Greg Gianforte

Mr. GIANFORTE

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 material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I would echo the sentiments of the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hanabusa). I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1107, introduced by Congressman Mark Amodei of Nevada, is a bipartisan bill that consolidates over 300,000 acres of checkerboard land previously identified for disposal by the Bureau of Land Management in Pershing County, Nevada. This bill conveys land for mining and other public purposes, creates a new wilderness area, and releases certain wilderness study areas, all to benefit conservation, recreation, and economic development in the county. Mr. Speaker, 85 percent of Nevada's land is owned and operated by the Federal Government. Not only does this deprive the State final say on management decisions in its own backyard, but it also deprives the State of the tax base utilized by other States to fund roads, school districts, and police departments. Pershing County, Nevada, is no different. Seventy-five percent of the county is federally owned. This bill is a result of over a decade of negotiations between locally elected officials, miners, conservationists, sportsmen, ranchers, and residents in the county. Their hard work and commitment to bipartisanship has resulted in a bill that benefits all parties, guaranteeing that both the economic and ecological future of the county are protected. This bill, in addition to being cosponsored by all Nevada congressional Representatives, is supported by Pershing County, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, the Nevada Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Coalition for Nevada's Wildlife, and several Nevadan mining companies, including Clover Nevada, Coeur Mining, EP Minerals, Gold Acquisition Corp., and Solidus Resources. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1532) to reaffirm that certain land has been taken into trust for the benefit of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and for other purposes.

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

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1532, sponsored by the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne), would ratify the trust status of lands the Secretary of the Interior currently holds for the benefit of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama. The lands are located in the State of Alabama, with the exception of 1 acre of land in the State of Florida. The Tribe's trust lands are used for a variety of Tribal purposes, including the operation of casinos authorized under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, a health clinic, an assisted living facility, and other facilities and development serving the needs of the Tribe and the local communities. H.R. 1532 applies only to specific tracts of land taken in trust prior to a 2009 ruling by the Supreme Court, a ruling whose significance I will describe in a moment. Lands held in trust by the Secretary of the Interior have a unique political status. The lands are regulated by Tribes and the Federal Government pursuant to a variety of statutes that restrict their alienation, and protect them from taxation and from State civil and criminal jurisdiction. In addition, gaming may not be conducted by a Tribe under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 unless the casino is located on trust or reservation lands. H.R. 1532 is necessary because there is a cloud of uncertainty over the title of the Poarch Band's existing trust lands. The Poarch Band obtained formal Federal recognition in 1984 and lands for the benefit of the Tribe were taken by the Secretary of the Interior in trust pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, or the IRA. In a 2009 Supreme Court opinion commonly called Carcieri, the Court held that the Secretary may not use the IRA to acquire land in trust for a Tribe unless the Tribe was under Federal jurisdiction when the IRA was enacted in 1934. While the Poarch Band was not a party to the case, the effect of the Supreme Court case calls into question the lawfulness of the Secretary's acquisition of the Tribe's lands because the Tribe was federally recognized 50 years after the IRA. H.R. 1532 would clear up any question over the validity of the Secretary's action to take the Tribe's existing lands into trust. It will create a needed certainty for the Tribe to use it for a variety of uses that might otherwise be prohibited were the lands to fall under State jurisdiction. Because the bill ratifies the trust status for lands acquired by the Secretary prior to 2009, there is no concern that we are ratifying any action taken by the Secretary that might violate the IRA, as defined by the Supreme Court. There is precedent for this legislation. In 2013, Congress enacted legislation to ratify the trust status of lands for the Gun Lake Tribe in Michigan, a Tribe that was recognized in recent years, like the Poarch Band. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne).

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz).

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

Mr. GIANFORTE

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 material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Alex Diekmann Peak Designation Act of 2017, introduced by Senator Steve Daines from Montana, would designate an unnamed peak in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness in my home State of Montana the Alex Diekmann Peak. Alex Diekmann was a renowned conservationist who lived in Bozeman, Montana. He dedicated his professional life to protecting the scenic resources of more than 50 district areas in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho and conserving more than 100,000 acres. Mr. Diekmann brought together communities, landowners, sportsmen, and the general public in his conservation efforts and contributed to the future of natural treasures, such as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Glacier National Park, and the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem. Mr. Diekmann left a noteworthy impact on the preservation of natural wonders in and near the Madison Valley and Madison Range of Montana. This pristine area is home to majestic scenery, fishing, wildlife, and recreational opportunities that will remain conserved and accessible to the public thanks to Alex's diligent work. Mr. Diekmann lost his heroic battle with cancer on February 1, 2016, at the age of 52. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their two sons, Logan and Liam. He leaves a legacy of conservation across Montana and the northern Rockies that will continue to benefit the United States for generations to come. The designation of this unnamed peak in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness in Montana will honor the life and legacy of Alex Diekmann. I thank Alex for his work on behalf of the American people and look forward to paying tribute to him by hiking Alex Diekmann Peak this coming summer with my wife and those of my children who can join us. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii for her help on this, and I would also urge my colleagues to vote for the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance 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. 2897) to authorize the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the Director of the National Park Service to enter into cooperative management agreements for the operation, maintenance, and management of units of the National Park System in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within 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. 2897, introduced by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia, authorizes the District of Columbia to establish cooperative management agreements with the National Park Service to operate, manage, and maintain National Park Service properties within the city limits. As of 2015, 21.7 percent of the District's total surface area, over 8,000 acres in all, was owned and managed by the National Park Service. This area includes 23 distinct units of the National Park System, the National Mall, and many of the small urban green spaces spread throughout the city. A significant portion of this land is in disrepair. The District ranks second in the National Park Service's deferred maintenance, with an estimated total deferred maintenance of approximately $1.2 billion. H.R. 2897 authorizes the District of Columbia to enter into cooperative management agreements with the National Park Service for the operation and maintenance of units around the city. This bill is a component to a major restorative initiative headed by the Mayor's office and sponsored by local nonprofits, and conversations are already underway between the District and the National Park Service for the improvement and repair of Franklin Park. The city has set aside nearly $14 million for the restoration of the park, and local public and private partnerships will provide yearly maintenance and upkeep. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill for both the citizens of the District and the citizens of our great country. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I also urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a member of the Greatest Generation, a Montanan whose service to our Nation and Montana stretched across eight decades. Born and raised in Butte, Phillip ``Herk'' Lyons answered the call to serve following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He joined the Navy and served as a submariner in both World War II and the Korean war. Phil became active with military service organizations in the 1950s, serving in leadership roles in the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans, among others. Phil was known as ``Mr. DAV.'' He logged more than 50,000 miles, 16,000 hours, and carried more than 1,700 fellow veterans to appointments. On behalf of all Montanans, I honor the memory of Phil, and I extend my condolences to his daughter, Debbie, his family, his friends, and all those whom his service touched.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill (H.R. 2815) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 30 East Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the ``Sergeant John Basilone Post Office'', as proposed to be passed under suspension of the rules, be modified by the amendment I have placed at the desk.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, America lost a hero this week, and I lost a friend. Tim Frable trained at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana and flew missions in a P-51 over Japan during World War II. During one mission, he had to ditch into the Pacific. He and a wing mate floated for days before being rescued. Tim was my science teacher in junior high school. He told his ocean rescue story in 5-minute installments at the end of class each day. Because of his storytelling, no one missed class. Tim loved Montana. In 1976, he brought me and 17 other classmates from Pennsylvania to Red Lodge to hike into the back country. We hiked to Black Canyon Lake, Grasshopper Glacier, Froze-to-Death Plateau, and onto the Absaroka Lake Plateau. Tim had a tremendous impact on many lives in his 93 years, including my own. I will always be grateful for his service to our country and for his dedication as a teacher. I will miss my friend Tim Frable.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4171) to amend title 5, United States Code, to extend the authority to conduct telework travel expenses test programs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. GIANFORTE

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GIANFORTE. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.