Pete Stauber

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act, which will ensure domestic mining projects are able to enjoy the benefits of title 41 of the bipartisan and wildly successful FAST Act.

I thank my colleague Representative Shreve for his leadership in bringing this legislation forward.

The FAST Act has been used to permit and build countless projects that are necessary for our country's national and economic security, and under the Trump administration, mining projects have been eligible and have advanced.

By codifying mining and mineral processing projects, we will ensure that these important projects are able to enjoy this benefit, no matter if we have a pro-mining President like President Trump in office or an anti-mining President like President Biden in office.

My district in northern Minnesota is home to proposed projects like the NewRange Copper Nickel project, which is enjoying the benefits of FAST-41 as a transparency list project as they pursue their section 404 permit under the Clean Water Act, a permit that was pulled by the previous administration for purely political reasons.

Thanks to FAST-41, I am confident NewRange won't fall through the cracks and will be granted their permit when they meet and exceed all our strict environmental standards.

This is a great benefit more for not only northern Minnesota but a benefit for our entire Nation and our strategic mineral national security.

By codifying mining and mineral processing projects' eligibility into law, NewRange and other important projects won't have to worry about the rug being pulled out from them again the next time we see a change in administrations.

It will further give a strong signal to the private sector that the Federal Government is committed to securing our mineral security and mineral independence, no matter who is in the White House.

Representative Shreve's legislation will send a strong signal: We are ready to mine here in the United States once again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act, introduced by my good friends, Representative Lawler and Representative Golden of Maine.

Each and every day, onerous regulations negatively impact our constituents along with the local economies and local communities that we represent. Too often, here in Washington, these onerous regulations are put in place without a full understanding of the impact that they will have on the ground. These regulations often set unreasonable standards or are set to go into effect on unreasonable timelines.

The regulations on the North Atlantic right whale, which are currently mandated to be implemented by the end of 2028, are an example of these unreasonable timelines that will have a negative impact on local and regional economies across New England and will have an outsized impact on the Maine lobstermen.

This bipartisan legislation before us today does not weaken protections for the North Atlantic right whale. The legislation simply delays implementation of these new regulations so we can get it right. This legislation will allow adequate time to seek input from affected industries and communities, ensuring we have fit-for-purpose regulations that will protect the North Atlantic right whale.

Failure to do this the right way and allow time for the right regulations to be developed could devastate the local economy and our fisheries across New England.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my good friend Representative Golden for standing up for his constituents and for working with Representative Lawler to bring this legislation forward.

Representative Golden is from Maine. He wants this for his constituents and the lobster fishermen from Maine. I think that we ought to listen to Representative Golden, who, in my humble opinion, has been one of the most effective Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 9436.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with tremendous gratitude and pride to recognize Korean war veteran Ralph Lawrence Gardiner of Longville, Minnesota, as he celebrates his 96th birthday.

Ralph enlisted in the United States Navy in 1952, answering the call to serve during a critical moment in our Nation's history. He primarily served aboard the USS Bushnell, out of Key West, Florida, as a metalsmith, where he welded and fabricated ships and submarines. His ship played a vital role in transporting troops to and from Korea, supporting the brave Americans defending freedom overseas.

During his service, Ralph was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal, reflecting his exemplary behavior, discipline, professionalism, and devotion to duty.

Even today, living on his own at 96 years old, Ralph continues to embody the strength and dependence and determination that had defined his life for decades.

As he reaches this remarkable milestone, we honor not only his longevity, but also his outstanding service to our Nation, his dedication to his family and community, and the legacy he leaves for future generations.