Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1466), to authorize the Director of the United States Geological Survey to establish a regional program to assess, monitor, and benefit the hydrology of saline lakes in the Great Basin and the migratory birds and other wildlife dependent on those habitats, and for other purposes, as amended.

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, I rise in support of S. 1466, introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley and led in the House by my colleague, Representative Blake Moore.

This bill will direct the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a program to assess and monitor the hydrology of saline lakes and associated ecosystems in the Great Basin States in the West.

Saline lakes in the Western United States are shrinking and becoming saltier due to prolonged drought and other effects of climate change. These shrinking lakes are exposing harmful dust that threatens the public health of neighboring communities while harming local economies and eliminating essential migratory bird habitat.

This program will help inform and support coordinated management and conservation actions to benefit saline lakes.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleague in urging support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2551) to designate and adjust certain lands in the State of Utah as components of the National Wilderness

Preservation System, and for other purposes.

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, I rise in support of H.R. 2551, introduced by our colleague, Representative John Curtis.

This bill will adjust management boundaries to allow the advancement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, while also designating nearby U.S. Forest Service land for permanent protection.

The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a regional multiuse concept trail that will stretch 280 miles from the Idaho border to Nephi, Utah. Currently, more than 90 miles of the trail have been built.

Certain areas of the trail are currently impeded, preventing hikers and cyclists from enjoying the full scope of recreational opportunities it is meant to offer.

While advancement of the trail will expand access to recreation in two of Utah's most populated counties and ensure that local residents and visitors can take advantage of the trail for years to come, which, of course, is a good thing, it is my understanding that this particular proposal has also been part of a broader discussion known as the Mountain Accord that is designed to deal with a number of regional transportation and land-use planning issues.

I encourage the local stakeholders to keep working on that plan to solve ongoing issues and advance even more meaningful conservation protections for the Wasatch Mountains.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5715) to reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund, and for other purposes, as amended.

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.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 5715, which will authorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund.

Congress established the Udall Foundation in 1992 as an independent executive branch agency to honor Morris K. Udall's lasting impact on the Nation's environment, public lands, natural resources, and his support for the rights and self-governance of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

In 2009, Congress enacted legislation to honor Stewart L. Udall and add his name to the name of the foundation.

The agency is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, and maintains an additional office in Washington, D.C.

The Udall Foundation accomplishes its mission through five major programs.

The important one is the John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution, which provides impartial collaboration, consensus building, and conflict resolution services on a wide range of environmental, natural, and cultural resources, Tribal and public lands issues involving the Federal Government.

In addition, the foundation runs numerous graduate, intern, and focus programs for Native American and Alaska Natives throughout the country, of which many here in Congress have benefited from those internships and fellowships within committees and in individual offices.

I thank the 13 members of the board of directors of the Udall Foundation for their support, the Council on Environmental Quality for their support, and urge consideration and support for the legislation.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Education and Labor,

Washington, DC, December 2, 2022.

Hon. Raul Grijalva,

Chair, Committee on Natural Resources,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chair Grijalva: I write concerning H.R. 5715, a bill

to reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust

Fund, and for other purposes. There are certain provisions in

the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of

the Committee on Education and Labor.

In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed

expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill,

I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential

referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving

consideration of the bill, the Committee on Education and

Labor does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the

subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its

Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to

name members of the Education and Labor Committee to any

conference committee which is named to consider such

provisions.

Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R.

5715 and into the Congressional Record during consideration

of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the

cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this

matter and others between our respective committees.

Sincerely,

Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott,

Chairman.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), the chair of the subcommittee.

Madam Speaker, I, as well, would like to thank my colleagues across the aisle for their thoughtful and important suggestions to the legislation. I am happy to incorporate them. Their suggestions make the program healthier and stronger, and I appreciate that.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6427) to amend the Red River National Wildlife Refuge Act to modify the boundary of the Red River National Wildlife Refuge, and for other purposes, as amended.

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.

H.R. 6427, the Red River National Wildlife Refuge Boundary Modification Act will amend the Red River National Wildlife Refuge acquisition boundary, which is the area from which more land can be added to the refuge.

This amendment will allow for 3,300 acres of land to be conveyed to the refuge system.

The Red River National Wildlife Refuge runs through parts of the Red River Valley in northwestern Louisiana. Each year, approximately 80,000 waterfowl visit the 50,000-acre refuge for feeding and resting. Over 200 species of neotropical migratory songbirds also stop at the refuge.

The expansion will support migratory birds throughout their annual life cycle of breeding, wintering, and migrating. It will also provide additional economic benefits to the region through partnerships with local farmers and increased public access for outdoor recreationists.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their work on this important legislation. I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no requests for time. We are prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I join with my colleague in urging adoption of this good legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7496) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John, United States Virgin Islands, to commemorate the slave rebellion that began on St. John in 1733.

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.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7496, introduced by my colleague, Representative Stacey Plaskett.

This bill will direct the Secretary of the Interior to install a plaque at the peak of Ram Head in the Virgin Islands National Park to commemorate the slave rebellion that began in St. John in 1733.

The slave insurrection on St. John is the first time in which enslaved people successfully took control of a colony, and it served as a spark to later slave revolts that would take place. After half a year of fighting, opposition troops defeated the uprising in St. John.

As a last cry for freedom, the last remaining slave rebels died by suicide by drowning themselves at Ram Head in a collective act of defiance. Installing a commemorative plaque in the Virgin Islands National Park will honor the sacrifices of the rebels and ensure that visitors who hike to the top of Ram Head learn and reflect on this powerful history.

I thank my colleague, Representative Plaskett, for introducing this legislation, championing this bill on behalf of her constituents.

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

Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7952) ``to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right-of-way permit with respect to a natural gas distribution pipeline within Valley Forge National Historical Park, and for other purposes'', as amended.

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.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7952, introduced by my colleague Representative Madeleine Dean. As part of a broader effort to develop and enhance the area around Valley Forge National Historical Park, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is working to realign and repave a road that runs through the park's entrance.

This bill will allow the movement of a natural gas pipeline segment from its current position at the entrance of the park to a new roadbed being constructed east of the current road.

If the pipeline is not permitted to move, the project could be further delayed costing time and resources. Moving the pipeline will also allow for the creation of a new trail connection, which will better allow people to reach and enjoy Valley Forge.

I thank my colleague Representative Dean for introducing this legislation on behalf of her constituents.

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

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the legislation. And as Representative Dean said, I thank the sponsors of the legislation. One small thing that only Congress can do in this particular instance affects not only the utilization of this park but makes the situation safer for everyone involved and less expensive, and I thank her for her foresight.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in shock and feeling an immense loss for the Member that will not be with us, Donald McEachin, the gentleman from Virginia, a dear friend.

The members of the Committee on Natural Resources extend to his family, his wife Colette, his children and his grandchildren, his loved ones, and his loyal and capable staff, our condolences, our sympathies, and our comfort.

This imposing man, Donald McEachin, was more than that. His strength came from his heart, his faith, his empathy, and his compassion for other people.

On this journey, I have had the privilege and pleasure to work with him for over 3 years to develop legislation that would assure every American had clean air, clean water, and a clean environment. That piece of legislation is historic, and it is the creation of great work on the part of Donald McEachin.

It is his legacy that I hope we address, but it is also his character and his strength, as he guided me and other Members through a process that is sometimes difficult, sometimes contentious, but a process that at the end of the day has produced something that will be part of the legacy of a man that served his community, served his country, served his family, and gave honor to all of us. This is a deep loss, an immense loss, and one that I share with everyone.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4009) to authorize the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended.

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, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4009, the Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton.

This bill will authorize the establishment of a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia and its surroundings commemorating the enslaved individuals who disembarked here after forced migration by way of the transatlantic slave trade.

This memorial will honor the lives of all enslaved individuals, celebrate their contributions to our history, and recognize their remarkable resilience and fortitude throughout four centuries of slavery.

During this time period, enslavers forced the transport of 12.5 million captive Africans to sell in the Americas. The Georgetown waterfront has an extensive and long-neglected history of involvement in the slave trade. In fact, 1,475 enslaved individuals disembarked at the Georgetown waterfront while the institution of slavery grew on this continent.

Establishing a memorial to honor those who were enslaved will create a powerful site of truth-telling and remembrance.

I thank my colleague, Delegate Norton, for introducing this important and significant piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), who is the principal sponsor of the legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill

(H.R. 6353) to authorize the National Service Animals Monument Corporation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6353, the National Service Animals Memorial Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Susan Wild.

The bill would authorize the National Service Animals Monument Corporation to establish commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia, and its surroundings, to commemorate the heroic deeds and sacrifices of service animals--and handlers of service animals--in the United States.

The bill recognizes the National Service Animals Monument Corporation's mission to honor and recognize the broad scope of service animals through a memorial to educate the public of the contributions by service animals and of the human-animal bond between service animals and their handlers.

The memorial will ensure that the contributions of service and working animals are understood, and that their history is not forgotten.

In doing so, the bill recognizes the lifesaving and life-sustaining service these animals so generously provide to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative Wild, for introducing this legislation and championing this bill on behalf of her constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 6353, a ``yes'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6734) to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize the volunteer services, community partnership, and refuge education programs of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 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, I rise in support of H.R. 6734, the Keep America's Refuges Operational Act, introduced by our colleague, Representative Hakeem Jeffries.

This bill will reauthorize the volunteer services, community partnerships, and refuge education programs of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The refuge system spreads itself across 568 national wildlife refuges and protects nearly 837 million acres of land, water, and wetlands. These important lands serve as homes for over an array of species, including 700 birds, 220 mammals, 1,000 fish, and 250 reptile and amphibian species.

Volunteers in the refuge system are crucial to keeping the refuges running, encouraging millions of the tourists each year, and generating billions of local revenue while creating jobs for neighboring communities.

Reauthorizing these volunteer services allows the Fish and Wildlife Service to continue providing transportation, uniforms, lodging, awards, subsistence, and training for those who selflessly choose to volunteer on these projects.

During the March hearing on the bill, we heard from Ms. Caroline Brouwer of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, and Ms. Joan Patterson from the Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates about the outside role that volunteers and friend groups play in keeping refuges running, as well as serving and connecting with the local community.

The Fish and Wildlife Service also testified in support of the legislation. In June, the National Resources Committee reported the bill to the House by unanimous consent.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the bill sponsor and my colleagues on the committee for the bipartisan support for this legislation, and I urge its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries).

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate all involved on a significant partnership on this legislation that has brought benefits historically to our park systems and refuge systems and will continue to do so. Let me thank my friends across the aisle for their bipartisanship on that.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7618) to designate the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Memorial in Bedford Heights, Ohio, as a national memorial.

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, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7618, introduced by my colleague, Representative Shontel Brown.

This bill would designate the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Memorial in Bedford Heights, Ohio, as a national memorial.

This bill recognizes the significance of the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Memorial, which helps preserve the memory of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazi regime and honors the life and legacy of the Holocaust survivors who built this memorial.

Completed in 1961 by survivors of the Holocaust residing in northeast Ohio, the Kol Israel Holocaust Memorial is likely the first and oldest Holocaust memorial in the United States.

For more than 60 years, the Kol Israel Foundation has looked over the memorial, which has the ashes of Jewish victims and other tokens of remembrance buried at its base. The bill ensures national historic recognition for the Kol Israel Holocaust Memorial and preserves the memories and resiliency of the victims and the survivors of the Holocaust.

I thank my colleague, Representative Shontel Brown, for introducing this important legislation, for introducing this important acknowledgment and memorial, and championing the bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Brown), the sponsor of the legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2490) to establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site in Marfa, Texas, and for other purposes.

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 that is before us under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2490, the Blackwell School National Historic Site Act. This legislation, if the House will recall, was sponsored primarily by Representative Tony Gonzales from Texas.

S. 2490 is a companion to that legislation from the Senate, from Senator Cornyn, and this legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Blackwell School National Historic Site to preserve, protect, and interpret the role of the Blackwell School as an academic and cultural cornerstone in Marfa, Texas.

The Blackwell School was the sole public education institution for Mexican-American children in Marfa from 1909 until 1965, when local schools were finally integrated.

The building is a tangible reminder of a time in American history where separate but equal remained prevalent in our culture. It is a symbol of community solidarity, pride, and identity, and it remains to this day.

Approximately 4,000 students attended the Blackwell School over the course of more than 50 years. Despite the inherent unfairness of segregation, the Blackwell School became a meeting place and a source of pride for the local Mexican-American community in the region.

Today, all that remains of the once-sprawling campus is a three-room adobe schoolhouse, one of the last such schools remaining in Texas.

Designating the Blackwell School as a national historic site ensures that the story of the Blackwell School is maintained so that future Americans can learn from and understand its rich, complex, and troubling history.

Representative Tony Gonzales should be applauded for his efforts on this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me today in supporting the bill and sending it to President Biden for his signature, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time on this legislation. I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 820) to establish the New Philadelphia National Historical Park in the State of Illinois as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within 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.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 820, the New Philadelphia National Historic Site Act. New Philadelphia was the first town platted and legally registered by an African American before the Civil War. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, designated as a National Historic Landmark, and included in the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program.

This bill would further establish the New Philadelphia National Historic Site in Pike County, Illinois.

Honoring the legacy of New Philadelphia and celebrating the history of Black Americans is critically important. The protection and conservation of New Philadelphia ensures that this important history is preserved so that visitors to the site can have the opportunity to learn from and understand an important part of Illinois and American history.

The story of New Philadelphia is our story, and it rightly deserves a place in our National Park System.

As chair of the Natural Resources Committee, I am committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our committee's work, including by advancing the preservation of forgotten or under- told stories.

I thank my colleague, Representative LaHood, for introducing this important legislation and championing the bill on behalf of, not only of his constituents, but the overall interest of the American people.

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

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time on my side, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4358) to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Little Manatee River as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the item under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4358, the Little Manatee Wild and Scenic River Act, offered by our colleague from Florida, Representative Buchanan.

The bill will formally designate an approximately 51-mile segment of the Little Manatee River in Florida as a national scenic river.

Beginning at its source in southeastern Hillsborough County, the Little Manatee River flows downstream into Tampa Bay.

The river is one of the most pristine blackwater rivers in Southwest Florida and is designated as an outstanding Florida water.

Like all other wild and scenic rivers throughout the country, this bill will protect the river for public enjoyment without the fear of intrusive development.

The bill ensures the river remains available for full a range of recreational activities, such as canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing.

Designating the Little Manatee River as a Scenic River will ensure that it continues to be enjoyed by future generations of Floridians and visitors of all stripes.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Alabama, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Case for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 263, the Big Cat Public Safety Act. The bill is a long-overdue fix to a public safety and animal welfare problem that has been with us for too long.

I hear from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, my Republican friends, that not only is it duplicative, but it is unnecessary and a waste of time. Unfortunately, my colleagues have undertaken a potted plant strategy in terms of how they do business in the House: just water us, we are just going to sit there, and we are not going to do nothing. They are using legislation like this one to sustain a blame game more political than substantive regarding decisions being made by the administration or the majority in this House. I understand that. But it is a selective blame game.

We don't talk about the threat to our democracy, we don't talk about the criminalization of a woman's right to make health decisions, and we don't talk about the creeping authoritarianism that we see in our country. We don't talk about those things. I think that if we are going to have a discussion and assess blame, that the discussion is open on all sides.

So there are more big cats in private ownership and in captivity than in the wild. Private ownership of tigers, lions, leopards, and other big cats does absolutely nothing to help these endangered and threatened species recover in the wild.

To make matters worse, it poses a threat to first responders and the public who often don't even know they are in a community until an emergency happens.

State laws banning or regulating big cats vary greatly, and enforcement varies greatly. There is no Federal policy regarding the private possession of big cats, many of which are bred for cub petting and photo opportunities and then sold into private possession once they are too old for photo ops.

Contrary to what we have heard today, the USDA does not have jurisdiction over private ownership of big cats. Instead, the Fish and Wildlife Service is tasked with banning the breeding and possession of big cats under the Lacey Act, which is a natural extension of the work the Fish and Wildlife Service already does to regulate the breeding of ESA-listed species.

So it is germane to our committee, it is where it should be, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is the appropriate agency with both the experiences and the linkages to do this.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the legislation.