Jeff Crank

Mr. CRANK

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

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Just down the hall from this Chamber, we get to take our constituents many times on a tour through Statuary Hall and we see the desk location where John Quincy Adams served as President. Some of our Founding Fathers tolerated slavery. John Quincy Adams knew it for what it was, a stain on our soul, and he worked so hard, dedicating his life to eliminating slavery. I can't help but think of the divine providence that allowed John Quincy Adams for one term to serve in the same Chamber as Abraham Lincoln. I think God smiled upon our Nation when he did that to pass the torch on to Abraham Lincoln and end that scourge for America and for mankind. Mr. Speaker, by reauthorizing the Adams Memorial Commission, H.R. 2306 would provide the time needed to thoroughly design, locate, and construct a memorial truly worthy of the Adams family's commitment to America. I, once again, recognize Representative Moolenaar for his bipartisan commitment to honoring one of America's most accomplished founding families ahead of our Nation's 250th birthday. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2916) to authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2916, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2916, to authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, introduced by the gentlewoman from New York, Congresswoman Stefanik. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe is located on the border of New York and Canada along the St. Lawrence River. Following the Revolutionary War, the Seven Nations of Canada and the State of New York signed the 1796 Treaty, which gave the Tribe its reservation. In 1824 and 1825, New York acquired land from the Tribe without the Federal Government's approval, violating the Non-Intercourse Act, which reserves to the United States the exclusive right to acquire Indian lands and prohibits conveyance without Federal approval. After decades of court proceedings, a 2022 Northern District of New York ruling determined that the State of New York's 1825 purchase of land violated the Non-Intercourse Act. Mediation between the parties resumed and culminated in a settlement signed earlier this year. The settlement would return approximately 3,500 acres of land to reservation status and would allow the Tribe to acquire up to 14,000 additional acres from willing sellers. Additional provisions in the settlement include waived tuition and mandatory fees for Akwesasne Mohawk students attending State University of New York institutions and preferred-rate power from the New York Power Authority. The settlement requires no Federal monetary contribution and clearly defines the reservation's boundaries. Negotiated settlements related to Indian land claims under the Non- Intercourse Act require congressional approval, and that is why we are here today. H.R. 2916 would authorize, ratify, and confirm the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim Settlement Agreement and bring final resolution to a longstanding claim. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2916 gives the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe clarity on their reservation land and resolves a centuries-old violation of the Non-Intercourse Act. This settlement is long overdue and widely agreed upon. It is up to Congress to take the final steps and authorize the settlement. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 573) to require the Council on Environmental Quality to publish an annual report on environmental reviews and causes of action based on alleged non-compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 573, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 573, which would consolidate prior NEPA data collection and reporting efforts into a single report published annually by the Council on Environmental Quality, or CEQ. This bill ensures that consistent, transparent permitting data is available and accessible to the public. It is well known that our permitting system is mired with substantial delays. Many of these issues stem from burdensome and lengthy environmental documents and lawsuits instigated by special interest groups. In past administrations, CEQ has published reports on NEPA litigation and environmental reviews. From 2001 to 2013, annual surveys recorded the defendant agency, plaintiff category, and case results, showing that special interest groups, not individual citizens or communities, were responsible for the most NEPA cases. Although these CEQ studies provided useful data on the cumbersome review timelines and resource strains resulting from NEPA analysis, they have either been produced ad hoc or attention to their continued production has fallen by the wayside. Similar to CEQ's annual litigation surveys conducted between 2001 and 2013, the reports required by this bill would include information related to any NEPA-related civil action brought against an agency and would identify the lead Federal agency, each plaintiff, and case outcome. This information will allow Congress to identify who is suing to block critical infrastructure projects and examine the end result of the litigation on the project itself. This bill would also build off the first Trump administration's NEPA reports conducted in 2020 by directing CEQ to review the page length of environmental impact statements and the timelines to complete such EIS, with updates published annually. This information will give Congress better insight into whether agencies are respecting the NEPA deadlines and page limits created in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Mr. Speaker, I thank the lead sponsor of this legislation, Representative Yakym, for his hard work on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Yakym), the lead sponsor of this bill.

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

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, the Studying NEPA's Impact on Projects Act will provide Congress with crucial information on NEPA litigation. It will also provide transparency to help ensure that agencies comply with the Fiscal Responsibility Act's NEPA deadlines and page limits. I thank Mr. Yakym and Mr. Panetta for their work on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4503) to improve environmental reviews and authorizations through the use of interactive, digital, and cloud-based platforms, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4503, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4503, the ePermit Act, which will establish a governmentwide technology strategy to improve Federal permitting processes and timelines. I thank my colleagues, Representatives Johnson and Peters, for their strong bipartisan work on this legislation. Today's digital landscape for Federal permitting is out of date, consisting of diverse and isolated systems spread across different Federal agencies. Generally, these systems are not interoperable or sufficiently accessible for project sponsors or the general public. To address these issues, the Trump administration issued a memorandum titled: ``Updating Permitting Technology for the 21st Century.'' The Council on Environmental Quality, or CEQ, subsequently issued a Permitting Technology Action Plan. The plan sets the foundation for the seamless exchange of information between agencies, simplified interactions for applicants, and greater transparency and predictability on environmental review and permitting schedules for project sponsors and stakeholders. The ePermit Act would codify key aspects of CEQ's action plan and provide Federal agencies with direction on implementation of electronic permitting systems. It would also instruct CEQ to work with other agencies to establish a unified interagency data system for environmental permitting and integrate AI into agencies' permitting processes. As the world increasingly adopts new technology solutions to boost productivity and improve project outcomes, the Federal Government must do the same or risk being left behind. The ePermit Act takes a strong step in the right direction by modernizing Federal permitting technology in a project-agnostic manner. Again, I thank my colleagues, Representatives Johnson and Peters, for this commonsense bipartisan bill. I ask my colleagues to join me in support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, this is an important piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5131) to extend military land withdrawals in Alaska, New Mexico, and California for a period of 25 years and to make technical corrections to descriptions for certain military land withdrawals, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5131, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5131, the Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Begich of Alaska. This is an important bill that ensures our military continues to have access to the lands they need to train, test, and remain ready to deter and defeat our Nation's adversaries abroad. H.R. 5131 extends critical land withdrawals for an additional 25 years at Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright in Alaska, Fort Irwin in California, and the McGregor Range at Fort Bliss in New Mexico. These lands provide unique training environments, restricted airspace, and infrastructure that cannot be replicated elsewhere. They are essential for Arctic operations, brigade-level exercises, missile defense testing, and joint training with our allied forces. The importance of this legislation cannot be overstated. It is vital that we continue to allow the Army to use these unique areas. Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright in Alaska have the only Arctic training environments in this Nation. Fort Irwin, in California's Mojave Desert, houses the National Training Center, the Army's premier site for brigade-level, force-on-force training exercises. Finally, the McGregor Range in southern New Mexico supports Patriot missile live-fire exercises, aerial gunnery, and large-scale mobilization training. Without these vital training areas, we would risk losing our military's strategic advantage over hostile foreign nations. I commend Representative Begich for his leadership on this effort. His bill provides long-term certainty to the U.S. Army so they can continue training and testing effectively as they prepare for the threats of tomorrow. By advancing this legislation, he is not only helping Alaska, but the entire Nation, by ensuring we have the most capable, prepared Armed Forces in the entire world. I also thank the U.S. Army for their continued service to our Nation and for their collaboration on this effort. They strongly support this bill, and we were grateful to work alongside them to advance this legislation. This is a good bill. It strengthens national security, provides certainty for our servicemembers, and ensures America remains prepared to deter aggression and protect our interests around the world. This legislation also directly reflects the priorities set forth in President Trump's executive order on prioritizing military excellence and readiness, which reaffirmed America's commitment to the military superiority necessary to counter new and emerging threats. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Begich for his hard work on this legislation which helps our military. I urge my colleagues to support his bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC, December 8, 2025. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Westerman: H.R. 5131, the ``Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025'', was referred primarily to the Committee on Natural Resources, with an additional referral to the Committee on Armed Services. H.R. 5131 contains provisions within the Committee on Armed Services' Rule X jurisdiction. As a result of your having consulted with the Committee and to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee on Armed Services will forego action on the bill. This is being done based on our mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services with respect to the appointment of conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar bills. I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and would request that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the committee report or in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely, Mike Rogers, Chairman.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Begich), who is the lead sponsor on this bill.

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I, again, thank Representative Begich for his leadership on the Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025. This bill ensures that our military's capabilities and readiness will remain strong as we move into the future. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5131, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CRANK

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the upcoming 70th annual tracking of Santa Claus by the North American Aerospace Defense Command at Peterson Space Force Base in my district in Colorado Springs. Originally tracked by the Continental Air Defense Command, which is now known as NORAD, the command tracks Santa on his sleigh, pulled by nine reindeer, including their leader, Rudolph, as he travels around the world to give gifts to all the children on Santa's nice list. I encourage every family to track Santa on the NORAD Tracks Santa website this upcoming Christmas Eve and to keep a watchful eye on the skies for Santa as he passes overhead, bearing gifts for all those good kids. Mr. Speaker, to all the children, even some who may serve in Congress, I would say it is an exciting time of the year. Look up in the sky on Christmas Eve and track Santa on the NORAD Tracks Santa website.

Mr. CRANK

Mr. CRANK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel Ric Trimillos for his extraordinary dedication and service as Scoutmaster of Troop 66 in Colorado Springs. For years, Ric has served as a mentor and a role model to the Scouts of Troop 66. His commitment to the principles of scouting has created a nurturing environment where Scouts are encouraged to grow into responsible, competent leaders. Ric's ability to connect with youth, guide them through challenges, and celebrate their achievements is a testament to his deep compassion and unwavering dedication. Under his guidance, Troop 66 has thrived. Ric has led countless campouts, service projects, and leadership training events, always with a focus on building resilience, teamwork, and respect. His mentorship has helped many Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout and, more importantly, has instilled in them a lifelong commitment to service and integrity. On behalf of all of those whose lives he has touched, I extend my deepest gratitude and heartfelt recognition.