Ed Case

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I certainly do appreciate my colleague's very emotional description of the rich history of Battle Creek and his commitment to its preservation. I join him in that. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2981) to reauthorize and amend the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2020, and for other purposes.

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3682) to provide for greater consultation between the Federal Government and the governing bodies of land grant-mercedes and acequias in New Mexico and to provide for a process for recognition of the historic-traditional boundaries of land grant-mercedes, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3682, sponsored by our friend and colleague, Representative Lujan of New Mexico. This bill would support land grant communities and acequias across New Mexico and Texas by providing guidance on certain allowable land uses. Since the end of the Spanish-American War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, these communities have faced challenges accessing basic resources like fuel wood and grazing land and clarity on their infrastructure maintenance obligations. These challenges continue to the present day, and this bill would help provide some certainty and clarity in order to better support these communities and hopefully improve relations with Federal land managers. I want to thank Representative Lujan for his tireless service and support on behalf of land grant communities and acequia owners, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 3682. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan).

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4153) to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to authorize urban Indian organizations to enter into arrangements for the sharing of medical services and facilities, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7045) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on lands that could be included in a National Forest in Hawai'i, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8810) to establish a national program to identify and reduce losses from landslide hazards, to establish a national 3D Elevation Program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the National Landslide Preparedness Act sponsored by my colleague, Ms. DelBene, would establish a national landslide hazards reduction program through the United States Geological Survey to better identify landslide risks and to improve emergency preparedness for communities. This bill also directs USGS to implement a 3D elevation program to update and produce high-resolution elevation data across the country. The House passed a version of this legislation by voice vote last year, but after further negotiation with both the majority and the minority in the Senate, we have agreed to a few changes in the language and are passing this revised bill to allow the Senate to move this compromise to the President before it adjourns. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. DelBene).

Mr. CASE

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

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1380, the Big Cat Public Safety Act. At the beginning of this hectic year, many Americans were introduced to the issue before us today and this legislation for the first time through the ``Tiger King,'' which in addition to a plethora of colorful real-life characters also shined a spotlight on the dark side of keeping lions, tigers, and other big cats in captivity. The Big Cat Public Safety Act ends the ownership of big cats as pets and prohibits exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. In 2003, Congress unanimously passed the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, which amended the Lacey Act to prohibit the import, export, buying, selling, transport, receiving, or acquisition of big cats across States to the U.S. border. However, the existing law did not include prohibitions for the private possession or breeding of big cats. Currently, State laws vary quite a bit. Some States have no restrictions; some simply require registration; and some completely prohibit ownership of big cats as pets. The Big Cat Public Safety Act builds on the Captive Wildlife Safety Act by making it illegal to privately possess or breed lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or any hybrid. The bill is narrowly focused on privately owned animals and includes exemptions for exhibitors with U.S. Department of Agriculture class C licenses, such as zoos, State universities, and sanctuaries. This bill, championed by my colleague, Representative Mike Quigley, along with an astounding 230 cosponsors, is a commonsense solution to address public safety and animal abuse concerns. It enjoys wide bipartisan support, and it is time we passed it into law. It is unknown how many big cats, including tigers, lions, jaguars, leopards, cougars, and hybrids, are currently kept in private ownership in the United States, but estimates are in the range of 5,000 to 10,000. That means an average of up to 200 big cats are in private ownership in every State in America. I don't know about you, Madam Speaker, but I wouldn't feel safe with my children or grandchildren living next door to a tiger, nor does that seem humane for the animals whose ancestors roamed vast expanses of the savannahs and jungles. As we saw in ``Tiger King,'' the top priority for private big cat owners is not the best interests of animals or public safety but rather greed, profit, or glory. Since 1990, there have been around 300 dangerous incidents involving big cats in the United States--including one just today--that have resulted in human injuries, mauling, and even death. When these incidents occur, first responders are also put at risk since they are not trained or equipped to handle situations involving big cats. Madam Speaker, I hope you can all agree with me that the private ownership of big cats opens the door for rampant animal abuse and also presents a dangerous and significant risk to public safety. This bill is endorsed by over 27 organizations, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the National Sheriffs' Association. Of special note as well is that the Zoological Association of America, which previously opposed this measure, has withdrawn its opposition and is now neutral because its board has now banned public contact with big cats at its accredited zoos. Please join me in voting for this legislation to stop animal abuse and bad actors like those we saw in ``Tiger King.'' In the midst of a roller coaster of a year, here is one thing we can do to reduce the mayhem. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley).

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1049) to authorize a National Heritage Area Program, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1049, sponsored by my friend, Representative Tonko of New York, a fellow member of the Natural Resources Committee. Mr. Speaker, since 1984, Congress has established 55 National Heritage Areas. These incredible sites protect our diverse historical, cultural, and environmental treasures, from the Erie Canalway to the Great Basin of Utah and beyond, preserving and interpreting unique aspects of our American story. Heritage Areas are also a major boon for local economies, supporting cultural tourism and driving investment. They are also a great deal for the taxpayer, ensuring that every Federal dollar spent on the program is matched with at least $1 of non-Federal funding. However, Congress has so far failed to pass a law standardizing the management of this important program, meaning that each site operates under its own authorization. Both the Obama and Trump administrations have asked Congress to enact a programmatic bill to improve site management and ensure a continued consistent commitment to our National Heritage Areas. The bill offered today by our colleague would address that need by providing a standard under which these sites would be designated, reviewed, funded, and overseen. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tonko for his continued work in support of our National Heritage Area program, and I thank Ranking Member Bishop for working with us to improve this bill in committee. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 1049, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I certainly appreciate the overview of the ranking member in his initial remarks today. I would note that the bills before us today, these 12 bills, are all coming to the floor from the Natural Resources Committee. They are critical bills in many areas, from natural resources to indigenous peoples and beyond. Many of these bills actually come to us from the Senate and, if passed here, will go on directly to the President, so this is a productive agenda that we have here with every expectation that these bills will advance. I also want to say, on behalf of the majority, that I fully endorse the ranking member's commendations to the staff that are with us today and in our Natural Resources Committee. He makes an important and vital point. We all appreciate our staff. We are blessed by their service. We are blessed by their expertise, and I would be remiss if I did not say, on behalf of our chair, Chair Grijalva, that we all endorse those comments, and I thank him for those very kind comments. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

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

Mr. CASE

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 199, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Reservation Restoration Act, introduced by Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota, directs the Department of Agriculture to transfer approximately 11,760 acres of Federal land in the Chippewa National Forest to the Department of the Interior to be held in trust for the benefit of the Tribe. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is a federally recognized Tribe with approximately 10,660 members with a reservation located within the National Chippewa Forest in Cass County, Minnesota. The Leech Lake Band has the largest population of all the Minnesota Tribes yet the smallest amount of land available for its use. Much of the Tribe's land was lost when many of its members were illegally dispossessed of their land via ``secretarial transfers'' during the 1950s. Secretarial transfers were a transaction where the Department of the Interior approved the sale or transfer of Tribal land and/or individually owned Indian allotments without the consent of the Tribe or the individual Indian allottees. This practice resulted in the Tribe having insufficient land to meet the current needs of its membership. The return of the land through S. 199 will assist the Tribe in rebuilding its land base, enable the protection of sacred sites, and allow the construction of housing on some of the tracts near the Tribe's existing communities. The Tribe intends to respect all existing easements, rights of way, and other encumbrances on the land and does not intend to immediately modify the current land uses. Additionally, the land will stay in tax- exempt fee status as part of the Chippewa National Forest until the Tribe develops a plan for future economic and residential use. I want to especially commend the Tribe for working together with local electric co-ops on a memorandum of understanding regarding some of the last remaining issues so that we could bring the bill before us today in a bipartisan fashion. I want to also extend sincere appreciation to our colleague from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) for introducing the House companion of the legislation, H.R. 733, and for working diligently with the Natural Resources Committee, the Tribe, and the local interests to ensure that passage of this bill could become a reality. Mr. Speaker, I urge quick adoption of S. 199, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), who is the principal introducer of the House companion bill.

Mr. CASE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).