What Bruce Westerman said, and what was done

“Mr. Speaker, across the United States, severe wildfires continue to place tremendous pressure on surrounding communities, wildlife, and some of our Nation's most treasured public lands. Just this past month we have witnessed the devastating human cost as firefighters gave their lives protecting others from these catastrophic fires.”

“Mr. Speaker, the Senate is fiddling while America burns, and when I say burns, I mean it in the literal sense. Mr. Speaker, 18 months ago, we sent a hugely bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act to the Senate.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Miss Presley Bennett of White Hall, Arkansas, on being crowned Miss Arkansas' Teen 2026. At just 17 years old, Presley has distinguished herself through her talent, leadership, service, and commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others.”

“Mr. Speaker, I support this bill to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Advisory Commission. I commend my colleague, the gentleman from the State of Washington (Mr. Larsen), not only for his work on this bill but for his leadership to pass the successful highway transportation reauthorization bill recently.”

“Mr. Speaker, to address the enormity of the wildfire crisis, it is critical that we find ways to improve forest management across manmade jurisdictional boundaries. H.R. 3922 is a good bipartisan bill that will do just that by identifying existing Federal policies that can be changed to streamline proactive forest management.”

“Mr. Speaker, last year, a bipartisan group of members of our committee traveled to Alaska. As part of that visit, we held a roundtable with Alaska Native organizations during which we heard about the importance of subsistence hunting for Alaska Native communities, cultures, and economies.”

“Unfortunately, cumbersome leasing and permitting practices on Federal lands have prolonged project timelines and increased costs for geothermal developers. This is why I am pleased to support the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act.”

“Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Geothermal Energy Advancement Act. At a time when competition with China on AI and data centers is at an all-time high, we cannot afford to fall behind in power generation.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsors of the bill included in this bipartisan package for their work to bring this legislation to the floor, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, most of America's geothermal resources lie beneath Federal lands, and interest in leasing those areas continues to grow. It is imperative that we increase the frequency of geothermal lease sales from every 2 years to annually and further streamline the permitting process.”

“Mr. Speaker, I applaud Representative Fulcher for his work on this important legislation which I urge my colleagues to support, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support the License to Drill Act. America has some of the richest energy resources in the world, and House Republicans are working alongside the Trump administration to put those resources to work.”

“Mr. Speaker, Representative Kiggans' bill is a practical step to keep a proven program working and to prevent further loss of historic battlefields across America. We are not creating something new.”

“States shall convey all ownership interests of the United States in all buildings, structures, improvements, and appurtenances located within Tract 1 described in subsection (d)(1), to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, to own in fee. (i) Gaming Prohibition.--The land taken into trust under subsection (c) shall not be used for any class II gaming or class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (as those terms are defined in section 4 of that Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)).”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6162 furthers the 19 Pueblos' efforts to consolidate parcels of land related to the former Albuquerque Indian School, which holds significant cultural and historical value.”

“Catawba Indian Nation directly into Federal statute. In practical terms, Congress, not the Tribe, set the requirements for who could be a Tribal member going forward. H.R. 4463 restores sovereignty to the Tribe.”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 41 amends ANCSA to recognize the communities of Haines, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tenakee, and Wrangell. For over 50 years, these communities have missed out on the opportunities afforded under ANCSA.”

“Mr. Speaker, again, the Pechanga Band of Indians have worked to consolidate their ancestral and cultural land for years. The conveyance authorized by this legislation will unwind much of the checkerboard pattern that has prevented the Pechanga Band from readily accessing its lands, including its most sacred site, the Pu'eska Mountain.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Colonel Thomas Murphy of the United States Army as he concludes a distinguished career of service to our Nation. As Chief of the Army's House Liaison Division, Colonel Murphy has been an invaluable partner to my office and a tremendous advocate for the priorities of the U.S.”

“Mr. Speaker, again, I commend both parties for working together to bring this legislation to the floor. I appreciate the gentleman from Virginia for sponsoring this legislation. Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, again, H.R. 1352 would designate the General George C. Marshall House as an affiliated area of the National Park System, improving national recognition while keeping the site privately managed without taxpayer support.”

“Mr. Speaker, I once again thank Representative Kennedy for his leadership on the Star-Spangled Summit Act of 2026. This bill restores a meaningful community tradition, cuts through unnecessary red tape, and ensures that the American flag can continue flying over Provo in a way that respects both patriotism and responsible stewardship of our public lands.”

“Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Thompson for yielding and for his excellent work on this farm bill. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment that is included in the amendments en bloc and also in support of the underlying bill text.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Jack Sternberg on his induction to the Arkansas Walk of Fame. The first oncologist in Arkansas, Dr.”

“Federal land through responsible hunting and fishing. This new approach will result in greater economic activity for local communities surrounding our Federal lands and more funding for wildlife and habitat conservation.”

“Hunters and anglers are the backbone of American wildlife conservation efforts, and they are heavily invested in the long-term health of wildlife. It is important that Congress come to their defense against ideologically driven, unscientific decisions that limit access to our Federal public lands.”

“In closing, Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank Congressman Wittman for his leadership in working on this legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, January 13, 2025. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter confirms our mutual understanding regarding H.R. 4284, the ``Small Cemetery Conveyance Act.'' Thank you for collaborating with the Committee on Agriculture on the matters within our jurisdiction.”

“Committee on Agriculture will not formally consider H.R. 2709 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained therein.”

“Mr. Speaker, I extend my most sincere congratulations to Hot Springs local Dub Ballard on his 100th birthday. Reaching such a remarkable milestone is an achievement in itself, but the life Dub has lived is especially worthy of recognition.”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 681, again, provides equal leasing authority to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, aligning them with the other Tribes that have already received 99-year leasing authority from Congress.”

“Mr. Speaker, back to H.R. 755. This bill will provide the certainty needed to grow domestic production of minerals like lithium, graphite, copper, and many other minerals necessary for the advanced technologies that will ensure national security, energy security, and economic competitiveness.”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5910 ensures that all federally recognized Tribes have equal access to long-term leasing authority necessary for economic development and financing. By extending 99-year leasing authority across all of Indian Country, this bill promotes fairness, efficiency, and investment in Tribal communities.”

“For over 25 years, and working with five other Members of Congress, the Wintergreen community has fought to complete an emergency evacuation route. The town of Wintergreen has already constructed all portions of the road that are not on Federal land.”

“Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Richard Taylor ``Dick'' Schulze, a distinguished public servant, conservation advocate, and a true champion for America's outdoor legacy.”

“Mr. Speaker, again, I can't emphasize this enough: There is not going to be any mining in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. There is not going to be any mining in the boundary area around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.”

“Mr. Speaker, the letter states: ``Disapproving the withdrawal in Minnesota will undo an unnecessary and damaging action. It will also correct a course in which industries seeking to generate jobs and revenue for generations to come were simply no longer allowed to propose mining projects in the area and forbidden to go through the law and science-based environmental review process.'' Mr.”

“Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman), the ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume.”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 131, the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, facilitates the construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, or AVC, by easing the repayment requirements for project beneficiaries.”

“Mr. Speaker, I have a question: Which will it be? What is the good science? As I have mentioned before, the Obama administration, the Bush administration, the first Trump administration, the Biden administration all said the wolf has been recovered.”

“In 2022, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals revoked an approved mine plan of operations for the Rosemont Copper Mine in Arizona. The ruling, known as the Rosemont decision, limited the Forest Service's ability to approve support activities necessary for conducting mining operations on Federal land.”

“Mr. Chair, how about the last runway that was built at the Atlanta airport? It only took 11 years to build it. Actually, it only took 18 months.”

“Mr. Chair, what about the $12 billion we put in the reconciliation bill to upgrade our air traffic control system? We are not talking about just permitting energy.”

“NEPA to its original aim of intentional, sustainable economic development. The legislation fixes three major problems that, over the decades, have turned NEPA into a bureaucratic black hole.”

“Mr. Chair, I am glad my colleague across the aisle is so good at reading the mind of the Senate, but I know this legislation has bipartisan support in the House and the Senate.”

“Mr. Speaker, I, once again, thank Representative Maloy and Chairman Boozman for their leadership on the STARS Act in their respective Chambers of Congress. This is a good bill that gives every American the opportunity to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Nation's independence in the very places that conserve our history and our heritage.”

“California, inhabiting land from the Sacramento area to the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Shingle Springs Band, however, was displaced by the Gold Rush of the 1850s, prompting the Federal Government to refer to the Tribe as the ``Sacramento-Verona Band of Homeless Indians.'' In 1920, the government provided the Tribe a 160-acre parcel of land known as the Verona Tract, which serves as the Tribe's rancheria.”

“Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman for his work on this important issue and representing his district so well. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 356, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025, which is a lifeline for rural school districts that have experienced severe budget impacts since 2023 when the program was not reauthorized.”

“Mr. Speaker, I point out that, while the current administration did recently rescind the 2024 rule this month, passage of a CRA is still necessary to prevent a future administration from, again, weaponizing IAPs similar to this one that ignore congressional intent.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would submit that a recipe for disaster is when an administration goes out on their own, goes around the laws that Congress passed, and implements bad rules on their way out the door and expects no repercussions from that.”

“U.S. electricity consumption is projected to hit an all-time high this year, and electricity demand will grow by as much as 128 gigawatts through 2029. Fueled by new data centers and AI, these estimates of electricity demand are five times higher than earlier forecasts.”

“Mr. Speaker, when we talk about lawsuits, there are already lawsuits that are being created because of this bad resource management plan that the former administration put in place.”

“America's future is bright as we unleash responsible natural resources development to meet our energy and mineral leads, to create jobs, and to drive economic growth across the country.”

“Mr. Speaker, I will read from this letter to show what is really happening in Alaska. It says: ``Doyon strongly supports this joint resolution and urges Congress' and the President's swift action to reject this misguided and harmful planning decision. ``Many large tracts of lands that were conveyed to Doyon under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [ANCSA] are surrounded by, or abut, BLM-managed public lands.”

“Americans who keep our economy running. This CRA is about grid reliability, energy affordability, and ensuring that States across the country have access to dispatchable baseload power, especially during extreme weather and peak demand.”

“Mr. Speaker, all Americans should have on the top of their priority list energy security and national security. When we block off millions of acres of land from any kind of energy development, that is something that should come right up to the top of priorities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to shed light on the broken permitting process that creates roadblocks to unleashing American innovation and development while costing more taxpayer dollars with basically nothing to show for the expenses.”

“Mr. Speaker, refuges are places dedicated to conservation, public enjoyment, and environmental education. Jocelyn was a kind, compassionate young girl who loved animals and cared deeply for the natural world.”

“Mr. Speaker, again, Mr. Neguse's bill is a straightforward bill that will improve the maintenance of Bolts Ditch and the Bolts Ditch Headgate near Minturn, Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1729, and I yield back the balance of my time.”

“Mr. Speaker, Mr. Soto's bill will help leverage modern technology and mapping data to gain a better understanding of the sinkhole hazards facing the country and empower local communities to prepare for and mitigate these hazards.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1, which unleashes American energy and unlocks many of our abundant natural resources. We are incentivizing domestic production in the Gulf of America and Alaska with at least 30 lease sales in the Gulf and 6 lease sales in the Cook Inlet.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exceptional young leader from my district, Jayden Coffey, a student at Cass Job Corps in Franklin County, Arkansas, and the latest recipient of the Westerman Award--a quarterly honor given to students who demonstrate outstanding character, leadership, and service.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for yielding and for his leadership, patience, and unwavering dedication to putting this tax policy and budget reconciliation bill before us. Mr.”

“Maritime National Historical Park Redesignation and Boundary Study Act. This legislation would redesignate the Salem Maritime National Historic Site in Salem, Massachusetts, as the Salem Maritime National Historical Park.”

“I am pleased to support your request to name members of the Committee on Agriculture to any conference committee to consider such provisions. I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, on April 17, American Samoa celebrated 125 years as a territory of the United States. As we observe this historic milestone, enacting this legislation will ensure that the United States will continue its strong presence in the Pacific region.”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1829 will ensure that two rural communities in eastern Arizona have the space to lay their beloved community members to rest. I thank Congressman Crane for spearheading this critical issue on behalf of his constituents.”

“Mr. Speaker, again, H.R. 1001 would bring WAPA, the Bureau of Reclamation, and local stakeholders together to produce an action plan to address the effects of the bypass flows on the Basin Fund, as well as the impacts of diminished hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam on grid reliability.”

“Unfortunately, the implementation of this law has been bogged down by bureaucratic red tape. Despite the plain wording of the law, the Bureau of Land Management has asserted that the law does not apply to third parties, only to the right-of-way holders of record.”

“Mr. Speaker, out West, the development of an aquifer recharge program generally includes using existing irrigation canals and ditches to seep and percolate water into the aquifer. Much of this infrastructure crosses land owned by the Bureau of Land Management, requiring additional authorization for aquifer recharge activities, even when conducted on behalf of public entities.”

“Mr. Speaker, our friends across the aisle want to talk about being serious, but when we marked up this legislation in committee, here are some of the serious amendments that they put out.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentleman from California. Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the additional time. Mr. Speaker, it is because of additional water flows that are demanded by the environmental left and certain Representatives in this building.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Senate amendment. The American people gave Congress a clear mandate to lower costs, reduce burdensome regulations, and unlock American resources.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding young leader, Alex J. Wilson, a student at Cass Job Corps in Ozark, Arkansas. Alex is currently enrolled in the Heavy Equipment Operations Pre-Apprentice Trade, where he has demonstrated exceptional leadership, service, and perseverance--qualities that embody the Cass Cougar spirit.”

“Land Management attempted to regulate the practice for Federal lands and minerals, but the courts correctly threw out the effort. In the decision, the judge clearly stated: ``Congress has not delegated to the Department of the Interior the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing.”

“Madam Speaker, I think a lot of the general public doesn't realize that natural gas goes into a lot more than just producing energy but it is, in essence, the main ingredient in agriculture, and it is the main ingredient that can help lower our food prices as most fertilizer is made from natural gas.”

“Mr. Speaker, I applaud Representative Crane for his leadership in this effort. Representative Crane honorably and bravely served our Nation, and now, he is providing exemplary service to his constituents by championing this legislation.”

“Last month, wildfires in southern California took the lives of at least 29 people and changed thousands of lives forever. These fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures and racked up untold fire suppression costs and economic damages.”

“Madam Speaker, I commend Representative Harder for his bipartisan work and his hard work to bring this important bill to the floor. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time.”

“Madam Speaker, H.R. 776 would reauthorize a program that has proven very effective in protecting our country's vital wetlands and marshes from destructive invasive species. While great work has been accomplished in controlling these invasive pests, or swamp rats, as my colleague called them, continuing the nutria eradication program is crucial to ensuring our native species of plants and animals can recover.”

“Madam Speaker, again, this legislation would amend ANCSA to return the land in question to impacted Alaska Native Village Corporations and eliminate the unnecessary land conveyance requirement in the statute.”

“Madam Speaker, again, this legislation would ensure that amounts distributed or benefits provided from Alaska Native corporation settlement trusts to Alaska Natives who are blind, disabled, or elders aged 65 and older, or their descendants, are excluded when determining eligibility for means-tested Federal benefits.”

“Madam Speaker, H.R. 835 ensures that the hallowed grounds on which the 9/11 Memorial & Museum are located remain a place of remembrance and honor for families, first responders, and Americans from across our great Nation.”

“Mr. Chair, if throwing money at a problem would fix it, then we wouldn't be having fires today. Over the past few years, our Federal land managers have been showered with $12 billion to battle wildland fires and to make our forests more resilient.”

“Mr. Chair, as a forester, I can say that the only clear-cuts that are happening on Federal lands right now are wildfires. That is nature's way of clear-cutting.”

“Mr. Chairman, I am happy to report that Republicans have an appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior that has firefighter pay increases in that appropriations bill, and I hope that we can all work to pass that as we move forward.”

“Mr. Chair, I had the opportunity just last October to visit Orange County and to fly over the Airport fire with Representative Kim and also to attend the local townhall meeting where I saw residents who were traumatized by these fires, but also residents who had concerns because they either couldn't find homeowners insurance to buy or they couldn't afford it if they could find it.”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of Representative Perry's amendment, which would remove certain references from section 301 of the bill. I wholeheartedly support section 301 of the bill, which provides an opportunity to have a new market for this overgrown material that needs to come off of the land and into biochar.”

“Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Representative Carbajal, which would enable the Forest Service to approve the removal of hazardous trees near power lines on Federal land without being required to do a formal timber sale.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am joined today by the Arkansas delegation, Messrs. Womack, Crawford, and Hill. We rise in honor of the life and legacy of Beryl Franklin Anthony, Jr., who passed away on Saturday, January 11.”

“Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, January 15, 2025. Hon. Glenn ``GT'' Thompson, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: I write regarding our mutual understanding of H.R. 375, the ``Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act.'' I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture and appreciate your willingness to forgo further consideration of the bill.”

“Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6511). (e) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act, and the activities authorized by this Act are subject to the availability of appropriations made in advance for such purposes.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank my friends across the aisle, Mr. Huffman and the minority, for supporting forestry bills both small and large. This is, I think, a small step in the right direction, and it shouldn't cost any more to report accurate data than to report inaccurate data.”

“Mr. Speaker, as we continue to pray for communities across the Nation that have been impacted by wildfire, we do need to put feet to our prayers to ensure that our forests are being properly managed.”

“Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 197, the Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2025, led by Representative Stauber. This commonsense legislation authorizes the U.S.”

“Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Minnesota has invited me to Minnesota to fish before. It is a lovely time of year to fish in Minnesota if you like fishing through a little hole in the ice, but I am sure it would be great on Lake Winnie.”

“In my home State of Arkansas, our State capital also has a memorial dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. I hope the monument in D.C., like the one in Arkansas, can inspire reflection, patriotism, and gratitude for our Nation's military heroes.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his hard work on this legislation. I thank the gentleman from California and the minority for supporting it, as well. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”