Sarah Elfreth

Ms. ELFRETH

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

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1352 would designate the General George C. Marshall House in Leesburg, Virginia, as an affiliated area of the National Park System. This is a fitting tribute to a man who left an enduring mark on our national and, dare I say it, world history. George Marshall is the namesake of the Marshall Plan, a strategy that helped rebuild Europe after World War II. He understood that American leadership isn't found in the vacuum of isolation. It occurs from the steady, selfless work of building relationships to achieve global stability. He gave us a blueprint for a world held together by shared prosperity and common interests. The Marshall House preserves and celebrates the historic contributions made by George Marshall throughout World War II and during the postwar economic recovery. The property currently holds a collection of over 6,000 objects related to George and Katherine Marshall. It was found to be a worthy site for increased affiliation with the Park Service through a survey completed in 2023. This bill is the next step in that process and will help forever cement the legacy of George Marshall. This preservation of history also stands in stark contrast to the foreign policy of the Trump administration, which, unfortunately, continues to shoot first and aim later at the expense of decades of thoughtful diplomacy and alliances. The bill before us today is also an important reminder of the need to support our national parks and the agencies tasked with protecting them. Affiliated areas are vital public-private partnerships, as this bill establishes between the National Park Service and the George C. Marshall International Center, but they are just one component of our system. They are not a replacement. Real stewardship requires the courage to designate new, fully funded national parks, not just when it is easy or convenient, but where the land and our history demand it. H.R. 1352 ensures that the legacy of George Marshall and his significant contributions to American history are preserved, protected, and publicly accessible for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam), who is the sponsor of the bill.

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to support this critical piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of amendment No. 12 included in this en bloc package and thank the committee for their hard work. For over 180 years, the United States Naval Academy has educated and trained our Nation's finest sailors, marines, and even some Members of Congress. But the academy faces a very real and ongoing challenge of stormwater flooding impacting the readiness of America's midshipmen. In 2024 alone, there were 85 days of flooding on the yard. My amendment highlights the key part of the academy's installation resilience plan by raising Congress' bipartisan support for the Lejeune cistern, a stormwater management system, to address this flooding and ensure midshipmen continue to receive the highest quality, uninterrupted education needed to serve our Nation. I am thankful for my cosponsor, Congressman Deluzio, and Naval Academy alums Ellzey and LaLota who have also expressed support for this amendment.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, this Police Week, I rise to honor the 20 members of the Annapolis Police Department who received the Life Saving Award and the Meritorious Service Award for their heroism on June 11, 2023. On that afternoon, Paddington Place in Annapolis experienced a heartbreaking mass shooting at a birthday party that took the lives of three of our neighbors and injured three others. In the face of an unfolding tragedy, these officers worked quickly to stabilize the scene and provide lifesaving aid to the gunshot victims. The officers met the families and victims with extreme professionalism, compassion, and composure--working with extraordinary teamwork under challenging circumstances. That night was just one example of how first responders rush to the scene and show up for our loved ones on their hardest days. I thank the officers for their unwavering service on behalf of our community.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Alfred Frank Bucci, whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year and who we lost just 2 months before his 103rd birthday, in Catonsville, Maryland. In World War II, Mr. Bucci served in the 99th Infantry Division during one of the war's most pivotal battles, the Battle of the Bulge. Following the victory, Mr. Bucci and his division helped liberate three POW camps and one Jewish Holocaust concentration camp. Mr. Bucci was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries sustained during his service, and decades later, the French Government honored him with the Legion of Honor medal, France's highest military award. Mr. Bucci continued his lifetime of service by working to improve the quality of life for all veterans at the VFW Post 7472 in Ellicott City. He also told his story to students around the world in the spirit of keeping history alive. Today, we honor his sharp wit, his big heart, and his immeasurable devotion to our Nation. Mr. Speaker, he leaves behind a historic legacy and is survived by his daughter, Joyce; his son-in-law, George; his grandson; many nieces and nephews; and friends who were like family.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2709, the Save Our Sequoias Act, offered by my colleague, Representative Fong from California. The Save Our Sequoias Act establishes a framework to support the ongoing restoration and recovery of giant sequoias, an iconic keystone species found only in the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Sequoias are the largest trees on Earth. Some of them grow to be more than 300 feet tall. They are some of the most fire-resilient species, even evolving to need frequent, low-intensity fires to reproduce and survive, but climate change, drought, and historic fire suppression have led to catastrophic wildfires that are burning hotter and more intensely than ever before. These climate change-driven wildfires are posing an existential threat to giant sequoias, which are struggling to survive. Over the past decade, nearly 20 percent of the entire population of giant sequoias has died. H.R. 2709 is a targeted bill that would codify existing emergency response efforts by the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and partners to promote reforestation and reduce future wildfire risk in giant sequoia groves. These efforts are working. The Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition reported that 2024 was a landmark year for conservation work, with restoration and fuels-reduction efforts successfully completed across nearly half of the total sequoia growth acreage. Mr. Speaker, I thank my Republican colleagues sincerely for their willingness to negotiate in good faith with us on this bill. In our shared commitment to protecting these iconic trees, these national treasures, we came together to address many of our outstanding concerns, ensuring that new authorities provided by the bill prioritize ecological integrity and science-backed decisionmaking without undermining core environmental standards. The bill was strengthened by that very legislative process. It is a clear, old-fashioned example of how bipartisan negotiations can produce balanced, strategic approaches to forest, wildfire, and public land management. It is an approach I urge the Natural Resources Committee to continue to take. Looking at the bigger picture here, Mr. Speaker, this bill is just one piece of the puzzle. Our Federal land management agencies, including the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, require funding and staffing to fulfill their congressionally mandated missions. These agencies cannot protect the giant sequoia without Congress giving them the necessary tools to carry out that work. New authorities alone will not save the sequoia. The survival of one of America's most extraordinary national icons is at stake, and I urge Congress to take seriously its responsibility to support and steward our national parks, forests, and public lands from coast to coast. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4467, a bill offered by my colleague, Representative Thompson of Mississippi. H.R. 4467 authorizes the National Park Service to convey two small pieces of property within Vicksburg National Military Park to the State of Mississippi. This partnership will enhance the visitor experience at the park by facilitating the construction of a new visitor center, built and eventually staffed by the State of Mississippi. Strategically partnering with the State will empower our Federal park rangers to provide visitors with a deeper understanding of such a sacred and important place. The siege of Vicksburg was a crucial moment in the Civil War. Positioned on the Mississippi River in central Mississippi, Confederate President Jefferson Davis called the city of Vicksburg the nailhead that holds the South's two halves together. As President Lincoln saw it, Vicksburg was the key to winning the war. Eager to capture this important city, Union General Ulysses S. Grant ordered the siege of Vicksburg in 1863. By July 4 of that year, the Union Army finally had full control over the Mississippi River. Coupled with the defeat of the Confederate troops at Gettysburg, the siege of Vicksburg was a turning point in the war, paving the way for Union victory. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of our Nation, we must reflect on all parts of our history--the good, the bad, and the ugly; the lessons we need to learn; and the mistakes we cannot afford to repeat. Sites like Vicksburg Military National Park are where Americans can learn about our past, and sanitizing these hallowed sites is a disservice to our Nation's history. H.R. 4467 is an opportunity. My hope is that the new visitor center will convey the full weight of the painful battle and the context of the Civil War to share the uncomfortable truth rather than perpetuate, unfortunately, this administration's erasure of history. I thank Representative Thompson and the entire Mississippi delegation for introducing this bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4467 and to join me in the preservation of our Nation's past. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4284, the Small Cemetery Conveyance Act, introduced by the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez). Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4284 amends the Small Tract Act of 1983 to allow States, local governments, federally recognized Tribes, and land-grant mercedes to request small conveyances of cemetery land. As the chairman said, this is an important update that sets out to fix a deeply personal problem for many rural communities, particularly in the West. Land grant and Tribal communities have existed long before the United States of America or the Forest Service were around. Today, many of these communities find their cemeteries located on Forest Service land, and this bill will enhance access and improve stewardship of these important tracts. While H.R. 4284 waives the need to pay for or exchange land for these sites, this does not signify a giveaway or sell-off of these public lands. This is, rather, about dignity and respect. Importantly, this bill requires all conveyed lands to be managed as a cemetery in perpetuity, and this ensures an ongoing public purpose and allows communities to take care of their ancestors for generations to come. I thank the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez) and the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hurd) for their efforts to return these important burial sites to their constituents. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1665, the DIGITAL Applications Act, sponsored by my colleagues, Representative Cammack and Representative Matsui, which would promote accessibility and transparency in the permitting process for communications use authorizations. While many agencies are working to modernize their systems, application processes too often continue to rely on snail mail or email, which can lead to delays and challenges in submitting and processing. H.R. 1665 complements ongoing agency efforts to modernize the Federal permitting system by requiring the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to establish online portals for processing applications to locate or modify communications or broadband equipment and infrastructure on Federal lands. This is a bipartisan solution to address delays in the permitting process appropriately, while also supporting expanded digital connectivity across our public lands in the year 2026. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Representatives for bringing this commonsense solution. It is about time we bring internet access to every corner of our country. I also thank the bill's sponsor. Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 1665, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to support H.R. 2294, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act, or IOOS, a commonsense, science-based solution that brings together my colleagues on both sides of the aisle around our shared commitment to protecting our coastal communities. I am proud to work with my colleague, Representative Ezell, as one of the bipartisan group of 25 cosponsors on this critical issue. Timely ocean and coastal data is essential to keeping our coastal economies, like the one I represent, running and to protecting our communities. H.R. 2294 reauthorizes the IOOS program that delivers that invaluable data and that helps us with everything from our emergency preparedness to our fisheries management programs in the States that we represent. IOOS helps to track changing ocean temperatures, measure wave activity, predict harmful algal blooms, monitor sea level rise, and improve storm surge forecasts that help emergency managers make lifesaving evacuation decisions. IOOS provides data to States, ports, the Coast Guard, FEMA, and any other business or agency that needs real-time access to ocean conditions. With natural disasters causing an estimated $12 billion in average annual damages, sustained investment in IOOS remains essential to ensure accurate weather and climate forecasts that protect our infrastructure, public safety, and economic resilience. This bipartisan bill extends IOOS through 2030, strengthening partnerships with regional ocean observation systems and ensuring that critical ocean data continues to flow to Federal, State, and local decisionmakers who depend on it. From the Gulf Coast to the golden coast of the Chesapeake Bay, when Republicans and Democrats work together on science-based solutions, we can protect both our natural resources and the communities that depend on them. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 3073, offered by my friend from Utah Representative Maloy. H.R. 3073 would confer civil jurisdiction to the State of Utah over actions arising on or within the lands of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes. Under this legislation, these civil causes of action could be heard in Utah State courts, providing both the Tribe and outside partners with a clear forum to resolve disputes. The bill also amends the Long-Term Leasing Act to allow the Shivwits Band to lease their lands for up to 99 years. Similar amendments have been enacted for a number of other Tribes, and this bill provides the Shivwits Band with that same authority. Madam Speaker, I urge support for the bill to help address challenges the Shivwits Band has faced in pursuing economic development opportunities, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, in closing, I, again, commend my colleague from Utah. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am grateful that H.R. 4294, the MAWS Act, is included in today's suspension package, a piece of legislation I was so proud to work in partnership in crafting with the gentleman from Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the Nation that is responsible for $100 billion in annual economic value, is facing a critical, albeit delicious threat, the invasive blue catfish. These blue catfish were introduced into tidal areas of the bay in the 1970s for recreational purposes under the assumption that they would stay in the freshwater and not venture into the brackish water of the larger bay. That assumption has turned out to be catastrophically wrong. Blue catfish are now not only in every tidal area of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, but they are the most abundant biomass in many of them, and the threat is real. Blue catfish can live up to 20 years. They can weigh up to 100 pounds. They eat approximately 10 percent of their body weight every day and have an extremely fast metabolism. The imbalance my colleague from Virginia just spoke about in our ecosystem has created a situation where because they eat so much, their meals frequently consist of staples of our seafood industry and staples of Maryland and Virginia's culture: baby blue crabs, rockfish, even oysters, causing significant economic damage to our seafood industry at large, which is a central part of our economies in the bay region. Making matters worse, these blue catfish, because they are invasive, have no natural predators in the bay to control that population growth. Because of this, they now estimate there are tens of millions of these fish throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and that is growing rapidly. The good news, Madam Speaker, is that blue catfish are nutritious and delicious, and they are high in protein and omega-3s. According to a new report from bay scientists, these catfish do not retain PFAS like other fish. The market for human consumption has grown significantly across the region, due to a concerted marketing campaign, processors who make bold investments, chefs who are willing to take a risk with blue catfish dishes popping up in restaurant menus, and filets on sale at your local market. However, that market has a few critical limitations that are inhibiting our ability to control this catastrophe. First, blue catfish are the only fish inspected by the USDA. All other fish are under the jurisdiction of the FDA, and this adds significant hurdles for seafood processors and watermen who want to sell blue catfish for human consumption. I would be remiss, Madam Speaker, if I didn't highlight that this very red tape, this bureaucracy, is a limitation placed on the industry by the Congress itself. Second, State health regulations indicate that blue catfish filet is safe for human consumption in fish no larger than 25 pounds. This means there are tens of millions of fish over 25 pounds or up to 85 pounds actually, that watermen struggle to sell because they cannot be processed for human consumption, and the market is not there. Fortunately, they are completely safe for inclusion in the pet food industry. Third, on the other end of the spectrum, there are millions of more than 1- to 2-pound blue catfish that are not big enough to filet and consequently aren't sold for processing for people. The smallest fish are among the most aggressive predators of the species that our industry relies on, stealthily eating eggs in otherwise hard-to-access habitats. We have made significant critical progress like the USDA grant program which provides financial support to processors and food banks, but there remains the problem that only the very narrow window of 2- to 25-pound fish can be sold for human consumption. We are left without a solution to the question: What are watermen supposed to do with every other size? They can't just throw them back. We can do our part, everybody here, and everybody watching at home, including my mother, can do their part in ordering the blue catfish when we see it on a menu. Again, it is delicious and nutritious. This is not a problem we are capable of eating our way out of. That is why I introduced the bipartisan MAWS Act, alongside House Natural Resources Vice Chairman Wittman, to invest funds to address invasive blue catfish and strengthen our local seafood economy, while also providing a new source of protein to pets nationwide. The MAWS Act establishes this pilot program within the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office to facilitate a market for Chesapeake Bay blue catfish in the pet and animal food industry. This program will complement the growing market for human consumption by forging new partnerships with pet and animal food manufacturers nationwide that otherwise do not have a footprint in the Chesapeake Bay, and it would establish a sustainable outlet for fish that are outside the window for human consumption by giving watermen and processors more opportunities to sell the smallest and largest blue catfish. NOAA will enter into cooperative agreements with pet and animal food manufacturers to ensure watermen and processors are properly incentivized to catch blue catfish in the bay, and establish transportation, processing, and manufacturing structures for that long- term market need. By having a customer base with consistent and reliable price points, watermen can feel confident that it is worth their while to catch blue catfish of all shapes and sizes, knowing there will be somebody at the end of the dock to buy it for a fair price. Price points for this pilot program will be established in a collaborative effort between watermen, processors, manufacturers, scientists, and economists. We spent a year crafting this bill, compromising to make sure that everybody's voices were heard and everybody had a seat at the table, ensuring every corner of the industry has a seat and a voice in the decision of what the baseline market price for fillet, byproduct, and whole fish will be for this program. Additionally, in the many months of engagement on this bill with watermen, processors, and manufacturers, we learned that transportation mechanisms are a complex web of coordinated pickups, often with processors going right to the front door of the homes of watermen to pick up their daily catch. In order to make participation in this program feasible and promote the establishment of long-term transportation processes, 15 percent of the total grant funding can be used by grantees to establish these new routes across the Chesapeake Bay in partnership with established routes led by processors. Throughout this 2-year pilot program, NOAA will collect data on the ecological and economic impacts of the program. NOAA will report back to Congress on best practices, lessons learned, and recommendations for additional species in other watersheds that may benefit from this program. Our seafood industry across the Chesapeake Bay is the heart of our economy, but many factors far outside the control of watermen and processors have left the industry in a dire situation. Extreme weather, deep freezes, unexpected waterway discharge, and a national affordability crisis are threatening the livelihoods of our watermen, not to mention the ever-increasing blue catfish population. The MAWS Act, again, is the result of intensive collaboration and creativity of stakeholders across the watershed as we sought to address the ecological and economic damage of the invasive species in a way that complements--again, complements--and strengthens the growing market for human consumption. This is not an either/or approach. This is a yes/and, all-hands-on- deck approach. If this innovative approach is successful, it is our hope that a similar tool can be utilized to combat invasive aquatic species in other waterways across the Nation. Think carp that are wreaking havoc in the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Think snakeheads that are invading North Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas, and more. I am proud to lead the effort of this one-of-a-kind legislation in partnership with my colleagues from Virginia, Representative Wittman and Representative Kiggans, as well as Representative Hoyer. I thank the chair and his staff for providing such technical assistance to this bill, and I thank my colleagues for supporting this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, again, I reiterate my appreciation to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the committee staff, and all the stakeholders who spent the last year crafting this creative solution to a problem that threatens the economy and ecology of the greatest natural resource we have in Maryland and Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay. This is an innovative solution. When you visit with other folks who are policymakers, what we hate to hear is, ``We have always done it this way,'' or, ``We have never done it that way.'' This moment, this crisis that we are experiencing in the Chesapeake Bay, requires innovation, creativity, partnerships, and collaboration. That is exactly what the MAWS Act represents, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5254, offered by my colleagues Representative Bell and Representative Wagner of Missouri, which will support the relationship between Gateway Arch National Park and the Gateway Arch Park Foundation. The Gateway Arch Park Foundation was formed in 2009 to help fund and coordinate the CityArchRiver project, a transformational revamp of the Mississippi Riverfront and Kiener Plaza, right under the iconic arch, that greatly improved public safety and the overall visitor experience. Since then, the foundation's partnership with the National Park Service has thrived. This is exactly the type of public-private partnership we need across all of our national parks. As the official philanthropic partner of the park, the foundation hosts several popular events, including Blues at the Arch and Winterfest, both of which draw thousands of visitors and generate significant revenue that is reinvested back into supporting the park. The bill we are considering today establishes a new pilot program that would allow the foundation to host private events at Gateway Arch National Park. This will allow the foundation to host more events and potentially generate even more resources to support the ongoing management of the park. The authority granted by the bill is a powerful tool when used appropriately, but it cannot become an excuse or rationale to supplant or cut funding from the National Park Service or its staff, especially now when the agency is being pushed to the limit by this administration. Public-private partnerships like this one managed by the Gateway Arch Foundation are essential. They provide critical support through the National Park System, but we must remember that the agency has lost nearly 25 percent of its full-time staff since the beginning of last year. That figure is neither sustainable nor rational. Expanding partnership tools should not be an excuse to replace the expertise and experience of the dedicated professionals at the National Park Service. With that context in mind, this bill requires careful guardrails. Thanks to the cooperation of my colleagues across the aisle, H.R. 5254 will allow managers of the Gateway Arch to test out a time-limited authority. The bill includes significant safeguards for National Park Service-sponsored events, cost recovery authority, and robust reporting requirements so we can understand the full scope and impact of this new pilot project. Allowing a philanthropic partner to have exclusive after-hours access to park facilities will be a unique arrangement within the National Park System. I thank the majority for working with us to ensure it includes the right checks and balances. Madam Speaker, I also thank my colleague and friend Representative Bell from Missouri for introducing this legislation and advocating for his hometown national park, hopefully creating a blueprint that could be utilized across this country. While most Americans know about the iconic St. Louis Arch, famously known as the Gateway to the West, not everyone knows about the full history of the site. The park is also home to the Old Courthouse, the site where Dred Scott first tried and unsuccessfully sued for his freedom from slavery. This is a transformational American story. While President Trump is doing his worst to sanitize American history and remove signs at national parks across the country, boosting its visibility is more important now than ever. Celebrating 250 years of this great Nation means honoring and acknowledging the progress we have made since the days of the Dred Scott decision, not burying the truth or the full telling of our shared history. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 5729, the North Rim Restoration Act, offered by my colleague Representative Crane of Arizona. Last summer's devastating Dragon Bravo fire burned nearly 150,000 acres of the Grand Canyon's North Rim, causing irreparable damage to crucial water infrastructure, well-loved trails, and 106 buildings, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. After the fire, safety concerns forced the Park Service and the nearby Kaibab National Forest to restrict visitor access, effectively closing the North Rim overnight. The loss of tourism has been devastating for communities and businesses. The loss for this Nation cannot be overstated. Arizona's $29.3 billion tourism economy is fueled by visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park, with nearly 5 million people visiting this crown jewel each and every year. Restoring and rebuilding at the North Rim is a serious priority. It will take an all-hands-on-deck approach to rebuild the iconic North Rim lodge to get visitors back to this wonderful landscape. H.R. 5729 will allow the National Park Service to use expedited contracting authority to efficiently move projects along as quickly as possible. However, the single best action we can take is to ensure our Federal land management agencies have the sustained resources and staff required to fulfill their mission of wildfire mitigation and ecosystem restoration, along with the tools necessary. To recover from tragedies like the Dragon Bravo fire, the seventh largest fire in Arizona's history, we must fully fund our national parks, forests, and public land management agencies. I would be remiss if I didn't point out that most of the emergency authorities in this bill could have been granted with the stroke of the President's pen if he had approved an emergency or disaster declaration. That likely hasn't happened because disaster recovery at FEMA has been deeply politicized and delayed by this administration. We can never and should never play politics with rebuilding and recovery efforts. While I appreciate what this bill will do for the North Rim rebuild, I urge my colleagues to work with us and collaborate on the larger issues of staffing, funding, cutting of red tape, and disaster recovery we are seeing in communities across this country. Madam Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 5729, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. ELFRETH. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this critical and timely piece of legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.