Floor Statements

I thank the ranking member for yielding the time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 185, the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015, a bill that puts us all in danger by making it harder for Federal regulators to do their job.

This bill would delay regulations that prevent big banks from gambling with our economy. Just as seriously, it would weaken the implementation of laws such as the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act that protect our environment, natural resources, and the public health of the American people.

Supporters of this bill tell us that regulations impose huge costs and prevent economic growth. As other speakers have noted, these claims are not just untrue, they are fabrications.

Choosing not to regulate polluting industries doesn't save taxpayers money. When we fail to prevent pollution, we impose more costs on the public. Allowing unchecked emissions from coal-fired power plants, for example, would mean more mercury and smog polluting our air and water, causing respiratory ailments and premature death.

To see what happens when a government chooses to allow polluters to have their way, one need only to look at China. By burning coal without adequate air quality regulations, China caused an additional 670,000 deaths in 2012 alone, this according to a recent study by the National Resources Defense Council.

The failure to regulate is causing a massive drag at this time on the Chinese economy. This bill leads us down the same path. The Chinese model of economic growth at the expense of public health and the environment is not sustainable and does not represent American values.

We have laws on the books today mandating environmental conservation and natural resource management through regulation. This bill does not repeal those laws, which have been a major benefit to the Nation, to the American people since they were enacted. Today's bill just makes their implementation less efficient, more costly, more time-consuming to the very industries it is allegedly trying to help.

If this bill were to become law, annual regulations needed to open a fishery or establish fishing industry catch levels would be endlessly delayed.

If this bill were to pass, it would delay the Forest Service regulations needed to allow thinning projects and increase the potential for costly and deadly wildfires throughout the West. Each year, new fire seasons seem to break the record for financial costs and acres burned. This bill, if enacted, would make that cycle worse.

The bill fails to appropriate any new money to the agencies facing these unnecessary, burdensome requirements. Instead, agencies like NOAA and the Department of the Interior will be forced to divert existing resources to develop and implement the regulations needed to fulfill this new congressional mandate.

The results? For example, permits for energy development on Federal lands, currently at an all-time high, will be delayed, as will be permits for other activities.

This is not about making government more efficient. It is about making it impossible for many government agencies to do their jobs on behalf of the American people. In the name of regulatory reform, Republicans are intentionally cutting off the people who oversee our lands and waters at their knees.

Those who claim that this bill is a good idea ignore China's example at their own peril. Federal agencies trying to keep us safe cannot do more with less. Instead of placing more burdens on Federal agencies, we should provide them with the resources they need to do their jobs better and faster and protect the American people.

For all these reasons, I urge opposition to H.R. 185.

I thank the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to what can only be described as an earmark for a Canadian corporation. It speaks volumes about the Republican agenda, as this new Congress convenes, that the first order of business in the House and Senate is to rubberstamp the Keystone XL pipeline.

We have not dealt with unemployment benefits that the American people need that have lapsed for more than a year. Millions of Americans are suffering from a low minimum wage and income disparity, but we are not helping them. Women in this country still only earn 77 cents to every dollar their male counterparts earn, but we are not trying to end that disparity.

Instead, they are forcing Keystone through without the proper approval process. Building a pipeline clear across the United States so that TransCanada can sell its dirty tar sands oil to the highest bidder--namely China--is not in the American people's best interests.

We take on the risk to our lands, the American people face threats to their health, and TransCanada gets to reap the rewards. That is not a winning formula for our country or the economy. In fact, it is a sham.

And yet the Keystone XL pipeline continues to be sold to the American people on blatantly false pretenses. We are told by proponents that this is about job creation, yet not a single independent analysis supports these claims.

The burden of proof is on the GOP. They pull fantastic claims out of thin air, and yet they refuse to back them up. Instead, we are told to take their assertions at face value.

Here is what we actually know. These are the facts that can actually be substantiated:

The State Department found in its supplemental environmental impact study of the Keystone pipeline that it will generate less than 2,000 jobs a year for 2 years and only during the period of construction. Once the pipeline is built, these jobs will disappear, leaving a mere 35 permanent jobs that will result from this project--35. To put that in context, under President Obama, 353,000 jobs were generated in November and a total of 2.9 million in 2014.

There is also the claim that it is going to lower gas prices for the American people. Please. Gas prices have been dropping for more than 100 straight days and are at the lowest level in more than 5\1/2\ years. They won't go any lower by allowing oil to be piped across our country just to be sold abroad.

In contrast to fantasy impacts on gas prices, the potential impacts on our environment are very real. Not only will burning these tar sands add to global climate change, but any leak, failure, or, God forbid, explosion will have disastrous impacts on our environment. And because tar sands importers are exempt from paying into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, the American taxpayers will have to bear the cost of cleaning up any spills.

The public needs to know these facts, and that is why allowing 1 hour of debate with not a single, solitary amendment today robs the American people of a full debate and discussion.

On top of all that, this bill is being pushed through despite the fact that it violates not one but two treaties with American Indian nations.

What does this say about the GOP's respect for the rule of law?

If the Republicans truly want to generate jobs for the American people, they should fully fund the highway trust fund and support the GROW AMERICA Act to invest in the crumbling infrastructure all across this country, not help Canadians build a superhighway for their dirty tar sands oil.

We would be supporting not just 2,000 jobs per year for 2 years but millions of jobs for American families, across every congressional district.

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues have a chance to take an important stand today early in this Congress on behalf of taxpayers, the environment, Native American communities, and the rule of law by supporting President Obama's veto and rejecting this toxic giveaway to foreign corporate oil interests.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5069 would authorize an increase in the price of the Federal duck stamp from $15 to $25. Duck stamp revenue funds the purchase and conservation of wetland habitats critical to maintaining waterfowl populations and other wildlife prized by hunters. This increase will restore the purchasing power of the duck stamp dollars to nearly 1991 levels, the last time Congress increased the price of the duck stamp.

The current price of the stamp is $15, which equates to less than $9 in 1991. The increase is expected to generate $5 million in revenue for securing conservation easements on land in the United States.

While I take issue with some of the requirements and restrictions this bill would place on the Fish and Wildlife Service, the opportunity to generate these additional funds for wetland conservation with the support of hunters and other nature lovers is one that we must take advantage of.

I support the passage of the bill and congratulate the author of the legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

H.R. 5162 removes the use restriction on a 3-acre parcel of Federal land granted in 1990 to Rockingham County, Virginia. The county no longer needs the parcel for child care and seeks to develop it for other purposes.

The 3-acre parcel was given to Rockingham County through the National Park Service's Federal Lands to Parks Program. The Federal Lands to Parks Program provides Federal land to counties and to other State and local entities to develop community parks and public spaces. If land granted through this program is no longer needed for its original purpose, the National Park Service has the administrative authority to sell the land at fair market value.

This involves what could be a very lengthy valuation process, but it is important to remember that these assets are owned by the American taxpayers, held in trust by the Federal Government, and they deserve a fair return. In this case, to the best of my knowledge, Rockingham County did not approach the National Park Service to discuss purchasing the land at fair market value. Instead, the county went straight to Congress for this legislative fix.

Revisionary clauses and land use restrictions exist to ensure the fair use of Federal land and a fair return to the American taxpayer. Of course, it is important to look at these on a case-by-case basis, recognizing when Congress should chime in and when it is more appropriate for administrative action. Congress should only get involved when all other options are exhausted.

While there may have been an alternative method to achieving the objective of this legislation, we support the adoption of H.R. 5162.

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

Mr. Speaker, if I may inquire of the gentleman from Louisiana if he has any more speakers.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5167 directs the Administrator of General Services, on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to convey 1,518 acres of Federal land in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation.

The parcel in question was previously used by the U.S. Air Force and is no longer needed by the Department of Defense. It contains a pipeline to the Chukchi Sea and would likely be used to support offshore energy extraction. It is surrounded by land already owned by the Olgoonik Corporation that was conveyed under the Alaska Native Settlement Claims Act.

Transferring the isolated parcel would help simplify BLM management of the preserve and provide needed economic development for the Alaska Native Corporations.

While I have some concerns with this legislation, including an unrealistic 180-day timeframe for survey and conveyance of the parcel, the waiver of requirements to provide an environmental review according to NEPA, and the use of a non-Federal appraisal agent, we support the passage of H.R. 5167.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman), the sponsor of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Representative Jared Huffman of California, the sponsor of the bill, for the legislation and the hard work.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado, Representative Jared Polis, the sponsor of the legislation. I thank him for his hard work on this boundary adjustment, which reflects current management and authorizes the acquisition and protection of this pristine land.

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

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

I want to commend my colleague, Representative Ruiz of California, for sponsoring this legislation, for working so hard to bring all of the diverse interests to the table, and for coming up with a noncontroversial, bipartisan solution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz) to speak on his legislation.

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

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3006 is commonsense legislation that directs a land exchange between the Federal Government and a private citizen. The land to be conveyed is 80 acres of BLM land in Riverside County, California, that has limited conservation value and is only suitable for farming.

In return, the exchange will add two parcels of land contiguous to the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge that will improve the management efficiency of that refuge.

The refuge lies in the flood plain of the lower Colorado River and is surrounded by desert ridges and washes that serve as the lifeline for thousands of species of animals including the iconic bald eagle that call the refuge its home.

I am pleased to see this bill come to the floor under suspension. This is a bill I have worked on for many years when the refuge was in my district, and I applaud the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) for taking the lead and seeing it through. Although the refuge is no longer in my district, the area is still important to the people of Arizona and my constituents.

H.R. 3006 is supported by a bipartisan congressional coalition that does not always see eye to eye on many issues, but I am glad to see that we can all agree on this.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, S. 476 will amend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Development Act to extend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Commission.

Extension of the authorization date will allow the continued involvement of the park advisory commission in the decisions that affect this National Historical Park. The advisory commission is now more than 40 years old and serves as an important link between the adjacent communities and the National Park Service.

S. 476 is the companion bill to H.R. 2255 introduced by Representative Van Hollen and is supported by a bipartisan group of Members. Representative Van Hollen is to be commended for his leadership and dedication in seeing this bill through.

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

With that, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland, Representative Van Hollen, the sponsor of the legislation,

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers on the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, since the Supreme Court's decision in 2009, the Carcieri decision, the status of Indian lands across the country have been undermined, and there has been an uptick in frivolous suits against tribal lands. One such lawsuit, the Patchak case, has put a Michigan tribe's trust land, upon which its casino supports approximately 1,000 much-needed jobs was constructed, very much in jeopardy.

S. 1603, the Gun Lake Trust Land Reaffirmation Act, simply affirms that the land taken into trust for the Gun Lake Tribe in Michigan is Indian land and is rightfully held in trust by the United States for the tribe's benefit. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and it passed House committee markup without event.

Mr. Speaker, I fully support this legislation, as does the tribe, the entire Michigan delegation, and the administration, and I look forward to its passing the House and being signed into law.

I am glad this bill has passed through the legislative process so quickly. That said, I think unless and until we have a Carcieri-fix legislation enacted, these types of piecemeal bills will become routinely needed to protect tribal lands that are rightfully held in trust.

I call upon all of my colleagues in this body and in the Senate to work together to obtain that fix.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

(Mr. GRIJALVA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5205 is a comprehensive package of bills that deals with several public lands issues in Nevada. We are pleased this package establishes nearly 40,000 acres of new wilderness and are happy to see that the majority worked across the aisle to eliminate language which concerned us.

Several of the management activities described in H.R. 5205 are limited to the existing purview of the managing agencies and as authorized by the Wilderness Act; however, this legislation contains ambiguous language that could be construed as an exception to authorize thinning in wilderness for other activities beyond wildfire mitigation.

As the West continues to dry up and the threat of wildfire increases, we recognize the importance of fire mitigation measures; nevertheless, it is the intent of Congress that any thinning activities conducted for the purpose of mitigating wildfires be carried out within the framework of the Wilderness Act in the Pine Forest Range and the Wovoka Wilderness.

It is encouraging to see the majority is willing to advance important conservation bills. I hope we can continue to work towards bipartisan conservation legislation which is of critical importance for all Americans.

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

At this point, Mr. Speaker, let me yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford), one of the supporters of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2569 would designate segments of the Upper Missisquoi and Trout Rivers as recreational rivers under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

These river segments provide local Vermonters with opportunities to swim, fish, kayak, and hike and are dotted with scenic and historic sites like waterfalls and covered bridges. They would be first designated Wild and Scenic rivers. They would be the first designated Wild and Scenic rivers in Vermont. The designation is widely popular with landowners and local stakeholders.

H.R. 2569 authorizes the establishment of cooperative agreements, including financial assistance with the State of Vermont and other entities to further the long-term protection and preservation of the identified river segments.

Since much of the land along the river is private property, the designation will allow landowners to emphasize the ecological and recreational value of the river while upholding long-established property rights. Any land acquisition associated with the Wild and Scenic designation must be done by donation and accompanied by a written consent from the landowner. The bill also establishes that the river segments will not be managed as part of the National Park system.

I would like to thank and congratulate my colleague from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for his work on this bill and on behalf of his constituents.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), the author of the legislation.

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

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

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

Let me associate myself with Chairman Hastings' comments and introduction and support for H.R. 3222. This legislation would acknowledge and begin the process of studying and protecting a valuable resource and a historic resource for this country, and I appreciate his comments.

I reserve the balance my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me at this point yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Meng), the sponsor and author of the legislation.

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

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

H.R. 4119 will authorize the National Park Service to study the feasibility of including the West Hunter Street Baptist Church as a unit of the National Park Service.

The West Hunter Street Baptist Church served as an important gathering center and site, an organizing, training, and strategy place where leaders met, and a leadership development area, all during the civil rights movement, and it became a place where many of the most important initiatives during the fight for equality, such as the Voter Education Project and the Freedom Summer of 1964, were born.

I want to applaud my colleague from Georgia, Congressman Johnson, for his efforts to preserve this iconic building and hope the feasibility study is the first step in permanently preserving a landmark for future generations of Americans.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson), my friend and cosponsor of the legislation.

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