is the enduring leadership of the federal staff that keep our government operating. In his career at the Office of Nuclear Energy, incoming administrations have asked Shane to lead the office and the staff to keep our fundamental goals and objectives in sight. Shane excelled in this role and when he came before my Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, you could see the confidence and pride his colleagues had in his leadership.

As he leaves federal service, I want to thank Shane for his outstanding contribution at the Office of Nuclear Energy and wish him and his wife, Susan, all the best in the future. His service will benefit generations of Americans to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the generous donation by Chobani who paid the school lunch debt for the entire Twin Falls School District for the 2018-2019 school year. This act of kindness is just another example of Chobani's commitment to being a good neighbor in the Magic Valley.

The State of Idaho is fortunate that Chobani chose to build North America's largest yogurt plant in Twin Falls in 2012. Since arriving, Chobani has benefited the local economy including the dairy farmers in Idaho who supply milk to the plant. It is estimated that Chobani's direct and indirect employment is roughly 7,000 jobs in Idaho including roughly 300 refugees from the local center at the College of Southern Idaho. Due to Chobani's economic success, additional food producing businesses have located facilities in Twin Falls, which has resulted in the local unemployment rate dropping as low as 2.2 percent.

I believe any organization or business starts with the tone set by their leader. Chobani exemplifies that through their founder, chairman, and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya. I consider Hamdi a friend to me and to the State of Idaho. Hamdi grew up on a dairy farm in Turkey and immigrated to the United States in 1994. He took over a yogurt factory in 2005 with a loan from the Small Business Administration. Today, he is the CEO of the number one strained yogurt brand in the United States. He has shared his generosity with local communities like Twin Falls and also announced he would hand over ten percent of the shares of the company to its employees.

To quote the Twin Falls Mayor, ``Chobani is the gift that keeps on giving.'' I thank Hamdi and Chobani and I look forward to their future growth and partnership with the State of Idaho.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great friend to Idaho, Mark Benson, who is retiring after a 42 year career with PotlatchDeltic. The last 13 years he has been Vice President, Public Affairs. However, his title to me is a friend and trusted advisor.

I met Mark when I was in the Idaho Legislature. He quickly established himself as a valuable advisor on forestry and paper products which is a large economic driver in Idaho. Mark has the unique ability to explain an issue and the impacts from every perspective and gives always gives an honest assessment of the status.

Mark worked at nearly every level of PotlatchDeltic, starting as a field forester in 1974. He has left his mark on the industry and will be remembered for founding the National Alliance of Forest Owners who is a leading voice on all the issues facing forestry.

Mark has been a great friend to my staff and me. To Mark, PotlatchDeltic was not just a job, it was a lifestyle and he treated his colleagues like family. Mark is also an incredible husband and father as witnessed by his supportive wife Patti and three amazing daughters who now have families of their own. No doubt, this will be the focal point of his retirement alongside his many hobbies including golf, hunting, and travel.

If I have one gripe with Mark, it is that he never let me win on the golf course. As kind and generous as he is, he could never seem to find it in his heart to let a putt or two slide by. Perhaps I will be able to change that now that he has more time to hit the links.

I wish Mark and Patti and the rest of their family a terrific and well-deserved retirement. I look forward to keeping in touch with him as a friend and seeing him back in Idaho.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment. I would like to address what the gentlewoman just said in just a minute.

While I may have been able to support some of the amendments that have been considered individually--and I noticed that as we listed the Members that have offered amendments they were all Democratic amendments; none of them were Republican amendments--the majority's decision to package them together like this means I must oppose an en bloc amendment.

I have concerns with multiple pieces of this en bloc amendment, but I would like to focus on two of them; one that was just spoken about by the gentlewoman from Florida.

First, this amendment includes language that would prohibit the Army Corps of Engineers from issuing a section 404 permit for any project in a specific geographical location.

Legislatively deciding individual permit outcomes is something the Energy and Water Subcommittee, under both Republican and Democrat leadership, have previously avoided. That restraint was not because we were never asked to legislate the outcome of a permit. We were asked many, many times.

Rather, it was in recognition that Congress has established a process by which the technical experts within the Federal agencies would evaluate projects to determine whether environmental impacts could be avoided or minimized such that the project could move forward.

Injecting politics into the process by inserting language into an appropriation bill sets the wrong precedent. It suggests that any future permit decision could be decided by the whim of a majority of Congress.

The second issue I would like to discuss is the language prohibiting the Department of Energy from finalizing the rule relating to the efficiency standards of light bulbs.

I know there are some parties who have characterized the proposed rule as a roll back of efficiency standards. What it really does, though, is ensure the Department is following the law.

The previous rule, a rule promulgated at the very last minute of the Obama administration, revised certain definitions contrary to statutory language. That rule was challenged legally, and the settlement acknowledged the mistake.

The current proposed rule reduces the regulatory uncertainty by making clear that several types of light bulbs will continue to be sold. It also shows DOE's commitment to following the law, a novel concept. We should all support following the laws that Congress passes.

For these reasons, I must oppose this en bloc amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Madam Chair, I rise in support of the en bloc amendment. I thank Chairwoman Lowey and Chairwoman Kaptur for working with our side to include many provisions important to our Members. I appreciate the decision to offer this bipartisan en bloc amendment, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry).

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer), my good friend.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Chair, let me just say, first of all, that everything you have heard from the former attorney for the NRDC is just nonsense, and the reason it is nonsense is because he doesn't know. Nobody knows. That is why we have a review of these procedures. That is why we have NEPA.

That is why the National Environmental Policy Act is in place, which many of my friends across the aisle view as the foundational environmental law. It requires Federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of projects before the project can be approved. The Corps is in the process of doing that.

Now, I don't know if he is worried that the outcome might not be like he likes, but if everything he said is true, then they certainly won't permit it.

To be clear, I am not advocating for or against this particular project; I don't know enough about it. But what I am saying is Congress should stay out of the process of individual reviews. Setting the precedent of injecting political opinions into the NEPA process simply means that any project in the future will be subject to the whims of the majority party at the time.

Such a scenario should be a concern for all Members, Republicans and Democrats alike. Perhaps next time the interest will be in legislatively approving a specific project. This amendment would serve as a precedent.

What I am saying is let the process work. We have put in place the process. So all of the scenarios that he claims are going to be true, we don't know if that is true or not because nobody knows yet. They are just opinions.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, if those are flaws in the process, then I am sure that a court challenge by the NRDC will actually bring those out.

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), my friend.

Madam Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I appreciate my friend from Louisiana's passion on this issue.

Saying that the Corps has $100 billion backlog, it is not really the Corps' fault for that. It is our fault in that we haven't appropriated money. And if you look back through the years, the Bush administration, the Obama administration, and, currently, the Trump administration, always propose a budget that slashes and burns the Corps' budget. And it is the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee that won't let them do that and keeps putting money back into it.

Last year, the Office of Management and Budget issued a plan for reorganization of the Federal agencies that included moving the Civil Works program from the Army Corps of Engineers to multiple other agencies. Yet, very few details were provided to Congress. Congress was not consulted, and no statutory changes were enacted. Yet, some in the administration took steps to try to begin implementing the reorganization proposal.

In response, that is why the language was put in last year's act, and that is why it is in this year's act. I will tell the gentleman that we have had this discussion many times with General Semonite, and he is a go-get-'em guy. When he is given a mission, he will do whatever it takes to get that mission accomplished. I like what he is doing.

I wouldn't want to go with OMB in saying we are going to reorganize the Corps and not know exactly what they are going to do and have Congress have no input. But I appreciate the passion that the gentleman has for this, and I understand his frustration. And I think that it is better placed on the Transportation Committee in seeing if there are some reorganizations that can be done within the Corps and done legislatively that make sense.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the distinguished career of Dee Sarton. Four decades ago, she started working at KTVB Channel 7 in Boise, Idaho. Idahoans who live in both the Treasure Valley and the Magic Valley know Dee as the face of the evening news. She is the anchor on KTVB's 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts. But Dee is so much more than an anchor, she is a friend of the community who cares deeply about the people around her and it shows every day.

Make no mistake, Dee is a compassionate reporter, but she isn't afraid to tackle hard hitting news or ask the tough questions. Dee is a great storyteller, and she tells stories about people of Idaho. She asks the right questions and is very engaging. When Dee talks, people listen.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Dee throughout my political career. I have always appreciated her thoroughness when covering a news topic and I will miss seeing her at KTVB.

Not only is she an incredible news anchor, Dee is also an Idaho Hall of Fame journalist and a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle inductee and a champion for children and education, serving on numerous non-profit boards, including the Special Needs Adoption Board of Directors, Children's Home Board, the Hidden Springs Charter School Board, the Literacy Lab Advisory Board and the Assistance League Community Advisory Council. Her weekly Wednesday's Child feature helped hundreds of Northwest foster children find adoptive homes.

Congratulations to Dee. I am happy for her and I know she will enjoy the next chapter in her life.