Floor Statements

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

The Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act of 2025 would extend critical wetlands conservation funding through 2033.

Many of my constituents live and breathe wetlands conservation. Whether you are a duck hunter on the river or a birder exploring the coastal marshes or a family counting on clean water and flood protection, wetlands deliver for everyone.

Since 1937, the Pittman-Robertson Act has created successful conservation models where hunters and sportsmen support wildlife restoration through excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment.

Currently, the interest earned from these funds supports wetlands protection through 2026, and this bill ensures that funding continues uninterrupted through 2033.

This is conservation funding that works. It is user funded, results driven, and focuses on protecting habitats that benefit all Americans. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act has helped to protect millions of acres of wetlands and grasslands across North America.

I commend Representatives Hurd and Elfreth for their bipartisan leadership in advancing this proven funding mechanism and ensuring that future generations inherit healthy wetlands and thriving wildlife.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2316, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1729, the Bolts Ditch Act, introduced by my colleague and good friend from Colorado (Mr. Neguse).

Mr. Speaker, the Bolts Ditch Headgate and ditch segment are located within the Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado's White River National Forest. This infrastructure is essential for delivering water to the Bolts Lake Reservoir, supporting water supply needs and economic development in Eagle County.

Mr. Speaker, to balance the protection of the wilderness area with the continued operation of Bolts Ditch, Congress previously authorized the town of Minturn access to use, maintain, and repair the headgate and ditch under the John Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act.

The Bolts Ditch Act would expand this authority to the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority as eligible entities.

Under this new authority, they would be eligible to receive a permit from the Secretary of Agriculture for nonmotorized access to use, maintain, and repair Bolts Ditch Headgate and 450 feet of Bolts Ditch.

Representative Neguse's legislation would ensure continued access to critical water infrastructure, and promote efficient regional water supply management while protecting the wilderness area.

It would also support higher in-stream flows for Cross Creek, reduce energy consumption, and foster long-term economic benefits for Eagle County. This is a priority for this community, and I thank Representative Neguse for his hard work and leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Neguse), the sponsor of the bill.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1044 introduced by my colleague Representative Valadao of California.

This bill would allow the Secretary of the Interior to issue additional permit renewals for the Kaweah Project, a hydroelectric facility that operates within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park. The Kaweah Project has been generating clean, renewable energy since 1907. Although it was originally granted a 50-year permit, the boundaries of the Sequoia National Park were later expanded in 1943, bringing portions of the project, such as flow lines and diversions, within park lands. Since the project predated the park, it was allowed to continue operating.

In 2004, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to issue up to three permit renewals with reasonable safeguards to ensure the project's continued operation wouldn't harm the park.

These include prohibiting any expansion of the project within the park, requiring safety assessment, and appropriate compensation for the use of public resources.

H.R. 1044 would build on that responsible approach. By allowing the Secretary to continue renewing permits for the Kaweah Project under the same protective conditions, this bill allows continued hydropower generation while upholding our responsibility to protect the park for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, S. 1596 will codify the renaming of the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to honor the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.

Wildlife refuges are more than places to protect our environment. They are places where so many young people are inspired to build a lifelong connection to nature and develop a sense of stewardship for the world around them.

Jocelyn Nungaray was one of those young people. She loved animals and the outdoors. Her life was tragically taken far too soon. This legislation ensures that her love for wildlife and the natural world will be remembered and honored forever at one of our Nation's most important coastal conservation areas.

Spanning 39,000 acres along Texas' Gulf Coast, this refuge is a vital sanctuary for migratory waterfowl, endangered species, and countless other wildlife. Now, it will also stand as a lasting tribute to Jocelyn's spirit and the values she held dear.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 1596 and help preserve Jocelyn's legacy in a place that reflects the beauty and wonder she saw in the world. I hope that this will bring her family some semblance of peace.

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

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

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 410, a bill that would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program until 2030, giving those brave men and women who served in the Vietnam war additional time to apply for and claim the land allotments that they were promised.

In 1906, Congress passed the Alaska Native Allotment Act to provide individual Alaska Natives up to 160-acre allotments. However, this law was later repealed with the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971. While many Alaska Natives were able to apply for allotments prior to the ANCSA, others were unable to due to their active military service at the time.

To correct the issue, Congress established the Alaska Native Vietnam era veterans land allotment program in 2019. Under the program, Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans who served between 1964 and 1971 and had not previously received an allotment, or their heirs, were deemed eligible to apply.

Despite the number of veterans still eligible to apply, the program is set to expire in December of this year. By extending the program through 2030, Congress will reinforce our support for Native communities and give eligible Alaska Native veterans the time they need to apply for the land that they are entitled to.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 504 would amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to expand the boundaries of the Miccosukee Reserved Area within the Everglades National Park. This expansion would ensure that the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida can access the Osceola Camp, a historic Tribal village that was, unfortunately, excluded from the original reserved area, without requiring the Tribe to obtain special use permits.

H.R. 504 would also direct the Department of the Interior to implement needed flood control measures to protect homes and structures within this village.

For centuries, the Miccosukee Tribe's way of life has been challenged through forced relocation, damage to wetland drainage projects, and the need to acquire special use permits to reside in their own villages.

In 1998, Congress established the Miccosukee Reserved Area, granting the Tribe rights to much of their ancestral lands within the park while supporting environmental restoration. However, not all of the Tribe's villages were included within the reserved area.

H.R. 504 would correct this oversight by incorporating Osceola Camp into the reserved area, a critical step toward honoring Tribal sovereignty, addressing ongoing governance concerns and environmental challenges.

This bill underscores the importance of righting historical wrongs and supporting Tribal communities. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about issues of great importance and concern to me and my constituents that are of utmost importance not just for national security but for the soul of our country.

Anti-Semitism is taking an unpredictable variety of forms and has deepened anxieties among many American Jews, and it has contributed to a sense that simply existing in public as a Jewish person is increasingly dangerous.

The number of anti-Semitic episodes in the United States in 2023, in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel, was the highest ever recorded in a 1-year period, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Dangerous words turn into dangerous actions, and Jewish communities simply do not feel safe or supported.

Two things can be true at the same time. The suffering in Gaza is absolutely horrific. The stories of the children in Gaza are the stories I grew up hearing because this is the history of my family, which is why I cannot be silent in the face of children and families being starved.

My family fled to this country in what here is known as the Potato Famine, but in Ireland is known as ``An Gorta Mor,'' which is ``The Great Hunger.'' There was plenty of food. It was a policy choice to starve the Irish.

This is what is happening in Gaza. Keeping food and medicine from women and children and elders is just wrong. Not for nothing, nobody starts a revolution on a full stomach.

Tens of thousands of civilians, mothers, children, and grandparents, have been killed or displaced. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble. Hospitals, schools, and places of worship lie in ruin.

The American people are watching in horror.

Let me be absolutely clear. Hamas' brutal October 7 attack was an atrocity. I condemn it fully and unequivocally. No cause justifies the murder of innocent people or the taking of hostages.

Israel has the right to defend itself, but what we are seeing now is not defense. It is devastation. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are dead, the majority of which are women and children.

This is not security. It is not peace. It is collective punishment, and it violates international law.

At the same time, I will say just as clearly, there is no place for anti-Semitism anywhere, ever, not in our communities, not in our political discourse, not in our movement for peace. We can and must condemn the horrors of war without feeding hatred. We can mourn Palestinian lives without denying the trauma of the Jewish people. Holding the Jewish community responsible for the actions of the Israeli government is anti-Semitic.

However, it is not anti-Semitic to speak out against what is happening in Gaza, and the U.S. is complicit in keeping food, water, and medicine from a starving and traumatized people.

The United States has a moral obligation to stand up for human rights, for international law, and for peace. That means we must press for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. We must demand the release of all hostages.

This isn't about choosing sides. It is about choosing a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live in safety, dignity, and peace.

I have heard from thousands of my constituents: Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and secular, who are begging for us to lead with compassion and courage. This is a moral crossroads for our Nation, and history will remember whether we met the moment or shrank from it.

Mr. Speaker, let's work to end this war, bring the hostages home, end Hamas' reign of terror, and build a future where no parent, Israeli or Palestinian, has to bury a child because we failed to act.

Mr. Speaker, Medicaid is a critical and important safety net and a provider of affordable, accessible, appropriate healthcare, especially in the rural communities I represent.

Today, I will share a story of Florence from North Bend, Oregon. She is a mother, a caregiver, and a fighter. She lives with a rare neuromuscular disease, myasthenia gravis, a rare form of angioedema.

For her, Medicaid isn't just a safety net, it is a lifeline. It covers the critical treatment and specialist care that keep her out of the ER and out of the ICU. Beyond that, it allows her to be there for the people who count on her most. Because Medicaid helps her manage her health, Florence is able to raise her 10-year-old daughter and care for her elderly parents. Her mother who has heart failure and COPD, and her father, who has serious health challenges of his own, were able to age in their homes.

Without Medicaid, this entire support system would collapse. Taxpayers would pay more to support all of them, and their family would be broken. This is what is at stake.

Mr. Speaker, Medicaid isn't just about individual coverage. It is the backbone of family stability across the country; for Florence, for her daughter, for her parents, and for millions of families like theirs. We must protect and strengthen Medicaid. Lives and futures depend on it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1682, a crucial measure that would guarantee free access to our national treasures for all Gold Star families.

To honor the sacrifice and service of their loved ones, Congress has provided Gold Star families with a free America the Beautiful pass that covers entrance fees and standard day-use fees for national parks and other Federal recreation sites.

However, eligibility for this program is limited and leaves some families out because of a technicality. This bill would fix that oversight by broadening access to include families of servicemembers who died during inactive or Active-Duty training, as well as travel to and from training or duty stations.

These families have already made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and they deserve for us to fix this technicality. I thank Representative Evans for bringing this forward and everyone who worked on this in a bipartisan way to make this happen.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1612, the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act, introduced by my colleague from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

This bill would expand the boundaries of the Flatside Wilderness Area in the Ouachita National Forest by approximately 2,212 acres and redesignate the area as the Flatside-Bethune Wilderness.

Representative Bethune represented Arkansas here in the House of Representatives, and he was a strong champion for conservation. He sponsored the first bill to designate the Flatside Wilderness back in 1984, so the redesignation included in this bill is a fitting tribute.

Wilderness areas hold immense importance for a variety of reasons. They support and provide essential ecosystem services, including clean air, water, carbon sequestration, and critical wildlife habitat.

Protecting the wilderness is not just about preserving pristine environments. It is also about safeguarding our national heritage and ensuring a healthy planet for future generations.

I thank Representative Hill for his work on expanding the wilderness area in his State. I and many of my Democratic colleagues also have bills we would like to advance to provide conservation protections for special areas in our congressional districts. This bill demonstrates that we can and should work in a bipartisan manner to protect and conserve public lands.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 331 would amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to allow third parties to utilize an existing right-of-way, easement, permit, or other authorization for aquifer recharge without further authorization from the Secretary of the Interior.

Underground aquifers play a key role in sustaining water supplies for groundwater-dependent irrigation, municipal water use, and ecosystems. This is especially important in areas experiencing drought and constrained surface supplies.

This bill will support aquifer recharge projects, in turn, strengthening water security.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my colleague, Representative LaHood's bill, the Community Reclamation Partnerships Act.

This legislation would amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act to allow States to partner with third-party groups like environmental and wildlife protection organizations, to clean up abandoned coal mine sites. Qualifying projects would be exempt from certain legal liabilities that have stood in the way of cleanup.

Right now, there are many thousands of abandoned coal mine sites across the country, many located in Appalachia, from before the industry was federally regulated. These sites will sit for years, with rivers and streams running over them, polluting waterways in perpetuity, unless taxpayers shoulder the cost of cleanup.

With limited government funds and personnel to clean up these mines, many sites are left polluted for decades. To make matters worse, even if a Good Samaritan group wants to volunteer to help clean up the pollution themselves, current law requires them to take on full liability for the site under the Clean Water Act.

That means raising funds to cover all the bonding and liability costs. Even if the groups manage to do that, it is nearly impossible to get a permit for this work because of the high standards in the Clean Water Act.

This bill would address these issues by empowering communities to help clean up polluted sites.

This isn't a get out of jail free card for polluting companies. This is a tool that gives communities more agency to care for the places they live, work, and play.

On both sides of the aisle, we agree that Good Samaritans shouldn't face these barriers to completing honest and necessary work. However, this bill is only part of the solution to the abandoned coal mine problem. There is more to do to hold the industry accountable, but this is a good bipartisan step to cleaner water for our communities.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1001 would direct the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies to evaluate the potential impacts of the 2024 supplement to the 2016 Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan Record of Decision on the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund.

The Colorado River is an essential water resource, supplying water for municipal and agricultural uses, energy production, and fish and wildlife habitat. However, persistent drought, over-allocation of water resources, and the escalating impacts of climate change have placed unprecedented strain on the basin.

The record of decision was an important step in addressing species' needs below the Glen Canyon Dam, and preliminary data showed promising results in protecting native fish species.

As drought conditions worsen and water demand continues to increase, it is more critical than ever to ensure water management appropriately balances agricultural, municipal, industrial, and environmental needs.

This legislation will direct Bureau of Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration to analyze how the record of decision may impact the fund's resources, hydropower generation at the Glen Canyon Dam, and endangered species.

I hope to work with my colleagues across the aisle on advancing meaningful legislation to safeguard environmental and cultural resources while addressing the long-term challenges of drought and climate change.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Hageman for drawing attention to the issues with the Interior Board of Land Appeals.

The IBLA resolves disputes related to public lands and natural resources under the Department of the Interior. However, the IBLA can take too long to decide these cases, leaving people waiting for years for a decision.

For example, at the end of fiscal year 2023, the IBLA had cases on their docket from fiscal year 2017. The Expedited Appeals Review Act would attempt to address this problem by creating an optional process for appellants to get expedited review from the IBLA.

Under this bill, if the IBLA does not make a decision by the expedited review deadline, the appellant can take the case directly to district court. The court would start the case de novo, compiling the facts of the case without deference to the original agency's decisionmaking.

While I agree with Representative Hageman that the IBLA timelines are a problem, I do have some concerns that the proposed solution doesn't get to the root of the problem. The underlying cause behind the IBLA's delays is a lack of capacity and resources.

The Board has stated it does not have the resources needed to resolve every appeal filed every fiscal year. Instead

of setting more deadlines that we know the IBLA can't meet, we should be appropriately staffing our agencies and review boards across the Federal Government.

Additionally, I am concerned this bill will create a fast-tracked review procedure that advantages wealthier appellants. Taking the case to district court is time-and resource-intensive, so only the wealthiest appellants are likely to use the expedited review process.

By making the IBLA focus its limited resources on expedited appeals, anyone without the money to take their case to district court may have to wait even longer.

I hope my Republican colleagues will work with us on providing the IBLA with the resources that would address the underlying problem here while also having an expedited review process.

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

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