Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 377, I call up the bill (H.R. 312) to reaffirm the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe reservation, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 312.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act, will reaffirm the trust status of Mashpee's Tribal land and protect the Tribe from further attacks on its land and its sovereignty.

The Mashpee relationship with the Federal Government is one of the oldest in the United States. In fact, their ancestors are the ones who welcomed the pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock, as well as the people who aided those pilgrims through hard times in 1621, in what we now refer to as the ``First Thanksgiving.''

Like many Tribes, the Mashpee were intentionally and systematically rendered landless, through no fault of their own. They fought long and hard over the years to reestablish both their Tribe and their land base.

The Tribe first petitioned the Federal Government for recognition in 1978. Finally, after 30 years, the Bush administration extended formal recognition to the Tribe in 2007. However, they still remained landless.

This was remedied in 2015, when the Department of the Interior took approximately 320 acres into trust to serve as the Tribe's reservation lands. The two parcels that compose the 320 acres are both within the Tribe's historic and ancestral homelands.

The Tribe constructed a government center on the land, which includes their schools, courtrooms and multipurpose room, as well as a medical clinic facility. And they broke ground on a gaming facility that would eventually bring in much-needed revenue for Tribal operations and programs.

However, in 2016, a group of Taunton residents, backed by an out-of- state commercial gaming company, filed a Carcieri suit in federal court to challenge the Department of the Interior's action.

Initially, the executive branch defended the decision to create the Mashpee reservation. However, in May 2017, the Department of Justice, under the Trump administration, inexplicably withdrew from the litigation and is no longer defending the status of the Tribe's land.

Then, in September 2018, the Department of the Interior issued its first Carcieri decision in which it refused to reaffirm its own authority to confirm the status of the Tribe's lands into trust. The effect of this decision cannot be overstated. For the first time in this century, a Tribe was stripped of its sovereign rights to its land. It would mark the first time since the dark days of the termination era that the United States acted to disestablish an Indian reservation and render a Tribe landless.

These attacks on the reservation and on the Tribe's very status have been devastating. The legal uncertainty that has been imposed by these events is forcing the Tribe to borrow thousands of dollars every day just to keep its government running, resulting in devastating cuts to essential services, and massive layoffs of Tribal members.

This is completely unacceptable. We cannot idly stand by as Tribal people are once again harmed by yet another action by the Federal Government. Let's be honest, the Federal Government has done a terrible job of living up to its moral and legal obligations to Indian Country.

Housing, education, healthcare, and basic needs often go unmet in Tribal lands. These are not extras or handouts to Tribal people. It is part of a trust responsibility, enshrined in numerous treaties, court rulings, and laws.

But the needs still need to be met, despite the Federal Government's failings. So how do Tribes attempt to make up for that shortfall? By utilizing their land for economic development, including gaming.

Economic development on Tribal lands is vital to the prosperity of a Tribe and the ultimate goal of self-determination and self-reliance. We have seen it numerous times across the Nation: Tribes using those dollars to fund their programs, construct housing and health clinics, and take care of the needs of their people.

The Mashpee Tribe should not be hindered from economic development on their land solely because the State of Rhode Island wants to protect its own State-run gaming interest.

H.R. 312 is widely supported in Indian Country, with letters of support from over 50 individual Tribes and pan-Tribal organizations.

Additionally, the bill has strong support, including from the cities of Taunton and Mashpee, the Chambers of Commerce of both cities, the State of Massachusetts, numerous Members of the Massachusetts State House and State Senate, the Mayflower Society, and many local businesses and business leaders.

Passage of H.R. 312 will protect the Mashpee Tribe's reservation lands and make clear that the Tribe is entitled to be treated the same way as other federally recognized Tribes.

Mr. Speaker, I urge its adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating), the sponsor of the legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to address a point that was brought up during the debate on this bill, that the Mashpee Tribe will not lose its Federal recognition if H.R. 312 does not pass. That is true. We have never stated the Federal recognition was in jeopardy.

What we are talking about, which is fundamental to the survival of the Tribe, is destroying a Tribe's sovereign government. That is really what is at stake.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy), another sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Davids).

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

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

Upholding the establishment of Tribal homelands should be, and is, one of the most important actions that this Congress can take. It is not just about tax-exempt status or economic development, both of which are vitally important to Tribal communities.

It is also about the construction of schools, housing, clinics, elder care facilities, things that are extremely vital to the quality of life and well-being of Tribal members.

It is also about recognizing a Tribe's historical, cultural, and spiritual connection.

It is not about protecting a market share. It is not about the tweets from the President. It is not about the scare tactics and hysteria of off-reservation gaming that is constantly used in trying to fight the self-determination and the ability of Tribes to take care of themselves.

And it is about identity.

I want to just follow up on the gentlewoman from Kansas' comment. To ensure Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, land is critical to the connection of people to their land. And the real-world decisions that we are making have real consequences.

To strip people of their land is to strip them of their identity, to strip them of their self-governance and their self-determination. It is a sad state that, nearly 400 years later, the Mashpee still have to fight for land that is rightfully theirs.

But we can remedy that today.

I want to thank our colleagues Mr. Keating and Mr. Kennedy, as well as the entire Massachusetts delegation, for spearheading this effort to save the Mashpee's land, preserve their way of life, and reestablish and not allow a precedent to stand where trust land that was given is taken away.

This is an important piece of legislation with implications across Indian Country.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the swift adoption of H.R. 312, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2030) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to execute and carry out agreements concerning Colorado River Drought Contingency Management and Operations, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2030 will direct the Secretary of the Interior to immediately execute the drought contingency plan agreements.

The drought contingency plan agreements will allow us to immediately respond to the historic drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin. These conditions pose a threat to the water supply of 40 million people, and 5.5 million acres of farmland.

This legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to immediately execute the drought contingency plan agreements since the actions to be undertaken are within the analyses and range of effects reviewed in existing environmental documents.

These environmental documents include: Number 1, a 2007 final EIS on Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated Operations for Lakes Powell and Mead.

Number 2, existing ESA documents for the Colorado River Storage Project Act initial storage unit reservoirs.

Additional environmental compliance is only applicable should further Federal actions be undertaken that are outside the range of effects analyzed in the previously mentioned environmental documents.

Mr. Speaker, that essentially means that the drought contingency plan agreements fit within the framework of existing environmental compliance. This compliance allows the Secretary of the Interior to immediately sign the drought contingency plan agreements.

This immediate action is essential to preserving the water supply for millions of people in the American Southwest.

Before closing, I would also like to thank the many people who worked for years to develop and finalize the DCP. In particular, I want to highlight the contributions of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, and Gila River Indian Community. Without their contributions, DCP simply would not be possible.

I also want to thank the seven basin States and others who worked with me and my staff to finalize DCP and enable the legislation over the past several weeks. I am glad that we were able to work together to develop legislation that has earned broad, bipartisan support here in Congress, and with affected stakeholders.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me also thank the ranking member, Mr. Bishop, and his staff for helping expedite the process, and for their input throughout this process.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano) for her comments.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. McAdams).

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

Mr. Speaker, as another one from Arizona, let me close by thanking the ranking member and also noting that 2026 is around the corner. The work that was being done today with this drought contingency plan is a very important door into what needs to be done in the future, the cooperation, the collaboration, and the urgency going forward.

As Mr. Schweikert said, the job is not complete yet. There is much still to do.

I hope that the stakeholders and everyone involved in getting the plan to this point continue, with earnestness and with purpose, to address the issue of water availability in the Southwest. As our areas become more and more arid, understand that this is not an infinite resource we have in water. It is a finite resource, and we need to treat it that way.

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

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Representatives Mark Amodei of Nevada,

Scott Tipton of Colorado, Ken Buck of Colorado, Torres Small of New Mexico, and Susie Lee of Nevada be removed as cosponsors of H.R. 1904.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, as we have heard over and over today, and justifiably so, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is critical for women across this country. This bill will ensure the safety of women, especially Native American women.

My amendment will expand the definition of domestic violence to include violence against or witnessed by a

child or elder, as defined by Tribal law. This important amendment will allow Tribes to ensure that perpetrators acting violently toward or near children or elders receive consequences for their actions.

The Tulalip Tribe is one of the first Tribes to implement the Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction from the 2013 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. They immediately experienced the implications of not having this protection for children and elders in their jurisdiction.

Of the 30 cases they received in Tribal court, 20 involved children and/or elders. Although the violence impacted the child or the elder, the Tribal court was not able to prosecute. When the jurisdiction moved to the State, it did not prosecute the remaining 20 cases in State court. Justice was not served for the children and/or the elders experiencing violence.

In 2010, the Attorney General's report on American Indian and Alaska Native children exposed to violence included the recommendation that Congress should restore the inherent authority of American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes to assert jurisdiction over persons who commit crimes against American Indian and Alaska Native children.

This amendment is a step toward guaranteeing that Congress keeps American Indian and Alaska Native children and elders safe. By passing this amendment, Congress will restore the inherent authority for the Tulalip Tribe and others to fully secure the safety of Tribal children and elders throughout Indian Country.

I urge my colleagues to protect Native children and elders by supporting this amendment.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have no other speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent that my amendment be modified in the form that I have placed at the desk.

Madam Chair, the underlying bill will provide a historic extension of Tribal jurisdiction and ensure that more Native people receive the proper legal protections against people who commit violence toward them.

Unfortunately, during the historic passage of the 2013 Violence Against Women reauthorization, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe quickly realized the cost of implementing this important provision was pricey. Cost concerns about implementing Tribal jurisdiction are generally related to incarceration, healthcare, and jury selection.

Further, a National Congress of American Indians report found that there are multiple implementation costs related to incarceration, healthcare, code development, law enforcement, and prosecutors. This hinders some Tribes from implementing the most important provisions related to the Violence Against Women Act.

Unlike States, Tribes do not have the ability to tax for the costs related to implementing these important provisions that protect its people.

With the support of Representative Kildee, who represents the area of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, the amendment I am offering will help alleviate the costs Tribes will incur due to the expanded criminal jurisdiction provision.

This amendment would authorize the Department of Justice to reimburse Tribes that incur costs related to arrest, indigent defense services, and rehabilitation services.

Further, this amendment provides language allowing DOJ to award grants to improve their law enforcement, detention and correctional facilities, culturally appropriate services, and criminal code development.

I urge my colleagues to protect Indian Country from violence and support this amendment that will ease the costs incurred by Tribes for implementing this historic bill.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have no other speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1388) to take lands in Sonoma County, California, into trust as part of the reservation of the Lytton Rancheria of California, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 measure under consideration.

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

Along with dozens of other California Tribes, the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians had its relationship with the Federal Government terminated in 1958, resulting in the loss of its Federal status and all of its Tribal lands.

The Tribe's federally recognized status was eventually restored, but its reservation lands were not. As a result, with the exception of a small parcel of land that Congress provided for gaming in San Pablo, the Tribe has been left essentially landless and without a reservation since it was terminated.

H.R. 1388 will address that issue by taking approximately 511 acres in Sonoma County, California, into trust as part of the reservation of the Lytton Rancheria. On 124 acres of the land, the Tribe plans to build housing for its members, as well as governmental and community facilities. Another portion of the land is currently being used for viniculture, and the Tribe intends to develop more of the lands for the same purpose.

In response to local concerns, the Tribe has agreed that the lands will not be used for gaming. This is provided in the text of the legislation as well as in a binding memorandum of agreement with the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

In addition to the memorandum of agreement with the County of Sonoma, the Tribe has also entered into agreements with the local school district and the local fire department. Additionally, the Tribe is working with the city of Windsor to ensure appropriate water and sewer hookup.

By directing that these lands be taken into trust, the United States will ensure that the Lytton Rancheria will finally have a permanently protected homeland on which they can once again live as a community and plan for the future.

An identical bill passed the House last Congress by voice vote, and I urge quick adoption of this legislation as well.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 297) to extend the Federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana, and for other purposes.

Madam 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 measure under consideration.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, H.R. 297 will extend Federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana.

Federal recognition of Native American Tribes is critical to protecting their tribal sovereignty and restoring a 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.

The Little Shell Tribe has resided in Montana for well over a century and has long been recognized as a tribe by the State of Montana.

The Little Shell Tribe is a political successor to the signatories of the Pembina Treaty of 1863, under which a large area of the 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 Little Shell Tribe has repeatedly petitioned the Federal Government for Federal recognition, first in the 1930s and 1940s under the Indian Reorganization Act, and later, starting in 1978, through the Department of the Interior's recognition process. However, despite their long and well-documented history, they were deprived of their rightful Federal recognition each time.

H.R. 297 finally extends recognition to the Little Shell Tribe, making all Federal laws and regulations of general applicability to Indians and Indian Tribes applicable to Little Shell and its members.

Federal recognition of the Little Shell 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 of the Little Shell is long overdue.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 297, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I want to extend our appreciation for his work to the sponsor of the legislation. It passed unanimously, as he indicated, and there is no reason why we can't do that again today.

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

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

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chairman, I urge support for the underlying legislation, H.R. 1, which in my mind reaffirms the right to vote and empowers the individual citizens in our democracy and empowers their role in our democracy over the wealthy special interests that has been the trend as of late.

My amendment asks that in the spirit of this bill, which is to protect voting rights, that we protect Americans who opt to vote by mail from unnecessary impediments to voting. Specifically, this amendment requires States to provide voters with an opportunity to return ballots at a polling place on election day.

At its face value, this might not seem like a drastic ask, but it merits consideration, granted efforts by States to shortchange eligible voters from casting their ballot by denying them the right to return the ballot on election day. In Arizona, about 228,000 people dropped off their ballots at the polling places on election day in November of this general election, a majority of which, I should add, were Republican voters.

The reason why I believe that my amendment should be supported is to protect the vote-by-mail process. In 2016, 16 States showed a combined percentage of greater than 50 percent of votes cast early, by mail, or via absentee ballots, including my State of Arizona. As more Americans chose to vote by mail, lawmakers in this Chamber should facilitate rather than hinder the right to vote by mail.

Voting by mail allows voters to take their time examining and researching the candidates and issues that align with their values, thus making that very important informed decision on election day. That only strengthens our democracy and empowers that individual voter.

Voting by mail also allows voters not to be constrained by work, school, family, or other sensitive matters that would hinder their ability to wait at polling places for long periods of time. As you well know, other portions of this legislation outline and address the issue of forcing voters to wait hours to cast their ballots, which is unacceptable. Voting by mail can help reduce these incidents and provide more options that are considerate of a person's lifestyle or their particular needs.

Vote by mail helps alleviate under-resourced, consolidated, or distant polling places from having an influx of voters on election day. By ensuring that all polling sites accept vote-by-mail ballots on election day, voters' confidence in the electoral process, I believe, is upheld. Vote by mail is intended to increase voter participation during non-Presidential election years which tend to have overall lower voter turnout rates.

The scope of this legislation is to promote and protect the right to vote that every American citizen is entitled to. For many constituents, voting by mail is the most practical and convenient method to exercise that right. With ongoing efforts at all levels of governance to restrict voting, now more than ever it is important to ensure that regardless of voting in person or by mail that that vote is cast, processed, tabulated, and accepted as valid.

Madam Chair, I would hope that you would join me in ensuring States are not able to place harmful restrictions on voters. States should continue to do their due diligence and protect voters by allowing them to return their ballots on election day. Anything less would be a direct attack on voters' rights and would disenfranchise a growing percentage of nontraditional voters across this Nation.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Will the gentleman yield?

I think there have been efforts in my home State to begin to restrict the use of election day dropping off of vote-by-mail forms and other discussions, and this is both a preventive and encouraging amendment that prevents any of those actions, and more importantly, to encourage States to apply that fairly.

Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes), who is the author and leader of the legislation, H.R. 1.

I yield myself the remainder of my time, Madam Chair.

I would remind everybody that this amendment provides the States with flexibility. It is providing convenience, as my colleague mentioned, and as a preventive tool, and no prohibition on voters returning mail ballots would actually occur or slow down the process.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 47) to provide for the management of the natural resources of the United States, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that debate under clause 1(c) of rule XV on a motion to suspend the rules relating to S. 47 be extended to 50 minutes.

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 measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today on behalf of a significant bipartisan benefit for conservation in the United States.

S. 47, the lands package, is the product of many months of negotiation and many years of committee process.

The bill benefits all Americans.

By protecting ecosystems, preserving our cultural heritage, and connecting the people to their lands, we demonstrate this Congress' commitment to public lands that serve all Americans.

I am particularly proud that this package will permanently authorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program that supports recreation access and conservation in all 50 States.

LWCF works for the people at no direct cost to the taxpayer. It enhances Americans' enjoyment of public lands across this Nation. It is time to guarantee the future of this very important program.

In addition to LWCF, the package would add over 1 million acres of wilderness, designate new national monuments, and expand three national parks, to name a few of the over 100 provisions.

I am proud to support LWCF; I am proud to support S. 47; and I hope my colleagues will similarly support this bipartisan effort.

I want to offer my sincere thanks to my fellow collaborators on the legislation: Congressman Bishop and Senators Murkowski, Manchin, and Cantwell. Their willingness to work and to compromise was crucial in turning this bill into a reality. I congratulate them on their efforts.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Cunningham), a member of the Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), a member of the Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal), chair of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Haaland), chair of the National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee on the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell), a member of the Natural Resources Committee.

I yield the gentlewoman from Michigan an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford), a member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Hill).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Schrader).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Schrier).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for her comments.

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if I may inquire if the gentleman from Utah has any additional speakers.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank everyone who voiced their support for S. 47.

Before we close and turn to a vote, I again express my thanks to my colleagues who helped bring this bill before us today. It is a major win for conservation across the United States, and I strongly encourage all my colleagues to vote in favor of this legislation.

The American people need to know from this Congress that there are opportunities to produce bipartisan wins, whether it is for conservation or public lands or, more importantly, for the people of this country. I think this bill represents that.

I extend my appreciation and my thanks to respective staffs on both sides of the aisle, for their hard work in bringing this together.

As my friend from Utah said at the outset of this conversation today, it is not a perfect bill, but it is an effort on the part of many of us who came to this with disparate views, different opinions, and opposition to some of its content. It was an effort to try to do something that reflected common ground. I think this bill reflects common ground. I think it is a win for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all my colleagues to vote in support of S. 47, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I send to the desk a concurrent resolution and ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the impressive accomplishments of five Native American youth who were chosen as this year's Center for Native American Youth Champions for Change.

The Aspen Institute's Center for Native American Youth, or CNAY, will celebrate its seventh cohort of CNAY Champions for Change through a series of recognition events and leadership development trainings in Washington, D.C. this week.

Today we recognize Autumn Adams, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Shandiin Herrera, Navajo Nation, Madison White, Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, Charitie Ropati, Native Village of Kongiganak, and Adam Soulor, The Mohegan Tribe, who will serve as representatives of the next generation of leaders in Indian Country for the next year. From Alaska to Connecticut, and now Washington, D.C., these impressive young leaders advocate on issues like decolonizing education standards, supporting victims of sexual assault, and improving child welfare systems.

For their dedication to their communities and as leaders to their peers, I would like to

congratulate them as they continue their honorable work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my voice of support for the Interior appropriations bill to fund the government.

Trump's ongoing government shutdown has damaged our economy, our national parks, and our public lands. This damage that we see is not an inevitable outcome; this is directly Republican-inflicted damage.

Trump and his enablers seem happy to let this shutdown slow our economy, hurt Indian Country, and put our national parks and public lands at risk indefinitely.

It shouldn't be hard for our Republican colleagues to choose between funding normal government operations or continuing to make people suffer for the Trump ego and obsession.

This bill is nearly identical to the legislation that already passed the Senate 92-6. It reopens vital agencies and returns our national parks to normal business. This means we can clean up the trash and repair the damage that has been done through this shutdown.

Opposing this bill encourages Trump to keep holding Americans hostage to his delusional demands.

I gladly yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).

Reclaiming my time, the administration has not done enough to protect public safety or the quality of our public lands during this shutdown. New roads have been bulldozed through protected land in Joshua Tree National Park because staff was not there to prevent it. Hikers have been injured and had to rely on volunteers to carry them to safety. We all heard about the trash piling up at precious sites across this country.

Every day, we see more damage to our public lands, and that involves, also, the vandalism and looting on protected areas, cultural areas, and historic resources in our public lands and parks. I haven't seen any serious willingness from the administration to end this shutdown and get back to normal operations.

Ironically, the permitting for gas, oil, and mining continues, unabated, at the expense of the public taxpayers and employees and, of course, our public lands and parks. Though the permitting process in the refuge and in other parts of New Mexico and Oklahoma continues unabated, this is one part of this shutdown that was not affected at all.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).

Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I am very grateful for my friend's, Representative McCollum's, leadership on this issue and for the tireless efforts of the Appropriations chair and Speaker Pelosi. They are working on behalf of the people to fund and reopen this government.

I want to make one particular note. While the harm to our parks has been noted, the damage to Indian Country is less documented and, in many cases, much more personal and devastating.

According to a January 1 New York Times report, the shutdown has trapped members of the Navajo Nation in their homes due to unplowed roads in remote areas and has put many Tribal members and their families in severe economic stress.

Law enforcement officers continue working without pay because they are Federal employees. Similar scenarios are reported and are playing out in Tribal land across this Nation.

The National Council of Urban Indian Health found that 62 percent of the Urban Indian Health Centers will need to cancel programs or cease offering services if the shutdown continues. That process has already begun.

Today, I launched an online tool for Americans to share their stories of how the Trump shutdown impacts their lives. I ask them to share their experience of being furloughed, forced to work without pay, and turned away from visiting public lands and denied essential services. Trump and his supporters need to listen to these stories. I encourage everyone to speak out on social media with the hashtag my shutdown story.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill redesignates the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge in southern Florida as Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge.

We concur with the gentleman, the majority, Mr. McClintock, on this issue. I ask all Members to please vote in favor of the resolution. It is a fitting tribute to a former Interior Department official who helped develop the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. It is a fitting tribute, and I urge its passage.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6287 would provide grant funding for the operation, security, and maintenance of the memorials honoring those men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

We concur with the Senate amendment that modifies the term ``covered memorial.'' We urge our colleagues to support this amendment one more time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6602 would reauthorize the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route through 2025.

H.R. 6602 would also instruct the Secretary of the Interior to draft a strategic plan to enhance the trail route for the future, providing opportunities to sustain this very worthwhile program.

I congratulate Representative LoBiondo for his hard work on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge a ``yes'' vote for this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2606 seeks to amend the 1947 Stigler Act by removing the arbitrary blood quantum levels it established for Indian land ownership. This will ensure that lands currently owned by the citizens of the Five Tribes of Oklahoma will remain in restricted fee status, regardless of their blood quantum levels or that of their heirs.

The House has already passed this measure once, and I am happy to agree to the changes that the Senate made to Mr. Cole's bill.

Upholding the sanctity of a Tribe's land base should be of utmost importance to Congress and the Federal Government as a whole. A tribal land base is not just about tax-exempt status or economic development, both of which are vitally important to tribal communities. It is also about construction of housing, schools, clinics, and eldercare facilities, things that are extremely vital to the health and the well- being of tribal members.

It is also about recognizing a tribe's historical, cultural, and spiritual connection to the land, land that they called their own until it was forcibly or wrongly taken from them.

We need to ensure that tribal sovereignty and self-governance are more than just talking points. There are real-world decisions that we make that have very real consequences, so it is shameful that a dark chapter in history is now repeating itself. I am referring to the dire situation that is facing the Mashpee Tribe of Massachusetts.

The Mashpee have inhabited present-day Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island for more than 12,000 years. Their ancestors are the ones who welcomed the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock, as well as the people who aided these Pilgrims through the hard times of 1621 that we now refer to as our First Thanksgiving.

Like many tribes, the Mashpee were intentionally and systematically rendered landless through various actions by the States and the Federal Government.

They have fought long and hard since that time to reestablish that which was taken from them: their homeland. They fought first for Federal recognition, which they finally received in 2009 after a 30- year struggle. They then fought to establish a homeland for their people, which they finally did in 2015, when Interior approved their application to take 320 acres into trust for the Tribe.

Things were looking optimistic for the Mashpee people. They constructed a government center, which includes a school, courtrooms, and multipurpose rooms, and they established a medical clinic facility. They were planning to embark on economic development opportunities that would help sustain the Tribal people and ensure their prosperity for future generations. Then the rug was cruelly pulled out from beneath them.

In 2017, the Department of Justice, under the Trump administration, inexplicably refused to continue to defend the status of the Tribe's reservation in court.

Then on September 7, 2018, the Department of the Interior issued its first Carciary decision, in which it refused to reaffirm its own authority to confirm the status of the Tribe's reservation. Interior rejected clear evidence that the Mashpee were indeed under Federal jurisdiction, evidence that was accepted as sufficient in prior agency decisions.

This decision is devastating and unprecedented. It would mark the first time since the dark days of the termination era that the United States acts to de-establish an Indian reservation and make a Tribe landless.

On our side of the aisle, we have been sounding the alarm for some time that this would come to pass if we did not address the Carciary issue, and yet the majority has refused to address that issue for almost a decade.

Many other Tribes also face frivolous lawsuits on land that they have had in trust for years, sometimes decades. These attacks on sovereignty eat up valuable Tribal resources and funds, funds that could be instead used on housing, healthcare, economic development, and a myriad of other Tribal needs and concerns.

As a result of this, the Trump administration's decision, the Mashpee and the Tribal government is on the brink of total dissolve. The legal limbo that has been imposed by the decision is forcing the Tribe to have to borrow thousands of dollars every day to keep its government running. This has resulted in devastating cuts to essential services and massive layoffs.

The majority of Tribal members are employed with the Tribe. Due to this, the Tribal unemployment rate has skyrocketed to 49 percent. They have had to essentially dissolve their police force except for one patrol officer; they have laid off all Tribal court staff; they are in the process of shutting down their elder services and addiction treatment programs; and they are having to shut down their language immersion school serving preschool and school-age children. This is completely unacceptable and, sadly, avoidable.

If this were occurring with a State or a local government, my colleagues across the aisle would have already remedied the situation, and we could do just that. We could address this issue head-on by simply reaffirming the trust status of Mashpee land. We could overturn the misguided agency decision and give stability and sovereignty back to the Mashpee people.

This is exactly what many of us on both sides of the aisle have strongly advocated for months; however, the silence from Republican leadership of the House is deafening. Legislation to affirm the Mashpee homeland has existed for months, even before the Interior decision, yet the majority has refused to move it.

Inaction is complacency, and the inaction of this body sets a dangerous precedent moving forward for other Tribes that are having their sovereignty challenged.

Many of us have worked diligently over the years to right the wrongs of the past and rightfully return land back to Tribes. Mr. Speaker, I implore our Republican majority to work with us now to ensure Mashpee culture and its way of life survives.

Congress must affirm its Federal trust responsibility and ensure Tribal sovereignty remains intact. We must not idly stand by as Tribal people are on the losing end of another heinous wrongdoing--not on this watch.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

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