Greg Gianforte

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5532) to redesignate the Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War was a time of significant transformation for the United States. Reconstruction addressed how the 11 States that had left the Union would be reestablished in Congress, as well as how the civil rights and integration into a free society of 4 million formerly enslaved individuals could be secured. The Reconstruction Era National Monument was established by Presidential declaration in January 2017 as a unit of the National Park Service. It is located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, an area that has been called the birthplace of Reconstruction. In and around this area, some of the first African Americans enlisted as soldiers and founded the first African American schools and hospitals during Reconstruction. This was also the home of Robert Smalls, a former slave who became a political leader, serving on two State constitutional conventions: in the State legislature and, ultimately, the U.S. Congress. H.R. 5532 redesignates Reconstruction Era National Monument as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to expand the park boundary. The bill also establishes the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, which will connect similar sites across the country to promote education and preservation efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 660) to require the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on the efforts of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage its infrastructure assets.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent for all Members to have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 660 is bipartisan legislation introduced by Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona. For more than a century, the Bureau of Reclamation has transformed the West into a powerhouse that feeds the Nation and the world, and provides renewable and emissions-free energy for millions. Bureau of Reclamation projects have proven to be critical to the American way of life in the West, and we must ensure their protection for future generations. This means having open and honest discussions about the challenges the Bureau of Reclamation faces maintaining and repairing these projects. To that end, H.R. 660 is a bipartisan bill that requires the Federal Government to make public in a unified way the estimated cost of repairs for reclamation facilities. The American public has asked for and deserves laws that reflect transparency and open discussion. H.R. 660 delivers that. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for his work on this. I urge adoption, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4689) to authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).

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

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Mr. Smith for his work on this bill, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5317) to repeal section 2141 of the Revised Statutes to remove the prohibition on certain alcohol manufacturing on Indian lands, as amended.

Mr. GIANFORTE. 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 bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Herrera Beutler).

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6040) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain land and facilities of the Central Valley Project, as amended.

Mr. GIANFORTE. 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 bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6040 would transfer the Contra Costa Canal to the Contra Costa County Water District. Contra Costa seeks to enclose the earthen canal to increase water supply availability and improve public safety. Officials in the region have documented 81 instances where individuals have drowned from falling into the canal, but, currently, Contra Costa faces financial and bureaucratic challenges to conducting this important upgrade because it doesn't have title to the canal. This bill would allow local water users who best understand the unique challenges of the area to determine what is right for them. H.R. 6040 is not only advantageous to local beneficiaries, but it is also a relief to the American taxpayer. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.