proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote of yes or no are ordered or votes objected to under clause 6 of rule 20. the house will resume proceedings on postponed questions at a later time. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek

recognition? >> madam speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6011 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 346, h.r. 6011, a bill to direct the secretary of the interior and the secretary of agriculture to notify applicants of the completion status of right of way applications under section 501 of the federal land policy and management act of 1976 and section 28 of the mineral leasing act. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from wyoming, ms. hagman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, ms. leger fernandez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: -- ms. hagman: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and

include extraneous material on h.r. 6011 as amended the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. hageman: i rise today in support of h.r. 6011, the right of way application transparency and accountability act. h.r. 6011, introduced by congressman valadao, would expedite rights of way applications on federal lands for energy projects by requiring agencies to notify applicants within 90 days if the right of way application is complete or deficient. the department of the interior and the u.s. forest service would both be required to meet this deadline and specify the information needed for applicants that are deemed deficient. the federal land policy management act, or fplma, authorizes the secretary of

interior and secretary of agriculture to grant rights of way for acts that cause land disturbance and also for oil, natural gas and others over federal lands. while both include application requirements, neither includes timelines for responding to applicants to tell them if their applications are complete or deficient. the lack of timeline has created a bottleneck in the permitting process for energy prompts that need a right of way to proceed which is why this bill is needed. during the hearing on this bill the american clean power association testified in forth of it -- in support of it and testified that this is overly burdensome and actively curtails investment. specifically their testimony stated that, quote, delays are largely due to procedural inefficiencies in processing

permits and have ripple effects throughout the economy. throwing off project timelines, domestic supply chains and the indirect jobs and economic activity that would otherwise occur. without further permitting reform the united states may not be able to meet our growing energy demand, end quote. aalso noted the current average timeline for a project to obtain a right of way is over five years mainly due to delays between filing and applications and beginning the environmental review process. that lag time and unnecessary delay are exactly what h.r. 6011 addresses. this bill will also help expedite the possess for oil and gas gathering lines on federal lands which will help increase production while reducing emissions. while this commonsense legislation is not a panacea for permitting on federal lands, it does provide a meaningful step forward by allowing complete applications for energy projects to move forward and provide

certainty to those with incomplete applications so they can fix and resubmit those applications. i urge my colleagues to join me in support of h.r. 6011 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: thank you, madam speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. i rise in support of h.r. 6011, the right of way applications transparency and accountability act. there is a rapidly growing demand for renewable energy across the country and our federal public lands have significant potential to support that growth. in fact, we are well on our way to developing 25gigawatts of energy on public lands by 2025, the goal set in the energy act of 2020. right now the bureau of land management is processing 74

utility scale on shore clean energy projects including solar, wind, geothermal, all of which are vital to the clean energy transition. for solar, wind and transmission to use our public lands, however, these renewable projects are required to secure a right of way. any time a project will use or disturb public lands. also, the bipartisan infrastructure law and the inflation reduction act have tremendous amount of potential on our public lands as well as on tribal lands. however, for example, when a tribal such as the navajo nation in my district needs to repair a bridge, they must also secure right of way. this can be an incredibly cumbersome process, especially when dealing with a checkerboard pattern of many tribal areas that intersect with b.l.m. land, and land held in trust. this legislation would, however, require that the secretary of the interior with regard to

bureau land and the secretary of agriculture with regard to national forest system lands notify an applicant within 90 days of applying as to whether their application is complete or if it is not to specify what information is missing. i am grateful to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with committee democrats on compromise language to create these timelines while ensuring that they are workable for applicants and for our federal agencies. the clear requirement set out in this legislation will support the efficient and responsible deemployment of clean energy on public lands. they will allow us to build those bridges, highways, and so much more that we authorized in the bipartisan infrastructure law. i look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on commonsense reforms to enhance clean energy deployment on public lands. i urge support for this bill and i reserve my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized again. ms. hageman: madam speaker, i yield two minutes to the jell from california, mr. valadao. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. valadao: madam speaker, i rise today to urge my colleagues to support my bill, the right of way application transparency accountability act. the bill makes a commonsense reform to our broken federal permitting process. right now there's no required timeline for federal agencies to respond to right of way applications of projects on federal lands. that means hundreds of these applications are just stuck in permitting purgatory instead of moving forward. the time spent waiting for answers on these applications is significant and preventable bottleneck this. waste of time is hindering domestic energy production, rural development, new roads and so much more. my bill would fix this by requiring federal agencies to notify right of way applicants in their application, if their

application is complete within 90 days of receiving it. notifying applicants of their status of their application in a timely matter is a basic step that will the -- make the process more transparent we cannot allow permitting red tape to kill these infrastructure projects. we must better use our domestic resources, expand rural broadband, build roads and create more jobs here at home. i, my colleagues to support this commonsense bill and thank the chair wem for their help and i yield pack. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i have no further requests for time and i am prepared to close. i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. ms. leger fernandez: i am also prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. hier fernandez: madam speaker, we rise in support --

ms. leger fernandez: madam speaker, we rise in support of this bill. we recognize the work mr. valadao has done on this bill, i appreciate that he pointed out that this bill will help with job creation. the bipartisan infrastructure bill and others that we passed in the 117th congress brought resource into our communities to build what we need for america's future. repairing the roads that cross our rural areas that so essential for districts and states like montana and new mexico and across the west. so i am very appreciative of this bill and i urge support for the legislation and with that, madam speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: i would like to commend my colleague from california, mr. valadao, for working across the aisle on this bipartisan, all of the above energy bill. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 6011 and yield back the

balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6011. as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative -- >> madam speaker. i object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and make a point of order that a quorum is not present. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. . the speaker pro tempore: for

what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: i move to suspend the rules and pass h.r. 4389 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the. the clerk: union calendar h.r. 4389, a bill to amend the migratory birds enhancement act to make improvements to the act and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rules, ms. hageman and ms. leger fernandez each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: i ask all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 4389 as amended, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hageman: i rise in support of h.r. 4389, sponsored by

congresswoman salazar. this bill re-authorizes the migratory birds conservation act which includes a grant program and research efforts designed to preserve nearly 400 species of birds that migrate between north america in the summer months and latin america and the caribbean in the winter months. protecting the habitat of these species is not only a good conservation policy but also good for economic activity. a u.s. fish and wildlife study found roughly 96 million people participated in bird watching activities, including maintaining habitat to benefit bird species, including individuals who participated in activities in their local communities and those who travel to do so. encouraging habitat conservation efforts such as those re-authorized by this bill is a win for the environment, recreational activity, and local economies. i thank my colleague from florida, ms. salazar, for her leadership on this important

issue. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today also in support of h.r. 4389, the migratory birds of the americas conservation enhancements act which would help protect migratory birds. more than half of our nation's birds travel thousands of miles to spend winters south of the tropics but habitat construction led to the loss of more than one in four of these birds since 1970. imagine a 1/4 of these 1/3 have been lost. but this bipartisan bill would protect habitats along these migratory routes by re-authorizing the new tropical migratory bird conservation program. this program has already benefited five million acres of

migratory bird habitat in over 40 countries. and this bill will provide additional federal support for these efforts. this funding will facilitate multinational partnerships and conservation projects in habitat conservation, research, monitoring, and community outreach, and education. the bill will also address stakeholders' concerns and program inequities by easing matching requirements enabling more high-quality projects to compete for grants. these efforts will provide long-term protection for beloved bird species and the habitats they rely on. our world is facing a biodiversity issues in ways we don't understand. i'm glad we're working across the aisle in a bipartisan manner to address a very important part of that serious challenge. we all want to be able to continue to listen to the bird's

song and look up and marvel at the fact that these birds have traveled so far and are so essential to our entire habitat. and for that, i am very grateful for this bill. i urge my colleagues to support the bill, and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new mexico reserves. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from florida, ms. salazar. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for three minutes. ms. salazar: thank you. i rise to urge passage of h.r. 4389, the migratory birds of the americas conservation enhancements act of 2023. bird populations have declined over three million since 1970, and the iconic birds that we know and love must be actively protected. birds like the baltimore orioles, the wood stork, great blue heron, and snowy egret.

they're not just beautiful to look at, they're vital to our environment and our economy. many of the migratory birds we see at home spend their winter months in latin america and the caribbean but are threatened by habitat loss along their journey back and forth. federal efforts like h.r. 4389 are key to conserving these species. my bill re-authorizes and improves the neotropical migratory bird conservation grant program. this government program provides competitive grants for them to find refuge along the way and thankfully they're matched 2-1 by private sector investments. and the good news is they pay major dividends. over the last two decades, almost $90 million invested by the united states in bird conservation produced almost

$350 million from other countries who were partners in the western hemisphere. since 2002, this program has supported 700 projects across dozens of latin american countries, benefiting more than five million acres of habitat. protecting these beautiful birds is also highly important for miami. the everglades serve as a habitat for birds migrating and is one of the top bird watching spots in the country including for ibis, egrets, and herons. more than 96 million people in this country participated in bird watching since 1992 generating $100 billion in economic benefits for the country. if we protect the migratory birds, we're protecting the

everglades and the ecosystem, and if we protect the ecosystem, we're bolstering our economy. it's a clear bipartisan win for everybody. so i would like to thank chairman bruce westerman. i would like to thank congressman rick larsen, congressman dave joyce, and congresswoman mary peltola for supporting this bill. as a strong protector of the everglades, i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 4389. i yield back the balance of my five. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. ms. hageman: i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i want to commend the sponsor of the bill. as she noted, this bill is

supported on a bipartisan basis by some of the most illustrious colleagues. i remember this bill was introduced last year and what has been done on this bill is commendable. i'd like to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from washington, mr. larson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. larson: i rise in support of h.r. 4389, the migratory birds of the americas conservation enhancement act. for more than two decades the neotropical migratory bird conservation act has been a essential tool to protect bird habitat in the pacific northwest and the pacific hemisphere. more than $89 million in grants has been awarded to 700 projects in the u.s., canada, central and south america and the caribbean, protecting more than five million acres of bird habitat. the law has been a critical tool in the fight to reverse the

underward trend in bird population the last 50 years which can be attributed to challenges like pesticide use, deforestation and the lack of environmental protection abroad. this bipartisan bill re-authorizes the only federal grant initiative for migratory bills through fiscal year 2028. it gives smaller organizations greater access to grants by lowering the cost share recipients for 3-1 to 2-1. meaning every $2 someone would contribute the government will match with $1. it's good for organizations in washington state's environment. more than 350 migratory bird species rely on the pacific northwest as their fly away, including the western taninger, the swallow, the thrush, the hummingbird, the western sandpiper and the osprey. all of which but one i had opportunities to take photos of.

these migratory birds policy nate plants and control pests and add to the diversity of ecosystems and attract millions of birders to spencer island, deception pass, and the san juan islandses, just to name a few in my district. i had an opportunity to meet with birders and go birding with them, as well as meet with them such as from the audubon and woodby from my district and they provide to the economies and are ambassadors to the great outdoors and sponsor the snow goose birding festival every year in stanwood, washington, where thousand comes from all over the country to go birding. but success is many parents. i want to thank representative salazar for leading the charge to reintroduce this bill as well as representatives mary peltola

and david joyce for leading the bill and want to thank the national audubon society, the american bird council and the aforementioned local organizations. i want to thank the taxpayers for the critical funding needed to protect migratory birds. i urge my colleagues to support this bill to keep bipartisan momentum to protect migratory birds and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: as noticed, this bill is bipartisan and brings such joy as well as economy and economic vibrancy to our communities and listening to the list of the birds that benefit from this bill, i can't help but think of the amazing hummingbirds that fly around and policy nate -- pollinate our flowers and bring smiles and joy

to all of our lives and small gardens. with that, mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and i yield back the balance of my five. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new mexico yields back. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: many of us in this chamber come from communities where being outdoors is part of our way of life, and communities with vibrant ecosystems, particularly in places that serve as a home for migratory species. we know habitat conservation is critical to their long-term health. h.r. 4389 will help further conservation efforts by providing resources to those dedicated to advancing habitat restoration efforts and encouraging collaborative research efforts. i want to thank ms. salazar once again for her leadership in re-authorizing this program, and i ask my colleagues to support this effort. i urge adoption of this legislation, and yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the

bill h.r. 4389 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1246. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar 348, h.r. 1246, a bill to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized indian tribes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentlewoman from wyoming, ms. hageman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, ms. leger fernandez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i ask

unanimous consent all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks, and to include extraneous material on h.r. 1246, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, my bill, h.r. 1246 would amend the long term leasing act to recognize any federally recognized indian tribe for the tribe's benefit up to 99 years subject to the approval of the secretary of interior. in 1955, congress passed the long-term leasing act which authorized the tribal owners to lease any lands held in trust for the benefit of the tribes for nongrazing purposes subject to the approval of the secretary of the interior for only up to 25 years. . any nongrazing could be renewed

up to another 25 greers a total of 50 years. the amount of time a tribe can lease their land can have effects on their ability to negotiate long-term leases and a tribe's economic development tuns. congress has amended the long-term leasing act more than 50 times to adjust the terms and conditions of leases of tribal lands and authorize specific tribes or tribal lands to lease for a term of up to 99 years, subject to the approval of the secretary of interior. this legislation would put a stop to tribes having to rely on congress to pass specific legislation so that they can enter into long-term lease, should they choose to do so. h.r. 1246 would proactively extend long-term leasing authority to all federally recognized tribes while providing a more expedited path forward for economic development. this is commonsense legislation that will benefit tribes long into the future. i encourage adoption of the

legislation and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hier fernandez: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm pleased to be a co-sponsor of h.r. 1246 to authorize tribes to enter leases of land for up to 99 years. as noted currently they're generally limited to lease agreement terms of no more than 25 years with an option to review for an additional 25 years. this has led so many tribes to enter into very complex leasing agreements, like 25 plus 25, when all of that puts a constraint on the economic development opportunities that tribes must be taking advantage of and that they want to take advantage of. as you can imagine, these limits are challenging, and they are not needed. for that reason, though

historically congress has passed noncontroversial bill to allow certain tribes that come before them to have longer leases under the act. we've done this in a piecemeal fashion. in fact, as voted, since the passage of the long-term leasing act in 1955, some additional 60 tribes have been added to the growing list of exemptions to the act. last congress we authorized long-term leasing authority for the seminole tribe and on the floor of the house, i called for legislation to make this applicable to all tribes so we didn't have to do it one at a time. i am pleased today that under the leadership of chair hageman we are moving to make that a reality. today's bill would strengthen tribal sovereignty by allowing all federally recognized tribes to enter into lease agreements for periods up to 99 year, providing tribes the ability to pursue economic development activities for the benefit of their community that was been typically limited under the long-term leasing act.

i urge support the bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i have -- i have no further requests for time and continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i have no further speakers on the bill and i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and in this manner to support tribal sovereignty, to support once again bipartisan legislation which we often see coming out of subcommittee for indian and insular affairs. this is the way that we need to look and encourage to have work coming out of our committees in a bipartisan fashion that increases tribal sovereignty, that leads us to honor our trust responsibility to our tribes and with that, mr. speaker, i urge all my colleagues to support

this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, my legislation would promote economic development for tribes by ensuring they are on the same playing field as other landowners who can enter into long-term leases on their land. this slayings proactive step to support tribes and their ability to create and pursue economic opportunity. as the chairman of the indian and insular affairs subcommittee, i am and will continue to advocate for commonsense solutions for our indian tribes. i urge adoption of this bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1246. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6443. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 364, h.r. 6443. a bill to take certain land in the state of california into trust for the benefit of the jamul indian village and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule the gentlewoman from wyoming, ms. hageman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, ms. leger fernandez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 6443, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentlelady is recognized. ms. hageman: h.r. 6443, the jamul indian village land transfer act, would place 172.1 acres of land on a fee simple by the jamul indian village into trust of the united states for the benefit of the tribe. the jamul indian village is located in san diego county. they are part of the group known as the mission indians. while the tribe's history dates back 12,000 years it only received federal recognition in 1981. the tribe's reservation consists of approximately 0.64 acres but the tribe has continued to restore its land base. unfortunately, bureaucratic inefficients -- inefficiency has delayed the process. the tribe has submitted fee to truth submissions including one submitted in august, 2015, that the department of interior has not yet finalized.

this legislation would end that bureaucratic delay and place these parcel into trust. the legislation also would prohibit any class two or class three three gaming pursuant to the indian gaming regulatory act from occurring on the parcels to be placed into trust. i want to thank the gentleman from california, mr. issa, for his work on this bill and i encourage the adoption of the legislation. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i rise also in support of h.r. 6443, the jamul indian village land transfer act. the bill would take approximately 172 acres of land located in san diego county, california, and owned in fee by the jamul indian village of california into trust for the benefit of the tribe. the land in question contain fours parcel which is include tribal house, council buildings,

historic church and an ancestral cemetery. each of these parcels is already within the tribe's ancestral territory and is located near the tribe's existing reservation. i again want to acknowledge that land is a very essence of tribal sovereignty, cultural survival and economic prosperity and future. and that's why these land and trust transfers are so very important and that as congress we should respond to them when they come before us and use them as another -- as another element of how we honor our trust responsibility to tribes. and for that, i thank representative issa for bringing this legislation forward. once the 172 acres has been placed into trust, the tribe will be able to increase tribal housing, preserve and protect cultural sites, and better provide essential governmental operations including health care services, administrative office,

law enforcement and other community resources such as a grocery store and educational services. the bill honors the connection of the tribe to its ancestral land and is a win for their self-determination. i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i yield five minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. isasm the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. issa: thank you. i want to thank the chair, the ranking member, for bringing this bill here today. mr. speaker, as californians, our relation -- our relationship with our tribes and bands is different than many other places in the united states. the indians including the jamul tribe were landless for decade after decade after decade. in fact if not for the

generosity of one land oner who allowed some of the jamul indians to get the six acres that they originally placed in trust, they might still be landless. those six acres were all they had to live on and it wasn't enough for the various members. because unlike some immigrants, native americans lived here for thousands of years and in those 13,000 years they built a bond that could not be broken by the spaniards, could not be broken america, as we annexed california. in fact, as a landless tribe, they continued to practice mare language -- practice their language and traditions even though they had to do so on whatever land they could find, usually not their own. since the 1980's, the jamul band of indians has in fact clung to

those six acres and amassed an ability to find additional plots of land. it is ironic that the piece of land we're considering today, one of them is in fact where they are buried for more than 100 years. where they practice their western faith taught to them by the spaniards there on their land. the other piece contains a farm house, a farm house where those jamul indians came to work in the fields of another man for decades. they have had the opportunity to buy that land now. many will say, but is there a conflict? is there a reason for the department of interior to take so long? i can tell you that there is no conflict about taking a cemetery where your dead are buried or at least there shouldn't be and the other piece of land was entitled by the county of san diego to have more than twice as

many homes on it as there are jamul indians. in fact, their intention is to preserve that farmhouse for all generations so they can understand what life was like in san diego county 100 years ago and so that their tribal members will continue to celebrate those who treated them well when they had no land and had no money. so today, hopefully, we will put land in trust, but we will also celebrate the resilience of the native americans of california who stayed on -- in the land of their birth even though hay had their land taken from them for more than 600 years with that, i thank the gentlelady and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico.

ms. leger fernandez: i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: as noted, this is a worthwhile bill for taking this land into trust. i urge my colleagues to support the legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, this legislation would take approximately 172.1 acres of land owned in fee simple by the jamul indian village into trust by the united states for the benefit of this tribe. i thank mr. issa for his work on this legislation to benefit his constituents. and i urge the adoption of this bill. with that, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6443. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is

passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill s.382. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: senate 382, an act to take certain land in the state of washington into trust for the benefit of the puyallup tribe of the puyallup reservation and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentlewoman from wyoming, ms. hageman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, ms. leger fernandez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on s.382, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i

yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, s.382, the puyallup tribe of indians land into the trust confirmation act will place 17 acres of land in pierce county, washington, into trust for the tribe. the land in question is owned by the tribe in fee simple and the tribe plans to use the land to benefit the tribe and surrounding area p. the parcels contain environmental contamination which complicates the process through which the environmental affairs would take land. the b.i.a. would require full land remediation before the process begins. this would be cost prohibative for the tribe and unnecessary given the tribe's intended use of the land as a shipping terminal and transportation facility. additional s.382 makes clear the

united states is not liable for any environmental contamination on the land and includes a prohibition on gaming pursuant to the indian gaming regulatory act. and with that, i would reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of s.382, the puyallup tribe of indians land into trust confirmation act of 2023 introduced by senator cantwell and led in the house by my incredibly brilliant colleague from washington, representative kilmer. we know land is at the very essence of tribal sovereignty, cultural survival and economic sovereignty, which is why taking land through trust for the tribes either through b.i.a. or the government is essential if we honor our commitment to this

verse, by only a few acres at the time, some of the worst federal policies from the 19th and 20th centuries. this bill would authorize the united states to take approximate 17.2 acres of land located in pierce county washington and owned by the puyallup tribe into trust for the benefit of the tribe. typically land is taken into trust in the bureau of administrative affairs administrative process. however, it's not uncommon for tribes to take a legislative role depending on their circumstances. in the case of the puyallup tribe, the tribe identified legacy contamination from historical industrial sites when undergoing environmental site assessments. when placing land into trust, the federal government does not take liability for environmental contamination that could have occurred prior to the transfer, as that is the case here. the b.i.a. is unable to take the land into trust administratively and congressional action through

legislation is the most viable option for the tribe in this case. this legislation would move the tribe's land into trust process forward and ultimately expand job and economic development opportunities by adding these lands in the port area, the tribe will be able to develop a 21st century shipping terminal that will help address the backlog facing our nation's ports. placing this land into trust will make this land the first international tribal trade center in modern times. and i say "in modern times" because we know there was much trade that was going on before european contact. the puyallup tribe is signatore of the treaty of medicine creek in 1854 which dedicated it00,000 acres as permanent homeland for their people. however, the ink had barely dried on the treaty before efforts to take the tribe's land began through the acts of

congress. illegal sales of reservation land and outright theft. given so much historical and cultural loss, it's appropriate to grant the restoration of these lands to the tribe. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on the bill, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield as much time as the representative from washington, representative kilmer, may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. kilmer: i thank you, mr. speaker, and the gentlelady for yielding. today i rise in strong support of the puyallup tribe of indians land into trust act. it is a piece of legislation that represents not only an act of justice but a step towards economic revitalization and sustainable development in our

region. this bill introduced by myself alongside my colleagues, senator maria cantwell and patty murray and representative strickland seeks to transfer over 12 acres into federal trust. this action is not merely administrative but a restoration of the tribe's ancestoral homeland, a place that holds a deep cultural and spiritual significance for the puyallup people. after the puyallup lands after redistricting fall within the region, i'm aware of the profound impact this legislation can have. indeed, it's not just about land but enabling the puyallup tribe to further diversify and expand economic opportunities to spur job creation at the port of tacoma and along the tacoma waterfront, a vision of prosperity that benefits not only the tribe but the entire south puget sound region. after introducing this bill i realized it would restore the homelands, ensuring the tribe

could grow economic opportunities and create jobs across our region and i stand by those words today, committed to ensuring the federal government upholds its trust and treaty obligations. last year, i attended the state of the union address with the puyallup chairman as my guest. he joined the tribal council in 1978 and served as chairman and vice chairman several times since his first election. the chairman is a proud father and grandfather and university of washington husky who frequently gives welcomes to the incoming students at the university commencement and someone who cares deeply for his people and those that live in the surrounding community. in his own words, he believes the land into trust act will help the tribe diversify its economy and bring critical infrastructure and business to the tribe's port development and the entire region. in other words, this is a game changer for the puyallup tribe. our federal government has a solemn duty to ensure the tribal communities are afforded the same opportunities that have spurred growth and opportunities

across other land in our nation. by putting this land into trust congress can help unlock a host of federal services that can catalyze significant development and infrastructure investments for the tribe and surrounding communities. in washington state this garnered support from the tribe and from pierce county and from the washington governor and the team at the pore of tacoma. this broad base of community support ensures the benefits anticipated from this action, benefits that will expand beyond the land in question, fostering a more vibrant and healthy puget sound region. in conclusion, i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the puyallup tribe of the indians land and trust act and thank the gentlelady from the other side of the aisle for her support of it and let us take this step together as a forward-looking investment in the economic vitality and cultural richness of the pacific northwest, and moving forward, congress can honor its commitments to native nations,

respect our shared history, and work hand in hand with tribes like the puyallup to build a future of prosperity and partnership. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i will reserve and i have no further requests for time and i'm prepared to close. ms. hageman: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i thank representative kilmer and senator cantwell for bringing this legislation forward. but i also want to thank the people of the puyallup tribe because what they're doing is not only beneficial for the tribe but noted for the entire region. i think we'll see this over and over again in the bills we are hearing today and that we will hear into the future with regards to taking land in the trust. it benefits not just the tribe and the local economy but those

who live around the tribe, and in this instance, because of the part will benefit the entire nation. we're grateful for the work they've done in terms of pursuing this land into trust application, and with that i urge my colleagues to support the bill, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new mexico yields back. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: this legislation would take approximate 17 acres of fee land in pierce county, washington, into trust for the benefit of the puyallup tribe to support the development of a 21st century shipping and transportation facility. i thank the sponsors of this legislation for their work on behalf of their constituents. i support this bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass senate bill 382. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no.

in the opinion of the chair -- ms. hageman: i object to the vote on the grounds a quorum is not present. the speaker pro tempore: in the opinion of the chair -- for what purpose does the gentlelady from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: i object to the vote on the grounds a quorum is not present and make a point of order a quorum is not present. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on the motion will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1792 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 354, h.r. 1792, a bill to amend the south pacific tuna act of 1988 and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentlewoman

from wyoming, ms. hageman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: i ask all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 1792 as amended, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1792, the south pacific tuna treaty act of 2023 sponsored by mrs. radewagen of american samoa and this legislation would make critical updates to the south pacific tuna treaty according to amendments agreed to by the united states and the 16 pacific island parties in 2016 and ratified by the senate in 2022. the amendments will provide the

united states fishing vessels with greater clarity about the areas they can access in the party's exclusive economic zones. this relationship gives the united states access to an abundant fishing resource while strengthening our presence in the region. despite the importance of this treaty, the recent amendments are not self-executing. this has led to conflict between our domestic regulatory regime and the treaty structure. making the necessary changes in statute to allow the united states and its regulatory agencies to fully implement the treaty amendments will ensure that they are carried out effectively. i thank my colleague, ms. raid waggen for her lead egg -- ms. radewagen for her leadership and with that i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized.

ms. leger fernandez: the south pacific tuna treaty act of 2023 will ensure the effective management of tuna, the fisheries, and conservation of marine resources in the south pacific, benefiting american fisheries in the south pacific and contributing to the stability of the region, specifically this legislation would implement the south pacific tuna treaty, a multilateral treaty between the united states government and the pacific island states. this treaty authorizes the small u.s. vessel fleet to fish in specific zones of the exclusive island countries that are party to the treaty. these parties are australia, the cook islands, the federated states of micronesia, fiji, the marco islands, new zealand, new guinea, the independent state of samoa, solomon islands and others. the south pacific tuna treaty was entered into in 1988 and extended in 1993 and then again

in 2002. most recently the parties began to renegotiate the treaty starting in 2009. the treaty has been vital for almost three decades, fostering a mutually beneficial strategic and economic relationship between the united states and the pacific island countries. the treaty provides access to lucrative tuna fishing grounds and facilitates cooperation on various issues. h.r. 1792 proposes adjustments to the south pacific tuna act of 1988 to implement the amended treaty mainly providing more flexibility for u.s. vessels and the pacific island countries to negotiate access levels while ensuring a stable operating environment. environment. in will allow noaa to efficiently implement annual access and fee agreements and new operational requirements, thereby allowing the united states and its vessels operating

under the treaty to better utilize its benefits. i too want to thank the gentlewoman for leading on this issue and understanding the needs we see in the blue continent and understanding the needs of the nations, the freely associated states and our territories in pursuing this kind of legislation. i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlelady from wyoming is recognized. he. ms. hageman: i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from american samoa. mrs. radewagen: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of the south pacific tuna treaty act, which i introduced along with my original co-sponsor. as representatives of the beautiful islands of american samoa in the south pacific, a marine economy which depends on a fishing economy like hawaii, i

applaud our ocean subcommittee chair, cliff bentz of oregon, and ranking member jarod huffman of california, for their bipartisan support implementing this treaty with my friends and neighbors in the south pacific. this bill implements into statute the most recent changes to the south pacific tuna treaty that was negotiated between noaa and other signatory countries to the treaty. these changes are important to support the american fishing fleet in the south pacific where many boats call the port in american samoa home. these changes improve the operation, condition and flexibility for the fleet which is america's last true distant water fishing fleet. the 1987 treaty enables american tuna pursuing vessels to fish in the exclusive economic zones of 16 pacific island nations and is key to the ongoing operations of america's south pacific tuna fleet, including the 11 based in american samoa. in 2016 the treaty signatories

agreed to several amendments to the treaty, however those changes have not been yet reflected in u.s. law, leaving south pacific tuna fishermen in a state of uncertainty for years. h.r. 1792 will fix these issues. i also want to thank u.s. deputy assistant secretary for international fisheries, and american tuna boat association executive director who testified in support of the bill at last july's hearing. finally, i thank chairman westerman, ranking member grijalva, who guided the natural resources committee to unanimously approving h.r. 1792 at last october's markup. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: mr. speaker, i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. and i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i also am ready to

close. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation so that we can continue to protect our fishing fleet, protect the waters and, importantly, protect the tuna that provide such economic vitality to those fishermen and those countries -- in those countries which rely on their ability to both capture the tuna and all of those restaurants and households who really want to make sure that we continue to have tuna that is caught in an environmentally and sound way and with that, mr. speaker, i urge support of the legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, when president ronald reagan signed the initial legislation of this treaty, he spoke about the

partnership between the united states and the south ma civic -- pa sifnlgt he stated that the -- pacific. he stated that the legislation would, quote, reinforce the bonds of friendship and bonds that unite our peoples, end quote. the bill we're considering today furthers that effort. by updating the south pacific tuna treaty in accordance with the 2016 amendments, we begin the next chapter of the partnership between the united states and the south pacific. strengthening these relationships could not be more important at a time when the united states' leadership is needed in this region to counter the growing ma lynn fruns of the chinese -- ma lynn influence of the chai -- malign influence of the chinese communist party. i urge adoption of the legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 1792, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is

passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 3250. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: house calendar number 68. h.r. 3250. a bill to recognize the margaret woodberry strong museum in rochester, new york. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from wyoming and the gentlewoman from new mexico will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 32 50rbgs the bill now under -- 3250, the bill now under

consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 3250, the national museum of play recognition act, which recognizes the margaret woodbury strong museum in rochester, new york, as the national museum of play. this bipartisan bill, led by representatives morelle and langworthy, provides federal recognition without adding to the federal estate or burdening taxpayers. inspired by her parents' passion for traveling, margaret woodbury amassd more than 27 -- amassed more than 27,000 dolls from around the world. after her passing, she left a large portion of her financial resources for a museum which opened in downtown rochester in 1982. today the museum spans over 100,000 square feet, serving as a reminder of the importance of play to visitors from around the country. as our country evaluates the

implications of technology in our children's lives, this bill recognizes how play can be utilized to encourage learning, creativity and discovery in child development. this bill recognizes the margaret woodbury strong museum which draws over half a million visitors annually, in no small part due to its unique, important purpose. i urge adoption of this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: thank you, mr. speaker. with much delight and joy in my heart, i rise in support of h.r. 3250, the national museum of play recognition act. introduced by my esteemed colleague and very playful, i might say, colleague from new york, representative joe morelle. this legislation would designate the margaret woodbury strong museum in rochester, new york,

as the national museum of play. the strong museum is a unique institution dedicated to the exploration of how play serves to promote learning, creativity, discovery and cultural history. who among us has not been in kindergarten or head start or preschool, either as a child or as a parent of the child, and recognized the importance of play in the growth of our children? indeed, i was recently reading a book this weekend that pointed out the importance of play and how we tap into the divinity and the creativity in each of us. and that is why this museum, which was established in 1969, initially housing the personal collections of the rochester local margaret woodbury strong, is so important. as one of the lar largest museun the country, the strong museum displays the most comprehensive

collection of historical materials related to play and provides families with interactive exhibits and programs. this institution hosts the national toy hall of fame and the world video game hall of fame and publishes the peer- reviewed american journal of play. this bill recognizes and honors the distinct and special role that the strong museum contributes to our national story. i want to thank representative morelle for his leadership in this effort and the representatives of the strong museum for their advocacy. this is a straightforward, bipartisan and commonsense effort to honor and recognize the contributions of a unique and dynamic institution. i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close. i continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves.

the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from new york, the sponsor of the bill, the both very serious but also very playful representative morelle. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. morelle: thank you. first of all, thank you to my good friend, the gentlelady from new mexico, who is also playful but serious, and i want to thank the gentlelady from wyoming for her support of the bill. i rise, mr. speaker, today to voice my strong support for h.r. 3250, the national museum of play recognition act. this bipartisan bill will designate the margaret woodbury strong museum in rochester, new york, where i'm grateful and privileged to represent, as the national museum of play. as has been described by my colleagues, the museum was founded by margaret woodbury strong in 1968. it is the only museum of its kind that exists for the exclusive purpose of exploring the ways in which play encourages learning, creativity

and discovery and how it illuminates cultural history. children in the hopes of each and every community across this country, we must continue to inspire future generations to learn, grow and innovate and we know the best way to do that is through play. in 2023 the strong museum completed its most recent 90,000 square foot expansion of new exhibit space, bringing the museum total square footage to 282,000 square feet of areas of play and, as has been described, the museum also features the toy hall of fame. each year the hall of fame selects inductees like the fischer price corn popper, the american girl doll, the board game, monopoly, the atari2600 game system, slinky, and last year's new inductee, cabbage patch kidses. i'm so -- kids. i'm so proud to have this in my district. and i want to extend an invitation to all of my

colleagues to come to rochester and spend time at the national museum of play. i would also like to thank representative langworthy for his partnership with this legislation, as well as chairman westerman, ranking member grijalva, and the house committee on natural resources for advancing the bill on a bipartisan and unanimous basis. i thank my colleagues and urge them to support h.r. 3250. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i reserve but i will note that we have no further requests for time and are prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman is recognized. haling hague reserve -- ms. hageman: reserve. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, as noted above, this bill is quite worthy of our support. while we have been sort of talking about it with a smile in our hearts, we must recognize that it's incredibly important and we must be thankful to those who have compiled this collection. because it is so essential for

us to understand our history and the history of play in our country and the contributions it makes to our society. and with that, i urge my colleagues to support the legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, this bill provides recognition to a museum that is a source of local pride, without draining taxpayer resources or increasing the burden on the national park service. i support this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 3250. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the in the opinion -- in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative -- ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the

yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from wyoming seek recognition? ms. hageman: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1829 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 355, h.r. 1829, a bill to require the secretary of agriculture to convey the pleasant valley ranger district administrative site to gila county, arizona. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentlewoman from wyoming, ms. hageman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, ms. leger fernandez, each will control 20 minutes.

the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from wyoming. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i ask all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 1829 as amended. the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of representative crane's bill, h.r. 1829. this is a good bill that would transfer land from the forest service to create a retreat facility in gila county, arizona, for veterans and families to relax and enjoy the outdoors. gila county is home to more than 5,000 veterans and over all the state of arizona has a population of more than 500,000 veterans. creating this facility will help those who have served our country find healing, reconnect with nature, and help ease the transition back to civilian life. almost 60% of the land in gila

county is federally owned, which creates significant limitations on available land for laudable efforts like this proposed retreat for veterans. this retreat center would be created from a forest service site that was scheduled to be torn down. in total, this 232-acre site includes 17 buildings, two residences, two barracks, a historic ranger house, barn, and helipads. they plan to remodel many of the buildings to provide excellent accommodations for veterans. purchasing this would be a win-win and a great resource for the veterans while freeing the forest service from maintaining the property it no longer needs. i want to applaud representative crane for his leadership in this effort. his diligent work with gila county and the forest service led to an important effort that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of arizona's veterans. i support this bill and reserve

the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of h.r. 1829 which would authorize the secretary of agriculture to convey the pleasant valley ranger district administrative site to gila county, arizona, adjacent to the town of young, arizona, the parcel was previously and ad mine straightive site for the forest service but is no longer in use for this purpose. the conveyance would provide gila county with the ability to establish a veterans retreat and community center that would support the communities in young and the surrounding area. supporting and uplifting our nation's veterans is a goal that we can all get behind. it's never enough to tell our veterans thank you for your service. we must always act to show our gratitude by providing veterans the services they need wherever

they live. our rural native american veterans deserve to have a place of their own on their own land to carry out the services we owe these patriotic first americans. this bill contributes to that goal by conveying forest service land to create a veterans center with family housing, a v.a. mobile clinic, ceremonial grounds, and access to outdoor recreational opportunities. the partnership made possible by this bill will provide new life to deteriorating buildings, barnes, barracks and existing wastewater systems. during our hearing on the bill, the chair of the gila county board of supervisors noted the goal of creating, i quote, the ultimate experience for veterans and their families, end quote. this bill is a win-win. i urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and i reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from arizona, mr. crane. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. crane: thank you, mr. speaker. today i rise in support of my bill which was the first piece of legislation i introduced and is a testament to veterans in arizona. specifically, my bill would enable gila county, arizona, to operate a veterans center on 232 acres in young, arizona. as a veteran myself, i know the importance of providing these resources, and they cannot be understated. this legislation will serve our state and its heroes well. the veteran center would protect and maintain the rich history of the property while providing family housing, meeting and activity spaces, resource rooms, veteran ceremonial grounds, and outdoor recreation. it would be the first of its kind in northern arizona, providing resources in support

to primarily rural veterans and their families. furthermore, this legislation is an exemplary model of efficient land management. out west, the federal government retains vast amounts of landings limiting states' ability to maintain, conserve, recreate, and responsibly produce on the lands within their own state. any time congress can vote on legislation that returns power to the state is a good thing. in this case, veterans of northern arizona will get a space to heal and reconnect with their families after putting their lives on the line for the peace and freedom of all americans. i'd like to take a moment to thank my friend, mr. go star to lay the foundation for this effort as well as cinema and kelly to get this bill across the finish line and with that i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i have no further requests for time and we're prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. ms. hageman: we have no further requests for time and i am prepared to close as well and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i urge my colleagues to support this legislation, to support putting in good use this land for the benefit of our veterans. and with that i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentlewoman from wyoming is recognized. ms. hageman: i want to applaud representative crane for his leadership in this effort. as a veteran himself, he understands just how important this veteran retreat center will be for the community. i urge adoption of this bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1829 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3

being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from arkansas seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move to

suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6492 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6492, a bill to improve recreation opportunities on and facilitate greater access to federal public land and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from arkansas, mr. westerman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, ms. leger fernandez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizeses the gentleman from arkansas. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks, and to include extraneous material on h.r. 6492 as amended. the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. westerman: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. westerman: i rise in support of the expanding public lands experiences or explore act. this legislation is a bipartisan effort co-sponsored by ranking member grijalva on the committee

on natural resources. i want to thank a moment to thank ranking member grijalva for his commitment on this bill and to wish him well in his fight against cancer. last week we were saddened to hear of his recent diagnosis. i know what a fighter ranking member grijalva is, and i have confidence he'll be back in d.c. very soon. our players are with him and his family. mr. speaker, today is the first time in the history of the house that we will be considering a comprehensive outdoor recreation package aimed at getting more americans outdoors and supporting the $1.1 trillion in growing outdoor recreation economy. this bipartisan, bicameral bill is a culmination of more than a year's worth of hearings and markups in the house and builds off years of work in both house and the senate. this legislation is co-sponsored by more than 50 of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and it is also supported by over 100 organizations representing

outdoor recreation, small businesses, conservation groups, and sportsmen and women from across the country. i grew up and still spend as much time as i can recreating on and around arkansas' beautiful public lands, which in my humble opinion, are the best the country has to offer. arkansas is known as the natural state because of our plentiful and well-managed forests, rugged mountains, christine lakes and rivers, and abundant wildlife. arkansas offers truly unmatched places to recreate, hunt, fish, spend time with loved ones and simply enjoy god's wonderful creation. we're known for our world class mountain biking, duck hunting, trout fishing, and rock climbing. outdoor recreation is a part of our heritage and tradition we pass on from generation to generation. that's why i'm proud to author the explore act and include great ideas for my colleagues from around the country, ideas which will improve access and

opportunities for outdoor recreation across all of our public lands and waters. this will ensure what more americans -- or ensure that more americans can enjoy our great outdoors in the present while leaving them in better conditioning for generations to come. specifically, the explore act will create new long distance bike trails, ensure rock climbing continues in wilderness areas, and reduce the bureaucratic burdens on small business. the bill also helps encourage the next generation of sports men and women by creating new target shooting ranges, cutting red tape for filming on public lands and addressing invasive species that harm recreational fishing opportunities. the explore act recognizes the outdoor recreation extends beyond our public lands and into nearby communities that host millions of visitors annually. in arkansas, visits to public lands support an average of $362 million in economic output. the legislation addresses the

challenges gateway communities face by alleviating overcrowding in national parks, addressing housing shortages, and modernizing technology to improve visitor experiences. i'm especially proud the explore act also includes provisions to tackle many of the barriers that prevent members of our military, wounded warriors, people with disabilities, and young folks from fully accessing our public lands. the legislation does this by building new accessible trails, directing land managers to prioritize recreational visits among our military service members, and re-authorizing the successful every kid outdoors program. i'd also like to highlight the important benefits this legislation provides for arkansasance. it collects the u.s. forest service to reopen campgrounds at the albert pack recreational area and the nearby national forest. it creates partnerships to

provide parking andest rooms on public lands. this includes offhighway recreational vehicle opportunities and updated maps for h.o.v. users to so they know what trails are open. i'd like to welcome ryan sanders for his work on the natural state initiative, aimed at promoting the beautiful spaces in arkansas and would like to thank ms. andrews who testified in support of this legislation last year. their work has been instrumental in formulating this legislation and growing arkansas' outdoor recreation economy. i'd also like to recognize just a few of the arkansas organizations who have lent their support to this bill, including the arkansas climbers coalition, the arkansas canoe club, and the arkansas organization of backcountry

hunters and anglers and ask my colleagues to support the bill and yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leveling: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i rise in support of h.r. 6492, the expanding public lands recreational experience or explore act, introduced by bruce weserman and my esteemed ranking member colleague grijalva. i'm thankful for the dedication of this bipartisan duo to this legislation and the years of hard work which their chairman described in getting us to this point, the hearings, the input, the compriseses -- compromises, the openness to the ideas coming through this long process. . i'm also pleased to be an original co-sponsor of the bill as well. when i thought about the explore

act, i remembered a quote from president jimmy carter who noted, like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries. our 24th poet laureate just published the anthology, you are here, poems which place each of us in nature. these poems will be placed throughout our national parks. we are inspired by our parks because, as she notes in her introduction, nature is not a place to visit, nature is who we are. but nature needs our help sometimes too, and that's where this bill comes in. our national parks and public lands are treasures that belong to each and every american. these national treasures inspire awe in those who visit. they transcend lives and perspectives, but they also are an incredible economic engine for local economies.

new mexico's beautiful third district offers boundless opportunities to explore beautiful places from skiing the powdered slopes to santa fe, through hiking through the badlands, to white water rafting down the rio grande. the outdoor economy in new mexico is expanding. last year the outdoor economy saw a job growth of 7%, employing over 28,000 new mexicans, similar to the amazing work we heard about in arkansas. in fact, the story can be repeated throughout almost every state where our public lands draw so many and are such an impressive economic engine. nationwide our 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million recreation visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022. in addition to the continued

growth in overall numbers, data shows that visitation is increasing in the more traditional offseasons at many parks, with more visits in the spring and fall than seen in years past, and 20 parks, many of them less well known, broke visitation records in 2023. the explore act will improve and modernize outdoor recreation opportunities across our national parks and public lands, increasing even more public access, improving agency coordination, supporting gateway communities and advancing equitable access to the outdoors. this bill is a significant bipartisan effort to advance and foster outdoor recreation activities nationwide and i want to thank the majority for their consideration and inclusion of several democratic priorities. specifically the explore act includes versions of bills sponsored by representatives

barragan, levin, neguse, porter and stansbury, to name just a few. taken together, these provisions promote accessibility for disabled communities, increased job opportunities for veterans, facilitate a diverse range of recreation opportunities, and close the nature gap for underserved urban communities. public support for public lands and access to outdoor recreation continues to grow each year and the explore act will help advance the idea that the outdoors really are for everyone. outdoor recreation is also a growing part of the national economy, and new opportunities for access consistently support economic boosts in gateway communities and job creation across the country. indeed, neck time -- next time you go to a national park, listen to the many languages that will be spoken there.

because we are drawing tourists from across the globe. the explore act will be a significant catalyst for both goals and i am excited to see it move forward. however, it is vital that we ensure that outdoor recreation is safe, reliable and accessible for everyone and that it serves to help preserve and protect our natural world. it is also important to remember that public land, conservation, stewardship and restoration are the backbone of outdoor recreation and that recreation and land conservation go hand in hand. so we must harness the momentum of this effort, to ensure durable support for place-based conservation and sustainable funding that ensures that federal land management agencies are readily equipped to balance the directives of this bill with all the other critical components of their missions. thanks to the leadership of chair westerman and ranking

member grijalva, the amended bill before us today adds some meaningful and impactful provisions to the senate version of this bill. there is more work to be done and we look forward to working with our senate colleagues as they process the new pieces added by the house. the very good pieces added by the house, which we want the senate to adopt. with that, i urge my colleagues to vote yes on the explore act and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. wmr. westerman: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i do say thank you to the gentlelady from new mexico and for her passion, which is evident, on this bill. and thank you to the minority for working with us to come up with a bill about something that truly is nonpartisan and it's our public lands and our enjoyment of the outdoors and the wonderful opportunities that we have in this country. as mentioned earlier, i get to put my name on the bill, the chairman of the committee, but this isn't all my idea.

this is ideas that came from both sides of the aisle, senators are working on this, and i do encourage them to take up our legislation and pass it. but one of those very important provisions in the bill is the military veterans and parks component that's in it. and i would like to recognize and yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from virginia, ms. kiggans, who authored this section. language, a -- section of the language, a veteran herself. and i yield her three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. kiggans: thank you, mr. chairman. i appreciate the opportunity to speak in support of the explore act today. it's been a privilege to work on this legislation with you as a member of the national resources committee -- natural resources committee. i'm particularly proud that it includes my military and veterans in parks act, nicknamed the m.v.p. act, after the invaluable role our former service members have played in protecting our great nation. as a wife of a veteran, the mother of future veterans and a former navy helicopter pilot myself, i have a unique

understanding of the challenges facing those who have served. as a geriatric nurse practitioner who spent years caring for our greatest generation, i've also seen the effects of all types of injuries sustained on the battlefield, including posttraumatic stress disorder and countless other invisible wounds. unfortunately almost 2/3 of post-9/11 veteran are experiencing mental health issues while 27% of all veterans have a service-related disability. we should be going above and beyond to give those heroes every opportunity to re-integrate into civil society and lead happy and healthy lives. that's why it's incredibly frustrating to me that accessibility remains a significant obstacle for disabled veterans in our national parks and our recreation sites. steep trace and -- trails and inadequate accommodations limit veterans with disabilities to fully enjoy all of the fantastic recreation opportunity ours federal lands have to offer. between the beach and the bay, southeast virginia is home to some of the most beautiful natural resources in the

country. residents and visitors alike enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, kayaking, camping and countless other forms of outdoor reak reaction. often -- recreation. often in one of our many wildlife refuges, as well as park service-managed lands. the act ensures these outdoor activities are available to all of our veterans, by directing the forest service, bureau of land management and the national park service to each develop adaptive trails and camp grounds in the regions they manage, as well as accessible hunting, fishing and kayaking opportunities. as a primary care provider, i know the connection between outdoor recreation and improved mental health outcomes cannot be denied. research consistently demonstrates that spending time in nature can reduce stress, alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression and enhances psychological well-being. for our veterans who suffer from both the physical and invisible wounds of war, these benefits are particularly critical. though i have not been in congress long, i've made it my mission from day one to advocate

for the mental health of our service members and veterans. it's a mission that guides everything i do here in washington. that's why it's my great honor to be standing here today in support of the explore act. i want to thank chair westerman for his continued support for the m.v.p. act and for implementing it within the explore act. i know this legislation will help improve the lives of our nation's heroes. thee brave men and women have selflessly served our country, defended our freedoms and protected our way of life. it is our duty to ensure that they receive the support and opportunities they deserve, even after their service has concluded. i hope my colleagues recognize the great need for the explore act and i urge them to vote yes. thank you and i yield back. mr. westerman: i reserving. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i completely agree that it is important that, for those who have fought to preserve our country, deserve to have full access to our public lands. it is not enough to say thank you for your service, we must always turn that gratitude into

concrete actions and the sections in this bill are actually turning that gratitude into accessible trails, they are turning that gratitude into health meadows and specifically directing our agencies to make sure that our veterans have access to the public lands for which they have fought for the preservation. mr. speaker, i would like it now yield as much time to the gentlewoman from, my hermana from new mexico, representative stansbury, whose legislation is included in the explore act. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. stansbury: thank you. i would like to start, mr. speaker, by thanking the gentlelady from new mexico, my sister from the north, and to say that i rise today to both celebrate and to urge passage of the explore act, which we are here debating today on the house floor. this bipartisan bill will not only improve access and opportunities for recreation across our public lands and

waters, across new mexico and the united states, it will help to protect and promote opportunities for all people to access our lands and waters. i am especially proud that this package includes my promoting accessibility on federal lands act, which is a bill i was deeply proud to join forces across the aisle with representative ciscomani from tucson to make the great outdoors more accessible to everyone, regardless of physical limitations. this bill directs the secretaries of interior and agriculture through all of the parks and public lands and waters that they manage to conduct a comprehensive assessment of accessibility options for our trails, our campsites, our recreational facilities, so that every single person can enjoy the great outdoors. almost half of new mexico's lands are publicly managed. and i ran for congress as a

native new mexican largely because of my passion and love for protecting the precious lands and waters that make us who we are and to ensure that every single new mexican has access to the great outdoors. and especially our veterans, which is part of why this bill is so important. in new mexico we have one of the largest proportions of veterans and active duty military in the united states. nearly 140,000 veterans in new mexico alone. as my representative and sister from the north said, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we are maintaining access and ensuring that all of our veterans, our elders, people living with disabilities and everyone in our communities can access the great outdoors. it is a place of restorative, resilient opportunity for everyone to be hole and to

reconnect. that is why i am proud to have the voice foundation testify in support of this legislation, who share a strong connection with the outdoors and believe that protecting our national public lands is not only an opportunity for recreation, but truly a patriotic duty. mr. speaker, america's public lands are for everyone, regardless of culture, age, gender or differing abilities, and this legislation will help to address disparities in accessibility and take critical steps to ensure that our lands and waters are accessible to everyone. and with that, i yield back. ms. leger fernandez: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, i again want to show my appreciation to the other gentlelady from new mexico for her work on the bill and for the great bipartisan support that we've had and i know every

speaker that comes up will talk about the beautiful recreation opportunities in their particular area. but one thing i know is from sea to shining sea, america has beautiful areas for outdoor recreation and the next gentleman represents the district that includes his hometown of mobile, some excellent offshore fishing, as well as in-shore fishing, and i would like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from alabama, mr. carl. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. carl: mr. speaker, isn't it nice, we can come on the floor and agree on something? such a pleasure and thank you. i appreciate working on this bill. today, i stand strong in support of the explore act introduced by chairman westerman, a bill that significantly improves our outdoor recreation experiences and bolsters the $1.1 trillion outdoor recreation economy crucial to our nation. this legislation is about more

than just enjoyable activities like biking, target shooting, fishing. it's about deepening our connection with nature, a fundamental part of what it means to be an american. ..... from personal experiences i learned up valuable lessons from outdoor activity, whether fishing in the gulf or hunting in bahama in -- in alabama in our unlimited wilderness. i've introduced my children to those experiences and those experiences are passed on to their children. it's a generational thing we get to pass on to our children. it's something special. a key highlight of this bill is it focuses on ensuring access for everyone, including individuals with disability, veterans, and children. recreation should be open to all regardless of background or ability.

the explore act emphasizes conservation efforts, ensures our outdoor spaces remain accessible and pristine for future generations. balances conservation with recreational opportunities is critical to protecting our natural heritage and promoting economy growth. i'm honored to co-sponsor this legislation, and i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this vital initiative. together we can ensure the benefits of our public lands and waters are enjoyed by all now and in the future. thank you. >> reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: indeed it is marvelous when we come together on these bipartisan bills. i want to recognize the work of ranking member grijalva and chairman well -- westerman in

bringing in these bipartisan bills we've had all day long today but the enthusiasm for the explore act represents the fact that families -- i like the fact the last speaker talked about families. i need to tell you that when latinos see visions of the hiker on top of the mountain, they always say how come he's up there alone, where is his family? we know latino families love to get out in nature and they love doing it as family. and so many of these outdoor recreation opportunities are often passed on from father to daughter, from mother to son, from grandfather to grandchildren and grandmothers to their children. so i think that that's the other key thing about that, that this is including everybody, recognizing that this is indeed a great american tradition to go and explore our outdoors. and with that, mr. speaker, i

continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, a few years ago i had a an opportunity to go to northern minnesota and drive a vehicle on to a lake and fish in a little hole in the ice when it was -20 degrees. there's all kinds of unique outdoor recreational activities across our country. i want to yield two minutes to the gentleman from minnesota, mr. stauber. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. stauber: i rise in support of h.r. 6492, the explore act, which i'm proud to co-sponsor. minyans -- minnesotans hike and a.t.v. and i ask, no how you put it we like to recreate. but we're some of the greatest conservationists in the world. minnesota's eighth congressional district is blessed to be home to the chippewa and superior

national forest, forager's national park and the grand portage national monument. minnesotans not only want to enjoy these treasurers themselves but want their children and children's children to enjoy everything god has offered our great state. maintaining our public lands is just a part of our way of life in northern minnesota, and i'm proud to support legislation that will ensure our public lands remain accessible wonders for everyone, including the rest of the world. the explore act will ensure all americans can reap the benefits of the great outdoors. it does so by requiring our federal land managers to ensure our vehicular use trails are properly maintained, providing safe quality shooting range access on our national forests and b.l.m. lands, and expanding and enabling access for our nation's active duty service

members, veterans, and their families. this is really good legislation that serves the american people. i want to thank my good friend, chairman westerman and ranking member grijalva for their work and other members on the natural resources committee. this is a good bipartisan piece of legislation. and i urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation. mr. chair, i yield back. >> reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: as we continue to hear from the different speakers about their amazing public lands, i want to honor our ranking member grijalva who has done so much important work on this bill. i want to honor the fact that indeed, in his arizona, he has under his jurisdiction in representing and listening to the cactuses because ranking member grijalva has the segura national park and the coronado national forest, and a natural

refuge. these are places when you think about when you go from minnesota, the land of many lakes to where you can fish to the places that are the most arid in our country. it is this diversity of public land which makes america so beautiful and which attracts so many because those who have many lakes want to go see what it is like when you have the desert and the seguras and those who live in the arid deserts want to marvel at the lakes and go fishing in minnesota or in arkansas where they have their beautiful hot springs. you know, i think new mexico is absolutely the best, but i love it when i get to explore other public lands across our country. and this act will continue to allow americans to do that into the future. and with that, mr. speaker, i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. mr. westerman: when you think of

the great state of montana, we think of yellowstone and glacier and all the beautiful places there, but also think of the gentleman from montana who is not only secretary of the interior, but also represents the great state of montana and knows a thing or two about outdoor recreation. i yield two minutes to mr. zinke. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. zinke: i rise in strong support of h.r. 6492, the explore act, for a lot of reasons. one is that while i am from montana, i don't have cattle or i don't have a ranch or helicopter, but i'm john dutton with a hat. so on this legislation, i'm glad to see it is bipartisan because some things should be bipartisan in our country, and our public lands and outdoor experience is that. i grew up in montana and things have changed. when i grew up, there wasn't any problem with public access. there was plenty of land and not a lot of people and you could go kind of where you wanted.

today that's a lot different. a lot of people are moving in. and we have new strains on our legacy that we inherited. i inherited a lot of what teddy roosevelt gave us. but it was a different time. and now there are different strains and we have to work to manage the next hundred years of what our experience is. a lot of that is inscribed on yellowstone, the teddy roosevelt arch, is for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. that's the enabling act of why we have the park system we do, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. i'm proud to add to it the gateway communities and recreation enhancement act, because in order to meet this goal, there are certain provisions, especially on gateway communities, that we need a little help with. because the gateway communities themselves find them challenged in infrastructure and housing.

how do you attend the millions of visitors when you're a small town and you rise and fall in population so dramatically? what this bill does do is it makes sure that issues such as housing, infrastructure, park access are managed and local communities have a say. sometimes washington forgets that there's local communities outside the beltway, and when you're in montana, we're a long ways away from washington on issues that involve the park and involve the communities, local communities should have that say. so with that, i urge my colleagues all, it should be nearly unanimous or unanimous to support an act that is bipartisan in the best interests of this country, and may i say also well managed by my friend from arkansas and the

gentlewoman from arizona. mr. speaker, i yield. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. westerman: i have no further requests for time and am prepared to close and continue to reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. gentlewoman is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: i have no further requests for time and also am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: once again i stand in support of this bipartisan act which reflects so much hard work and compromise and understanding and listening to the many voices who shared with us what they wanted to see in a bill that would increase conservation, that would increase access, and that would increase the ability of americans to celebrate our public lands, to celebrate america's best ideas, which are our national parks, but also to celebrate something like the hundred year anniversary of the gila wilderness, which i'll be

celebrating in a few weeks in new mexico where we had our first wilderness. and indeed, even in that wilderness we could use some help making sure that the gateway community has access to the kinds of resources we need to make sure that people who might not be able to clamor up to the cliff dwellings can access and learn about those cliff dwellings. it's this recognition of the many hardships but beautiful opportunities that present themselves in our public lands at the explore act addresses. and for all of these reasons, i stand in support of this bipartisan legislation. i urge all my colleagues to vote yes in favor of this legislation. and with that, mr. speaker, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. mr. westerman: thank you, mr. speaker. we talk a lot about access, and

there's access for people with limited mobility, there's access for older folks who can't get around as well. but when we think of access in the form of public access to public lands, it's about all americans being able to enjoy the great lands that we have, what great ideas our founders had to set this land aside for the enjoyment of all americans. but it's not something that we should just stand back and look at, we should actually get out into our public lands and enjoy them. i know firsthand the importance of access to our public lands and waters, both for americans who enjoy them and the communities that surround them. from camping and mountain biking to rock climbing and fishing, the explore act has something for somebody who enjoys outdoor activities. it wouldn't be possible without the contributions of the stakeholder organizations that advocated for outdoor recreation policy. i'd like to enter into the

record signed by more than 30 organizations which states this transformative legislation is a win-win for businesses, our cherished lands and waters with democrats and republicans alike, all while supporting rural economies and communities and our american quality of life. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. westerman: i'd like to recognize jess turner from the american roundtable and mike wade from the american guide association and mr. bannon for their tireless efforts on this bill and would like to recognize chasm manchin and ranking member barrasso leading the senate companion legislation to the explore act. i urge support of the first of its kind legislation which will unleash the full potential of the outdoor recreation economy and encourage millions of americans in arkansas and across our great country to get out and explore the unparallels opportunities our federal lands and waters have to offer. i urge adoption of the bill and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6492 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. . for what purpose does the gentleman from arkansas seek recognition? mr. westerman: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 6233. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of

the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from arkansas, mr. westerman, and the gentlewoman from new mexico, msh control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from arkansas. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on h.r. 6233, the bill now under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 6233, the community reclamation partnerships act. h.r. 6233, introduced by congressman lahood, would allow

states to partner with nongovernmental entities to reclaim and restore land and water resources from abandoned mines. there are still thousands of abandoned mines in the u.s., deserted before modern regulations required mine owners and operators to adhere to strict environmental standards and implement holistic land restoration when operations cease. many of these organizations from frivolous litigation. the community reclamation partnerships act will expedite abandoned mine reclamation efforts and improve environmental hazards all without using taxpayer funds.

i urge my colleagues to join me in support of h.r. 6233 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arkansas reserves. the gentlelady from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of h.r. 6233, the community reclamation partnerships act -- partnership

act, -- partnerships act, two centuries of coal mining occurred in the united states before the industry was federally regulated in any meaningful way. including in new mexico where we have many abandoned problem for good. that's where the community reclamation partnership act fits in -- partnerships act fits in. this would provide third party groups with the ability to use their own funds to clean up streams and watersheds affected by abandoned coal mines without assuming unnecessary liability. i am very thankful for these organizations, many of them are

recognizing the fact that these streams are essential in order to have pristine fishing conditions and other benefits to their surrounding areas. but under current law, these third parties are required to take on full liability if they want to engage in cleaner project -- cleanup projects. but these groups often don't have the funds or technical ability to cover cleanup all the way to full remediation. that shouldn't mean they should be stopped from making partial m glad to see it on the floor today. i urge support for the bill and i reserve the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arkansas is recognized. mr. westerman: i yield three minutes to the author of the legislation, the gentleman from illinois, mr. lahood. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. lahood: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to acknowledge the chairman for his leadership on the natural resources committee and i'm honored to be here today. i rise today, mr. speaker, in strzok support -- strong support of my bill, h.r. 6233, the community reclamation partnerships act. this legislation, which previously passed the house in the 115th congress, will help address the complex legal and funding-related challenges for abandoned mines that we have across illinois and the nation. the community reclamation

partnership act amends the surface mining control and reclamation act of 1977. to enable states to partner with nongovernmental entities to reclaim abandoned mine sites and facilitate acid mine drainage cleanup across the country. nongovernmental entities such as trout unlimited have recognized the need for reclamation in coal communities and are willing to contribute their resources and expertise to address this problem. unfortunately liability and regulatory concerns have discouraged them from partnering with the states on reclamation prongs. this legislation enables n.g.o. participation in state reclamation programs by minimizing undeserved liability and codify proven practices established by state reclamation agencies. this legislation also addresses a frequent problem that states experience in addressing water pollution at abandoned mine land sites. states must choose between risking noncompliance under the clean water act, or foregoing acid mine drainage abatement projects altogether. some states, for instance like

pennsylvania, have successfully addressed this problem by establishing their own guidelines for the treatment of water pollution at ab abandoned mine land sites. these state-specific strategies have resulted in success water treatment projects and a significant reduction in acid mine drainage. currently, state reclamation activities have been funded solely by fees levied on the coal industry over the past four decades. these fees have resulted in the reclamation of approximately $4 billion of abandoned mine land liabilities. however, according to the department of interior and e.p.a., the estimated remediation costs exceeds $15 billion. the cost of reclaiming these sites will continue to strain state resources in the coming decades and the conditions of these sites will only worsen over time. in short, this bill empowers state and local community leaders who want to assist in abandoned mine cleanup efforts so our future development can occur in these areas. no group should be punished for wanting to help their community in a responsibility way -- responsible way. h.r. 6233 brings more resources to bear on this considerable challenge and i urge adoption of

this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. mr. westerman: mr. speaker, i have no more requests for time. i'm prepared to close and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is prepared to close. the gentlewoman from new mexico is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, i also have no further requests for time and i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. leger fernandez: mr. speaker, as noted earlier, we stand in support of this legislation and the efforts that will be made under it to have cleanup occur on these coal mines, especially as noted, trout unlimited is so willing to work with local communities, they do great work in new mexico and we need to encourage organizations to do that. i thank the sponsor for the bill and for working with trout up limited. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i yield back the balance of my time.

mr. westerman: i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 6233. this commonsense legislation streamlines abandoned mine recovery efforts and alternative pathways to abandoned mine restoration without the use of government funds or the imposition of additional fees on an industry that is operating today with the highest environmental standards. further, this bill has bipartisan support and passed unanimously out of the committee of natural resources in december of 2023 and, as mr. lahood mentioned, it previously has passed out of the committee in the 116th, 117th congresses and was passed by the house in the 115th congress. i urge my colleagues to come together again today to support smart, efficient legislation that is good for taxpayers' bottom line, the environment, our states and our communities. i thank congressman lahood for his work to bring h.r. 6233 to the floor and i yield back the balance of my time.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the question is, will the house suspended rules -- suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 6233. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from north carolina seek recognition? ms. foxx: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to the bill, h.r. 6655, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 6655. a bill to amend the re-authorization of the work

force innovation and opportunity act. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from north carolina, ms. foxx, and the gentleman from virginia, mr. scott, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from north carolina. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials on h.r. 6655. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. foxx: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of a stronger work force for america act. thank you, ranking member bobby scott, for your bipartisan work on behalf of america's work force, without which this bill would not be on the floor today. bobby and i decided on day one, while we will not always agree

on every issue, we'll work diligently in the areas in which we find common ground. it's safe to say we agree that work force development is too important an issue not to get something done. thank you to each and every member of the committee on education and the work force. due to your efforts, we were able to pass the bill through the committee on a wide bipartisan vote. now it's the term of the full house. my fellow members, a stronger work force for america act owes its bipartisan appeal to two main features. its principles and its promises. the principles of this bill are firmly rooted in increased efficiency, innovation and accountability in the work force.

a stronger work force for america act will bolster the efficiency of the work force system by dedicated 50% of funding to upscaling work -- upskilling workers. skills are becoming the currency of the labor market and the key to unlocking career success. yet too few of the taxpayer dollars provided to the work force system currently are being spent developing the skills of our work force. by elevating skill development, this bill will deliver more opportunities for americans to prepare for good-paying jobs. moreover, this bill will give states more flexibility to innovate and to support employer-led initiatives. empowering states and employers is the best way to ensure the work force system is nimble and adaptive in the modern economy. ....

also it will enhance the performance accountability system in the law that's suffered from nearly a decade of delayed implementation and low expectations, meaning states and local work force boards will truly be held accountable for the labor market outcomes they produce. efficiency, innovation, accountability. a stronger work force for america act rests on these shared bipartisan principles. now for the promises. a stronger work force for america act is a bill for those who believe in the incredible, boundless potential of the american work force. this is the american work force that smelted the steel, that built the engine, that propelled man to the moon in a saturn v rocket. this is the american work force that has repeatedly dropped its tools and its livelihoods on a

moment's notice to go fight in service to our country. this is the american work force that put the world in our pocket when it created the iphone. a transformational tool that's revolutionized the way we communicate and enabled drones, smarthomes, self-driving cars and more. it's our constant duty and our promise never to forget, neglect, or discount the

american work force. american workers built this great nation. they deserve nothing but the best opportunity to succeed as rapid changes in our modern economy necessitate new skills in order to keep paying careerss looking for skilled workers should be able to rely on our work force development system. unfortunately, decades of

chronic disinvestment and lax quality standards in our work force system has contributed to unsustainable out of pocket costs for both workers an employers. i want to thank dr. foxx for her bipartisan cooperation in drafting the legislation. this bill makes an array of critical improvements in the work force innovation and opportunity act, or wioa and improves the work force for init

equip workers with the skills they need to fill jobs in critical industries. and help the currently employed work force upscale to avoid displacement an advance their careers. moreover it will serve individuals with barriers to employment, like codifying re-entry programs for justice deprived individuals and boosting summer and year-round

employment opportunities for those who have become disconnected from school and work after the pandemic. finally it streamlines the eligible i thank the chairwoman for her leadership. i rise today in strong support of the stronger work force for america act which will strengthen the federal work force system and increase access to high quality and in demand jobs nationwide. we -- it's been successful in many respects, including helping adults develop skills and providing services for individuals with disabilities. however additional reforms are needed to respond to the

challenges employers face in filling millions of open jobs nationwide. i'm particularly pleased to see additional funding direct toward upscaling, incumbent workers, including give states a new tool through the tools fund to help upscale, hire and retain works for the critical industries. i'm pleased to see additional emphasis on digital literacy within this leg. we all know these skills are necessary to succeed today. together these reforms will ensure workers remain relevant for the rapidly changing 21st synch economy. as co-chair of the bipartisan career and technical education caucus, i'm grateful to see better alignment with state activities authorized through perkins. this coordination will allow for expanded integrated education and training programs, assistance to providers and reporting participant outcomes and additional materials to meet the needs of adult and english learners. additionally local work force development agencies will be able to relocate one-stop centers to c.t.e. school, creating a true hub for skills development. finally i'm pleased to see my bipartisan legislation, the creating opportunities and thrive in advance act included in this legislation.

this will bolster career counseling programs and allow for outreach to elgt americans on the opportunities the work force system can provide them. i urge all my colleagues to support this legislation. thank you, mr. speaker. ms. foxx: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent to enter two let inters the record, one from the american association of community colleges and the association of community college trustees an another letter if the society of human resources management, better known as shrm. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. scott: i yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from connecticut, mr. courtney. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. courtney: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, mr. scott. i rise in strong support of the bipartisan stronger work force for america act which makes critical improvements to america's job training laws that will close the skills gap,

strengthen the relationship between employers in the local labor market and put more americans on the pathway to successful careers. i want to congratulate chairwoman fobltion and ranking member scott for -- chairwoman foxx and ranking member scott for their collaboration to bring this bill to the floor, defying the negative conventional wisdom about this place because this is a critical program at a time when our u.s. economy has nine million job openings. my district in eastern connecticut is the fastest growing labor market in our state and the second fastest in new england. the federal job training program that we're discussing here today has been a huge contributor to that growth. back in 2015, i hosted then-labor secretary tom perez to meet with our local work force board to discuss the looming need for shipbuilding skills to meet the sharply increased demand by the u.s. navy for submarine construction. five months later, in september of 2015, the manufacturing

pipeline initiative program was launched using a $6 million wioia grant by the u.s. department of labor. since its establish in 2016, nearly 3,500 workers in eastern connecticut have been hired if that pipeline to high quality careers at the electric boat shipyard and as you can see from this chart, starting in 2016, there's been steady growth. there was a dip during covid. last year, 945 graduates from the pre-apprenticeship program left classes to begin their careers in the metal trades. because of this highly successful training pipeline, they've had the work force to meet the growing build rate that it continues to this day. two months ago, e.b. announced their target for next year for 2024 is to hire 5,300 workers to again meet the needs for the virginia program and the columbia program.

mr. speaker, we need pre-apprenticeship programs like the manufacturing pipeline to fill the nine million job openings in the u.s. economy this. bill will do just that. by number one, ensuring that more wioa dollars going directly toward upscaling workers and on the job learning, streamlining the eligible provider list to ensure they're providing good outcomes that are aligned with the needs of employers and strengthening the work force education programs at community colleges to make sure they align with in-demand jobs by emphasizes programs with industry partnerships. providing more flexibility to one stop operators to expand access to support services for trainees who need assistance in these 10-week classes or eight-week classes for electricians, 10 weeks for welders work transportation, child care or other essentials

to ensure they can successfully focus on their curriculum and ka complete their job training program. this is not just a program for young adults. it's also a program that helps workers of all ages and i would ask to be entered into the record a letter if the association of retired persons in support of this legislation, h.r. 6655, a stronger work force for america act. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. courtney: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge all members to -- all my colleagues to support this legislation which again at this moment in our economy is so critically needed. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield two minutes to the gentleman from michigan, mr. walberg. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. walberg: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of h.r. 6655, a stronger work force for america act, and express great appreciation to chairwoman foxx and ranking member scott for moving this forward. in 2014, i was proud to work with my colleagues on the education and work force committee to pass the work

forest innovation and opportunity act, wioa that made critical improvements to streamline the maze of federal work forest development programs. at its core, the wioa aims to connect people with the skills they need to be competitive in the modern work force. in a rapidly evolving world the landscape of the work forest is constantly -- work force is constantly changing as it should. technological advancement and globalization mean the skills needed today might not be the same as those required tomorrow. to thrive in this dynamic -- in this die nam environment, it's imperative -- die nag environment it's imperative that individuals have the skills and opportunities that are aligned with the needs of local industries. the bill we are considering today strengthens the law to further fuel innovation for a skill he was based economy. a stronger work force america act makes reforms to wioa that

will increase the amount of skills development provided under the law. strengthen connections between employers and the work force system. and streamline bureaucracy. the bill also gives governors a new tool to address the economic priorities of their states. allowing them to set aside additional funds for a critical industry skills fund. to help employers upskill higher and retain -- upskill, hire and retain workers in priority industries. these critical reforms will equip america's workers with the skills to succeed in the modern economy. i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to build a stronger american work force. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield such time as she may

consume to the gentlelady from connecticut, the vice ranking member of the committee on education and work force, mrs. hayes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. hayes: i rise in strong support of this legislation which would re-authorize work force development programs. right now in connecticut, there are 119,000 young people disconnected from school or work. these could be students who dropped out of school in the pandemic, are involved in foster care, or have become homeless. youth build programs in connecticut and across the country help these opportunity youth complete their education and develop in-demand skills. i'm also pleased to see that my legislation, the youth build for the future act, was included in this bill, which provides opportunities for young people. . this would ensure no one has to choose between finding food and completing the program.

this bipartisan legislation creates a wk force system that is more responsive to employer needs and puts more americans on the pathway to a successful career. mr. speaker, i would also like to enter into the record a letter in support of h.r. 6655 from linkedin. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. hayes: i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill which will help youth get back on the right track and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from virginia reserves. the gentleman from north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from georgia, mr. allen. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. allen: i thank the gentlelady from north carolina and our chairman of the education and work force committee forgiving me this opportunity -- for giving me this opportunity to rise in support of h.r. 6655, the

bipartisan stronger work force for america act. having built a small business from the ground up, i have experienced firsthand just how hard it can be to find skilled and qualified workers and as i travel the 12th district of georgia, the number one issue i hear about from business owners and job creators are work force development. that's why with nearly nine million unfilled jobs across the nation it is imperative we move past the status quo and recognize that many good-paying jobs do not require a traditional four-year college degree. h.r. 6655 will make. -needed improvements to the -- make much-needed improvements to the act, to making the shift to skills-based hiring. additionally, i'm proud

provisions from my startup act were included in this critical legislation to incorporate entrepreneurial skills development train into the current work force development system. one of the greatest honors of my life has been the ability to provide hardworking americans with the dignity and respect that comes from gainful employment and the means to provide for their families, their communities, their chump and, yes, this nation -- church, and, yes, this nation. the traditional working family is the greatest economic engine ever created. by bridging the gap between the education and business community, we can equip our work force with the tools needed to spark innovation, spur economic growth and achieve the american dream. i urge support for this bipartisan stronger work force for america act and with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina reservings. the gentleman from -- reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker.

i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. scott: just wanted to recognize the fact that we received a letter from atai in support of the legislation, the information technology industry council. they point out that the bill will help main workers obtain the skills needed for today's jobs by increasing the cap on incumbent worker training funds to allow for the current work force to reskill and upskill and directs 50% of the funds toward work force skill education through the individual training accounts, on the job training and employer-led initiatives, as well as including digital literacy skills, which play a pick of toll role in today's jobs -- pivotal role in today's jobs. i ask unanimous consent that this be entered into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. scott: and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. mr. smucker: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in strong support of h.r. 6655, a stronger work

force for america act. i was very pleased to see this move out of the committee in a bipartisan manner. i'd like to congratulate ranking member scott and chairwoman foxx for putting this bill on the floor today. this bill is a big priority not only of mine but for the district that i represent, for employers in the district there. and will help many workers achieve a better life through connection with a great job and a great career. just want to mention several things in the bill that are important to my constituents. one, reducing red tape to help qualified training providers have access to the eligible training provider lists through which they can receive funding. additionally, this bill includes significant portions of my bipartisan bill to codify and strengthen the re-entry program which helps those exiting the

justice system find stable employment and re-integrate into their communities. the bill before us today also includes a piece of legislation that i co-led with mr. moran of texas which allows in-school youth to access individualized training accounts through which they can participate in training programs and get a jump-start on their careers. finally, h.r. 6655 clarifies that online training providers are eligible to participate, as long as they meet rigorous outcomes requirements. altogether a stronger work force for america act includes meaningful reforms that will make the system more impactful and will develop a new generation of workers who can meet the economic needs of our communities. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves -- the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: mr. speaker, i reserve my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr.

speaker. i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from utah, mr. owens, chairman of the higher education and work force subcommittee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. owens: mr. speaker, i rise in support of stronger work force for america act. the original work force innovation and opportunity act was created to enhance our country's work force development by streamlining a complex federal program. unfortunately it has not proved efficient. we all know that economies present -- the economy is presently in bad shape. employers struggle to fill open positions, america needs an upskilled and reskilled work force to compete in a constantly changing world. woia was supposed to tack this will issue but to do so reform -- requires reform. the stronger work force for america act does just that. it puts employers in the driver's seat. it also gives state and local work force boards the real opportunity to innovation within their systems to include my one door to work act. this legislation, which duplicates the successful utah model, encourages integration of work force and safety net programs to create one door that will lift workers out of poverty into careers. through innovation -- though innovation is included in woia, in practice it's lacking. the one door to work language allows innovation to be part of woia is. it -- woia.

innovation leads our nation forward, we need to embrace that in woia and pass a stronger work force for america act. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. scott: thank you. mr. speaker, i just wanted to recognize a letter that we received from the california opportunity youth network where they say the authorization will improve numerous training services, planning and outcomes of opportunity for youth and we urge timely consideration of this bipartisan legislation on the floor of the house. they go on to say that we should not be turning away a young person trying to work toward as better future because of paper -- towards a better future because of paperwork. we're extremely supportive of the provision which streamlines the eligibility determination process. i reserve the balance of my time. and ask that this letter be entered into the record. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection, the gentleman recognized. the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from texas, mr. moran. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. moran: thank you, mr. speaker. and thank you, chairwoman foxx and ranking member scott, for introducing this bill, a stronger work force for america act. this bipartisan legislation will address the work force needs of our industries by making necessary updates to the work force innovation opportunities act also known as woia. this bill accomplishes much but let me highlight four important areas. first, this bill ensures that 50% of adult and dislocated worker funds goes towards upscaling workers. it strength bees it's current work force education programs at community colleges so that educational programs are tied to the needs and demands of the communities' businesses and the free market. third, this bill heightens accountability for of use of these funds and is more outcome-based while reducing the bureaucracy of typical government programs.

and, fourth, this bill includes my building youth work force skills act which provides eligible in-school youth access to individual training accounts for a wide range of educational programs. this creates more opportunities for youth as they look to develop their skills in a way that is aligned with their passions and that is also relevant to business. it is critical that we provide workers access to work force development and training programs that find the sweet spot between the needs of businesses and the skills of its workers. h.r. 6655 does just that. and it brings greater accountability and value to the taxpayers. for these reasons and many more, i urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from north carolina reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i yield five minutes to the gentlewoman from ohio, a senior member of the appropriations committee, ms. kaptur. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. kaptur: thank you, ranking member scott, for your unyielding and inspired

leadership on this critical jobs training bill and for yielding me time. what america makes and grows, makes and grows america. i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan re-authorization. the stronger work force for america act legislation is a pick of toll measure for workers across america, particularly in regions like mine. the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs has left profound scars. especially the loss of american real wealth within our borders. that is the ability to feed, clothe, education, transport and heal and supply our people inside our borders and not become dependent on any outside force for the energy that fuels us or the clothes we wear. this re-authorization makes critical investments in skill training opportunities and it

bolsters vital apprenticeship funding. it paves the way for individuals to gain the necessary skills to thrive in today's rapidly evolving job market. i'm heartened by the enthusiasm that i witnessed in the aspiring generations to build forward skills inside america's borders that sustain the nation itself. apprenticeship opportunities play a crucial role in restoring american job training capacity through focused, hands-on experience, mentorship and specialized skills development. imagine our nation unleashing the potential power of america's full capacity here at home. in the heartland region, where nafta dealt a body blow to manufacturing jobs, i've committed a great deal of my service to help create new jobs for northwest and northern ohio in steel, automotive, agriculture, food processing, technology and so much more. apprenticeship programs offer a pathway to revitalizing our work force and rebuilding our

communities. with the historic job boom of over 15 million jobs created under the biden administration, compared to the loss of nearly three million jobs under the prior administration, the importance of job training initiatives cannot be overstated. by investing in our nation's future workers and retraining the current work force, we not only empower individuals to succeed, we also lay a stronger foundation for our nation's economy here at home, real wealth, not virtual wealth, real wealth. prioritizing work force development means good-paying jobs for steel workers, railroad workers, auto workers, skilled mechanics, leather workers, carpenters, plumbers, joiners and fitters and members of our building trades. let's lift up the talents of our people and teach these precious skills. we'll ensure that every american has the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the prosperity of our nation. let's build more house, let's

build more american cars, let's can more american products, let's tap into the vital creativity that is the heart of innovation and growth in this economy. let's educate. let's re-educate. let's train. what america makes and grows makes and grows america. thank you and i yield back in strong support. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia reserves. the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from indiana, ms. houchin. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. houchin: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of the stronger work force for america act, a critical piece of legislation that addresses the pressing needs of owrk work -- our work force development system. i chang chairwoman foxx and ranking member scott for their work on this bipartisan legislation and for their responsiveness to the input from members of the education and the work force committee. i'm especially proud that this re-authorization includes my language that addresses a

concerning gap in our current work force funding mechanisms. as included in the stronger work force for america act, my provision specifically amends the distribution of federal dollars allowing states to re-allocate funds as performance incentives to work force boards that have either met or exceeded their performance targets. additionally, recaptured funds that are awarded as performance incentives are not subject to the 50% training requirement that applies to the adult and dislocated worker programs. this will help entities who are meeting their targets re-invest in programs that work. it also ensures that our taxpayer dollars are effectively allocated to entities that are best serving our communities and helping individuals access the skills and education they need for meaningful employment. i'm proud to have been involved in the drafting of this version of the stronger work force for america act as it enhas -- enhances accountability, quality and efficiency within our work force system, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used effectively. i urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

and i yield the balance. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserve, the gentleman from virginia is recognize. mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from north carolina. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker, i'm prepared to close if the gentleman from virginia is prepared. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. scott: i yield myself the plans of the time. the last congress we tried to get together on a re-authorization of wioa but couldn't come to an agreement. we passed a bill that didn't pass the senate. i'm pleased that this congress, chairwoman foxx and i, the

committee staff, were able to get together and work together on a bipartisan draft of a stronger work force for america act. i'm grateful that the committee staff, particularly scott estrada and merrick lako spent countless hours draforting this legislation. on this as well as the staff who have worked so diligently on this as well as the members on the other side of the aisle. fighting on behalf of american workers has been one of the great privileges of my time leading the committee on education and the work force. in fact, it's been one of the great privileges of my entire career. to each staff member who has

undertake then duty with me over the years and especially on this bill, thank you. there is an unsung army behind me that equals every bit of my passion for the american worker. together, we hammered out the details of this bill, the old fashioned way. this is a product of negotiation and compromise and it's a

welcome sight. i also want to the opinion of t3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on

ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i move that the house suspend the rules and agree to the bill s. 2051 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

and include extraneous materiale national center for missing and exploited children, been a national priority. that's why congress created the missing children's assistance act, mcaa nicmac, president reagan

complained, yet, all americans and especially our youth have the right and the opportunity to walk our streets, to play and to grow and to live their lives without being at re-authorizing the mcaa is -- to children both online and out in public. s. 2051, the missing children's

assistance re-authorization act of 2023, is bipartisan legislation that renews the mcaa through fiscal year 2028 and takes critical steps in helping nicmac better respend to crimes affecting children across the country. a companion bill, h.r. 52024 was introduced in the house by representatives bean and courtney and i thank them for their work on this important issue. s. 2051 would allow ncmec to identify and recover missing and

exploited children, develop educational materials to reduce the risk of child sex trafficking online enticement, sexual extortion, and cyber bullying. provide education and technical assistance for conducting background checks on chijs -- on individuals working with children. offer support services to missing and exploited children and their families. and facilitate requests to have child sexual abuse material removed from the internet. in fact, ncmec's commitment extends globally, collaborating with other organizations to combat child exploitation. such collaborations ensure a united effort against international trafficking threats, particularly in a world increasingly interconnected online and ever-evolving with the advent of artificial intelligence. when president and c.e.o. of ncmec mish delistening was asked by the education and work force committee at a recent hearing,

how concerned on a scale of one to 10 she was about a.i. threats to children, delong responded, an 11. earlier this year big tech c.e.o.'s testified before the senate and received sharp criticism for rampant child exploitation on their platforms. those c.e.o.'s have blame to share but the house of representatives has a duty to fulfill. passing the missing children's assistance he re-authorization act of 2023 means we ensure that ncmec has the tools needed to protect america's most vulnerable children today and in the future. mr. speaker, with that, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from virginia is recognized.

mr. scott: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. scott: all children deserve a safe, loving home and to have their basic needs met. for children the trauma is much worse. many survivors of exploitation or abuse suffer physical or mental harm that can impact them for the rest of their lives this. pain has grown in recent years. we have seen a during exponential rise in reported child abuse cases particularly online. for example, in 2023, the national center for missing and exploited children, ncmec, received a staggering 36 million reports of child sexual abuse

and sexual exploitation from public and electronic service providers such as facebook or google on its cyber tipline. members from both sides of the aisle have long agreed that ncmec is essential to protecting and -- protecting exploited children and helping loved ones. today ncmec is working diligently to cheap pace with technology and get ahead of evolving threats to our children's safety. i'm grateful that our colleague, representatives courtney and bean, came out together to introduce the missing children's assistance re-authorization act which makes several improvements to ncmec that the chairwoman outlined a few minutes ago.

the bottom line is that we're working reserves. the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield five minutes to the gentleman from florida, mr. bean, chairman of the early childhood elementary and secondary education committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bean: thank you, mr. speaker. madam chair, thank you for the time. mr. speaker, every 40 seconds in america a mother or father will experience the worst nightmare, a missing child. the reason can be as benign as a simple misunderstanding or a serious abduction by a stranger.

in fact, nearly half a million children are reported missing every year but astonishing as that number is the real number could be much higher since many children are not activity was a safe, integral part of adolescence and we lived in a high trust society. though over time that image of society slowly faded away due to several high profile child abductions including the tragedy of adam walsh. now the world feels much less safe. each year threats to our children grow just as the avenues for reaching them are expanding. predators are more sophisticated about how they gain access to children.

their actions are more brazen and those threats have found a way into our homes. the proliferation of the internet and smart phones have enabled child sex trafficking and other forms of child exploitation. consequentially the reports of a allowed the national center for missing and exploited children, ncmec to serve as the national resource cent we are the goal of protecting children from

abduction, cases. for 40 years ncmec has led the fight to protect children across the children, ensuring they are allowed to grow up in an environment where they makes crit call upsedates o

better support youth who are miss, to reduce child sexual exploitation and to prevent child victimization. this ability to identify and locate missing individuals willo

join me and support this bill and uphold mr. courtney: this bill is the senate companion to house bill 5224 which i co-led with my

colleague from florida and a member of the house education and workforce committee, aaron bean. this bipartisan legislation renews the missing children's assistance act and makes critical updates to the national center for missing and exploited children, ncmec, to find missing children, and prevent child victimization. since congress first authorized the national center for missing and exploited children through the mcaa in 1984, ncmec has assisted in over 400,000 cases successfully recovering missing children. in 2022 alone, ncmec assisted law enforcement, families, and child welfare agencies with 27,644 cases of missing children which were recovered. again, it operates critical programs to help these children, including a 24-hour toll free hotline, cyber tip line, to report suspected child exp exploitation and forensic

science units to help find long-term missing children. economic neck is essential to combat child abuse and exploitation online which is growing at an exponential rate as we heard from my colleagues on the floor. unfortunately, the missing children's assistance act and the authorization of ncmec expired at the end of fiscal year 2023. letting that authorization collapse will put the safety of children at risk which is particularly troubling as there has been a disturbing exponential increase in reports of child abuse and exploitation particularly online. as we have heard from chairwoman foxx, the bill doesn't just merely re-authorize the law, it also introduces updates and improvements to allow ncmec to perform its duty at a higher efficiency. mr. speaker ncmec has made a big impact in the state of connecticut. i know that because my wife is a pediatric nurse practitioner and connecticut children's hospital who works in the child

protection unit. that unit provides highly skilled medical help to victims of child abuse and assists law enforcement in the apprehension, arrest, and prosecution of perpetrators. ncmec is instrumental to her work and the work of her highly skilled and diligent colleagues. hopefully, mr. speaker, someday we'll reach a time when there is no need for ncmec, but unfortunately we are not there today in 2024. therefore, it is our solemn duty to america's vulnerable children to move forward and pass this bill. i urge a yes vote. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from north carolina is recognized. the gentlewoman north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from virginia is recognized.

mr. scott: no child should be in harm's way or exploited because of who they are. the majority of missing child cases reported to ncmec involved endangered run aways. importantly they work with a diverse group of stakeholders, uses trauma informed practice, and use as case management approach to ensure that it meets the needs of each child individually and with -- taking into consideration the diverse needs. i'm grateful for my colleagues for introducing the house companion bill. this legislation makes several important improvements in ncmec's grad program and importantly re-authorizes it. i call my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support the legislation.

i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from north carolina is recognized. the gentlewoman north carolina is recognized. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself the balance of the time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. foxx: the successes of ncmec over the past 40 years and the need for its continued funding have been well established. today ncmec with its 450 today ncmec operates a unique public-private partnership that's the essential formula for effective governance, working with families, officials and nonprofits. in 2023 alone, ncmec received 148,695 calls and the organization assisted law enforcement, families and child

welfare with 28,126 cases of missing children and recovered 88% of those cases. with the passage of s. 2051, the missing children's assistance re-authorization act of 2023, we can ensure continuing success for ncmec. government's most basic duties include establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, and promoting the general welfare. our most vac red responsibility is to protect the well being and upbringing of future generations. i urge passage of this legislation to protect missing and exploited children who deserve their shot at the american dream. i yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentlewoman yields. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 2051 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative -- for what purpose does the gentlelady from north carolina seek recognition? ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. i demand the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. pursuant to clause 12-a of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until approximately 6:30 p.m.

>> the hse now in recess returning later this afternoon for votes at 6:30 p.m. meers have been working on several measures related federal and native american lands. and federalororce development legislation. later this week, the house will work on section 702 of the foreign intelligence surveillance act, which allows for surveillance of foreign nationals. on thursday, house and senate lawmakers will gather in a joint meeting of congress for an address by the japanese pre minister. live coverage when members return here on c-span. an update on the impeachment of homeland security secretary mayorkas. the house was expected to deliver their articles against the secretary to the senate this week. starting the trial. however, "politico's" posting that speaker johnson has decided to hold off delivering the articles for now. his spokesman reads a statement to reads the ensure the senate has adequate time to perform its constitutional duty, the house will transmit the articles of impeachment to the senate next week. there is no reason whatsoever

for the senate to abdicate its responsibility to hold an impeachment trial. >> georgia republican representi marjorie taylor greene is escalating her threat to call for a motion to vacate votes against speaker mike joson. she filed a motion before the house went on a twoee district work period aft passing a compromise federal funding measure avoina shutdown. congresswoman greene st a letter to her colleagues outlin her grievances to the speaker which reads in parters esactions by the leader of our conference continue, then we arnoa republican party. we are a uni party tt is hellbent on remaining on the path of self-conflicted destruction. iilnot support or take part in any of that neither willhe people we represent. speaker johnn is expected to bring up further ukraine funding shortly, something representative green opposing and may lead to the ouster vote.

>> the house will be in order. >> this year c-span elpwraeuts 45 years of covering congress like no other. since 1979, we have been your primary source for capitol hill. probalanced, unfiltered -- providing balanced, unfiltered government. all with the support of america's cable companies. c-span, 45 years and counting. powered by cable. now today's briefing with white house press secretary karine jean-pierre and jake sullivan. they responded to the arizona supreme court ruling that upheld a 19th century law banning all abortions except in cases where the life of the mother is threatened. they also previewed the official state visit for the japanese prime minister. this is 50 minutes.