Niki Tsongas

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

Mr. Speaker, Federal recognition of Native American Tribes is critical to protecting their Tribal sovereignty and restoring the Tribe's ability to control its land, its water, and its resources, as well as the ability to govern and to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its members.

Introduced by Representative Gianforte, H.R. 3764 will extend Federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. The Little Shell Tribe has resided in Montana for well over a century and has long been recognized as a Tribe by the State.

The Tribe is a political successor to the signatories of the Pembina Treaty of 1863, under which a large area of land in the State of North Dakota was ceded to the United States. While the Federal Government has federally recognized the two other Tribes that are successors to the signatories of the treaty, the Little Shell have inexplicably been left in limbo.

The Tribe has repeatedly petitioned the Federal Government for Federal recognition--first in the 1930s and '40s under the Indian Reorganization Act, and later, starting in 1978, through the Department of Interior's so-called Part 83 process. However, despite their long and well-documented history, each time they were deprived of their rightful Federal recognition.

H.R. 3764 finally extends recognition to the Little Shell Tribe, making all Federal laws and regulations of general applicability to Indians and Indian Tribes applicable as well to Little Shell and its members.

Federal recognition of the Tribe enjoys broad support in Montana, including support from the Governor's office, the Montana State legislature, the surrounding counties and cities, and from all the other federally recognized Montana tribes. Recognition for the Little Shell is long overdue, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes a long overdue land exchange between the Forest Service and the Walnut Grove Church in Garland County, Arkansas. The church was built on Forest Service land, and the exchange will simplify ownership claims and facilitate access and improvements to the property.

The land exchange authorized by this bill includes commonsense safeguards that ensure fair compensation for the value of public lands, and I am happy to support its adoption and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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

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

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

Expanding broadband access in rural America and communities adjacent to public lands is a bipartisan priority on the Natural Resources Committee.

I want to thank Representative Curtis for working with committee Democrats to improve this bill since it was introduced.

H.R. 4824 gives States the primary responsibility for issuing environmental review permits for broadband projects in those areas that already have rights-of-way for existing infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and trails.

At markup, Representative Curtis amended the bill to address several concerns brought forward by Native American stakeholders and committee Democrats. This includes guarantees that Tribal governments are consulted and can participate in the development of memoranda of understanding for projects that cross their land. This is a critical improvement.

The bill we are considering today also removes language that would have broadly exempted certain projects from any environmental reviews and eliminated public comment periods.

However, there are still a number of outstanding issues that I hope can be addressed as this bill makes its way through the legislative process in the Senate. For example, I believe that we should continue to perfect language that allows for public comment periods and strengthens the ability of our Federal land management agencies to enforce any MOU that is signed with a State government.

We would also like to continue discussions in order to ensure that everyday citizens receive protection under the Equal Access to Justice Act, a law that ensures all citizens have the ability to participate in government decisionmaking.

I believe these are commonsense changes that won't hamper rural broadband development. I do not oppose passage of the legislation through the House at this time, but I look forward to continued bipartisan and bicameral work on the remaining issues.

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

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