Mike Simpson

Mr. SIMPSON

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

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

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

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

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

Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Kathleen ``Kitty'' Hill Kunz. Kitty worked as my regional director in Pocatello, Idaho. Kitty always had a smile and a compliment for everyone. She was cheerful and hard working even as she battled an incurable cancer for many years. Kitty raised five beautiful children with her husband Kent Kunz in Pocatello and later they moved to Boise. She was politically active and her love for our country ran deep. She worked for three Congressmen, ran numerous campaigns, and served as an attache at the Idaho State Legislature. She was active in Republican groups both in Pocatello and Boise and served for a decade as the secretary of the Idaho Republican Central Committee. She also served faithfully as president of the Idaho Federation of Republican Women. She helped found the Connor Academy in Pocatello, which is named after her grandson, and served as a member of the Idaho Charter School Commission. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she said she wanted to get a red Mustang convertible and visit as many national parks as possible. Kitty did just that and she and Kent visited almost every national park in the western United States. Her cheerful disposition, smile, laugh, and hugs will be treasured memories for all who knew her. She served her family, country, and the second congressional district of Idaho for many years. My wife, Kathy and I, offer our deepest sympathies to Kitty's family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time of bereavement. I will forever be grateful for Kitty's tireless service. Truly, so many of us are better people for having known Kitty Kunz. We will miss her, but know her good work continues in heaven.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, on Roll Call No. 138 on Agreeing to the Waters of California Part B Amendment En Bloc No. 1 for H.R. 2547, the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act and Roll Call No. 143 on passage for H.R. 1065, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 138, and YEA on Roll Call No. 143.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. For years, my constituents have been asking me to fix our Nation's broken immigration system. They have told me that the shortage of legal workers in agriculture is wreaking havoc on our farmers in rural communities. That is why I joined with my good friends, Representatives Newhouse, Diaz-Balart, and LaMalfa to come up with a bipartisan solution to this problem. Along with Chairwoman Lofgren and other Democratic colleagues, we crafted a bill to create a merit-based agricultural immigration system for our Nation's food producers, and make much-needed reforms in the H-2A program. But don't just take my word for it. There are over 250 agricultural industry groups from all across America that have written to Congress to support this bill. From potatoes and dairy in my district to citrus and strawberries in Florida and California, growers agree that this bill is good for agriculture and good for our country. But I want to take a moment to address the current situation on our southern border. What is happening there is a crisis and we must address it. We all realize that. Unfortunately, years of congressional inaction has made ``immigration'' a toxic word. This bill is not about what is happening on the border, but that seems to be what all of the debate is about-- what is happening at the southern border. This bill is not amnesty. It does not grant anybody amnesty. It allows individuals to get right with the law and to become part of the legal workforce in the United States. It is about providing a stable legal workforce for the people who put food on our tables. This isn't a perfect bill. No one would agree that it is. But it is a very good compromise that actually gives us a chance to solve a real problem for our constituents. That is why I came to Congress, to do those things, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on Roll Call No. 80.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and enthusiasm that I take a few moments to recognize the tremendous career of public service of Ms. Kristine Svinicki, who recently announced that she will step down later this month as Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As the Representative of Idaho's Second Congressional District and Chair and Ranking Member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee, I have spent my career advocating for the expanded use of safe and reliable nuclear energy. In that effort, I had the distinct pleasure to work closely with Kristine in a number of capacities, and like everyone else who has worked with her, I found her to be a consummate professional and dedicated public servant. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in nuclear engineering, Kristine's career led her to the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy and the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Her time with DOE also included a stop at the Department's Idaho Operation Office in Idaho Falls. Kristine was later detailed by the DOE to the U.S,Senate where she supported Idaho Senator Latty Craig on a variety of energy issues. After a stint with the Senate Armed Services Committee, in 2007 President George W. Bush nominated Kristine to serve as a Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and in 2017, President Donald J. Trump designated her as Chairman. During her three terms at the NRC, Kristine brought unparalleled knowledge, passion and leadership to her work. Kristine never came to a meeting unprepared, and I always left hearings and meetings with her impressed by her insights and persuasiveness. As the nuclear industry has faced challenges, the federal government has worked to support the current fleet of reactors as appropriate, to modernize the regulatory process to allow advanced reactor technologies to enter the market and to right-size the staff at the NRC. In all of those issues, Commissioner and Chairman Svinicki brought a steady hand and a constructive ``let's get to work'' attitude to the process. Chairman Svinicki's commitment to public service has been exceptional and she is a role model for those who want to serve our government and make an impact in a positive way. Kristine blazed her own trail, and she will leave behind scores of friends, colleagues and coworkers who will miss her intellect, her commitment to public service and her wry sense of humor. While Kristine was born and raised in Michigan, we in Idaho like to claim her as one of our own. I am so proud of all Kristine has accomplished, and more importantly how she did it. On behalf of so many grateful Americans, I want to say thank you to Kristine for her service and extend my best wishes in the future.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, election law and regulations must be developed and administered at the state and local level. To that end, I believe criteria and engagement from all Idahoans must be included in this debate and want to enter the Committee's recommendations into Congress' current debate on free and fair elections. The Citizen's Committee for Election Integrity's findings and recommendations: All political power rests with the people. Our Constitutionally guaranteed Republican form of government relies on free, fair, and honest elections to select our representatives and leaders. To ensure equal protection and equal representation of the people, laws governing our elections must meet certain minimum standards. It is the purpose of this Citizens Committee to concisely articulate the minimum standards for free, fair, and honest elections. These standards shall then be used by our local, state and federal legislators as a metric for reviewing and revising election law to ensure free, fair, and honest elections where the outcome is accepted by all citizens of good will. Minimum Standards for Fair and Honest Elections Our Constitutionally guaranteed republican form of government relies on free, fair, and honest elections to select our representatives and leaders. The standards listed here shall be used by our local, state and federal legislators as a metric for reviewing and revising election law to ensure free, fair, and honest elections where the outcome is accepted by all citizens of good will. All voting processes, other than those needed to preserve the privacy of a citizen's vote, must be open and available for direct observation, with no minimum distance requirements, and audit by agents of the candidates or parties. All election materials must have a secure chain of custody at all times. Election officials must be accompanied by observers when accessing any election materials. Records of the chain of custody shall be complete and available for audit. All votes, regardless of voting method, shall be held to equal standards. Voters shall only be qualified electors that are able to verifiably provide their government issued photo identity before being issued a ballot. Voters who provide false information, including information of voter qualification, should face severe penalties. As a condition of being issued a ballot, the voter's identity and signature must be recorded in a permanent record (Poll Book). Original Ballots must have a physical form that allows voting choices to be examined and properly interpreted by the naked eye. Ballots must have features designed to prevent counterfeiting. An auditable system for tracking the status of all ballots must be implemented and maintained in the State of origin. The total number of printed ballots must equal the sum of the number of cast ballots, spoiled ballots, and unvoted ballots. Ballot tabulation must be conducted by two independent and unrelated systems. The difference in totals between the two systems must be less than one half the margin of victory or 0.1% of the vote total, whichever is less. Tabulating machines must only tabulate and not modify ballots in any way, or be connected to the internet. Before the results of an election can be certified, the ballot counts must be reconciled with the voter records. The margin of uncertainty must be less than one half the margin of victory or 0.1% of the vote total, whichever is less. Lists of qualified electors must be purged of unqualified persons 180 days before an election. Voter Rolls should be vetted and compared with available government records to identify duplicate or ineligible registrations. Laws and regulations governing an election may not be changed for 180 days prior to that election. All election records should be retained and preserved for not less than 22 months. Voter identification for provisional ballots must be verified, with information provided by the voter, prior to that ballot being counted.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the fiscal year 2021 omnibus appropriations bill, and particularly the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. As ranking member of the subcommittee, I am pleased this bill is significantly improved from the House bill in many ways. First and foremost, the bill strongly supports our national nuclear security programs, providing $15.3 billion for the Weapons Activities account, an increase of $2.9 billion above fiscal year 2020. This funding supports the maintenance and modernization of our nuclear weapons system, which will ensure a credible and reliable nuclear deterrent. One of my personal priorities is promoting innovation and growth in nuclear energy. This bill provides almost $1.4 billion for research, development, and demonstration activities, including increased funding for the Advanced Small Modular Reactors Program and the Advanced Reactors Demonstration Program, both programs focused on building the next generation of carbon-free technologies to be deployed here and abroad. The bill also includes critical water storage projects in the drought-prone West, such as the Anderson Ranch Dam raise in my district in Idaho. Mr. Speaker, before I yield back, I would like to thank the full committee ranking member, Kay Granger, who has so ably led our Republican Conference on appropriations matters all Congress long. And full committee Chairwoman Lowey deserves our thanks for her many years of service in this committee and to the Nation. We will miss her. Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Chairwoman Marcy Kaptur and I, again, worked well with our Senate partners, Lamar Alexander and Dianne Feinstein, to advance national and constituent interests throughout the programs that are funded in this bill. Finally, I would like to thank staff on both sides of the aisle for their hard work--extremely hard work--particularly this last month, working to help bring this bill to completion. Mr. Speaker, this appropriations package, which includes the Energy and Water division, is a strong bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor on H.R. 2036.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend Brent Hill on nearly two decades of service in the Idaho State Senate. Born and raised in Idaho, Brent graduated from Madison High School in Rexburg, the very city he would represent. He went on to graduate from my alma mater, Utah State University. Hill had an impressive career in accounting, serving over twenty years as the Chief Executive Office of Rudd & Company and a member of the Board of Directors of Citizens Community Bank in Eastern Idaho. This expertise would make him the go-to lawmaker on tax issues in the legislature. In 2001, Hill was first appointed to the Idaho Senate. Ten years into his political career he was elected Senate President Pro Tempore. He held this position for a decade, making him the longest serving pro tempore in Idaho history. Hill is admired by his colleagues in both chambers for his commitment to honesty and civility. He is someone who wants to bring all parties to the table and reach solutions together. His selfless service has been a template for the countless lawmakers that have looked to him as a mentor. With twenty grandchildren, he may find himself busier now than ever. The citizens of Idaho have greatly benefited by having leaders like Brent Hill in office. He has been a great friend to Kathy and me over the years, and I want to thank him for his diligent service and congratulate him on his retirement from the Idaho State Senate.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of Jamie Neill who will be leaving my office at the end of this month. My staff and I have been very fortunate to have him in our office and our lives as he is a terrific staffer and incredible person. Jamie first started in my office as an intern in 2012. His willingness to do hard work made a very strong impression and the fact he is a genuinely nice person was a bonus. We kept our eye on Jamie's career and were fortunate to bring him back full time in 2013. Since then he has grown in his legislative role taking on increasing responsibilities of scope and importance to my district and the country. He has done a tremendous job working on healthcare, agriculture and resource issues for the past eight years and has achieved many successes. Jamie played a critical role in crafting and passing both the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and the Great American Outdoors Act. True to Jamie's nature, no problem or legislative obstacle was too great to overcome through ingenuity and hard work. Jamie's kind and honest demeanor kept people working together and allowed great accomplishments to happen. I will miss Jamie tremendously, but am very pleased he will be residing and working in Boise so he will not be too far away. I congratulate Jamie on a job well done, and wish him best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding work of Mr. Ed Perez who has served as the Director of Government Relations for the Eisenhower Memorial Commission. It has been a true pleasure and honor to work with Ed many years as I have served on the Eisenhower Memorial Commission. Ed has proven himself to be a great ambassador in interacting with Members of Congress and their staff. His passion for this project combined with his diplomatic and interpersonal skills were invaluable in helping us get to the end goal of dedicating an incredible memorial to one of our greatest American leaders. Above all, Ed is a truly kind person. As the commission winds down after completing this enormous task, I want to personally thank Ed for his great work. He and his family can forever look at the monument and be reminded of his job well done.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to vote on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 213; NAY on Roll Call No. 212; YEA on Roll Call No. 211; NAY on Roll Call No. 210; and YEA on Roll Call No. 209.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, for personal reasons, I was unable to vote on September 14, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 183, and yea on Roll Call No. 184.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend Karole Honas on a well-earned retirement after an extraordinary broadcasting career. Karole grew up in Gooding, Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in radio-TV, communications. Shortly after graduation she married her husband, Ken. They have been happily married for forty years. Karole started her career at KPVI in Pocatello. After seven years, she left KPVI to raise her three sons. In 1990 Jay Hildebrandt called and asked her to fill in as an anchor for 6 weeks while another anchor was on maternity leave. Those 6 weeks turned into thirty years of co- anchoring with Jay Hildebrandt. Together they were an iconic news team that the community trusted. In addition to her role at KIFI with Jay, Karole mentored new journalists who were getting started in the industry. She also spent fourteen years as an adjunct instructor at Idaho State University. She has served as a member of the advisory board for the School of Journalism and Mass Media in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Idaho. She continues to reach out to students interested in television news, informing them of internship opportunities and job openings at her station and elsewhere. Karole has served on several community boards and committees. As an active member of her community, Karole is committed to leaving this area better than she found it. It has been my privilege to be interviewed by Karole throughout my political career. Even though we were friends she didn't hold back the tough questions. I have always appreciated her honesty and fairness. Madam Speaker, Karole Honas has provided an immeasurable service to Eastern Idaho for the last thirty years. I want to thank her for that service and wish her well in a well-earned retirement.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend Karole Honas on a well-earned retirement after an extraordinary broadcasting career. Karole grew up in Gooding, Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in radio-TV, communications. Shortly after graduation she married her husband, Ken. They have been happily married for 40 years. Karole started her career at KPVI in Pocatello. After 7 years, she left KPVI to raise her three sons. In 1990, Jay Hildebrandt called and asked her to fill in as an anchor for six weeks while another anchor was on maternity leave. Those six weeks turned into 30 years of co- anchoring with Jay Hildebrandt. Together they were an iconic news team that the community trusted. In addition to her role at KIFI with Jay, Karole mentored new journalists who were getting started in the industry. She also spent 14 years as an adjunct instructor at Idaho State University. She has served as a member of the advisory board for the School of Journalism and Mass Media in the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Idaho. She continues to reach out to students interested in television news, informing of internship opportunities and job openings at her station and elsewhere. Karole has served on several community boards and committees. As an active member of her community, Karole is committed to leaving this area better than she found it. It has been my privilege to be interviewed by Karole throughout my political career. Even though we were friends she didn't hold back the tough questions. I have always appreciated her honesty and fairness. Madam Speaker, Karole Honas has provided an immeasurable service to Eastern Idaho for the last 30 years. I want to thank her for that service and wish her well in a well-earned retirement.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Dr. Mark Peters for his excellent service as Director at Idaho National Laboratory. After nearly five years of capable leadership, Dr. Peters has accepted a position as Executive Vice President for Laboratory Operations for the Battelle Memorial Institute. I wish him well in this new endeavor and take comfort that he will continue to have a role in oversight, not just at INL, but each of the national laboratories managed by Battelle. Dr. Peters spent considerable time on Capitol Hill and many of you have gotten to know him and rely upon his expertise. One of the benefits of representing a Department of Energy national laboratory is you get to meet and work with some of our nation's best and brightest. Intelligent and driven people come to these crown jewels of science and innovation and contribute so much to our economic prosperity and national security. Mark's service at INL is an example of operational excellence, energy innovation, and national security impact. Under Dr. Peters' leadership, INL has delivered on the grand challenges we ask of our national labs. Since Mark arrived at INL on Oct. 1, 2015, the laboratory has helped push forward development and demonstration of advanced nuclear technologies and deployed new capabilities to secure our nation's critical infrastructure from cyberattack. Mark's vision and ability to bring people together allowed INL's clean energy program to expand and contribute to new and exciting areas. I'm talking integrated energy systems, advanced manufacturing, biomass upgrades, and so much more. Under Mark's leadership, the laboratory assembled the power source for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover, continues to meet the Army's needs for tank armor, is helping DoD explore the use of microreactors, and is producing new nuclear fuels and materials. A personal priority of mine has been revitalizing the lab's infrastructure and putting INL's talented workforce into world-class facilities. Mark has been a great ally in this process, an innovator and collaborator. He brought the Department of Energy and lab together with the State of Idaho to build two new facilities on INL's in-town campus. One of those facilities is dedicated to protecting our nation from cyberattack. The other is dedicated to collaborations in high- performance computing. Dr. Peters has worked hard to introduce the lab to all corners of our state and region, demonstrating to the people of Idaho that our national laboratories are places of innovation and intellectual curiosity rather than secretive outposts often rumored about, but rarely understood. Mark has been dedicated to partnerships, building relationships with universities, industry, governments, and schools. He showed our state and region that so much can be accomplished when we work together and in pursuit of lofty, even idealistic, goals. Finally, Dr. Peters has a decency and optimism about him--an intangible quality that makes everyone around him more positive and excited to work together for a brighter future. Mark is a thoughtful person who cares deeply for the people he works with, his community, and our state. Mark has implemented policies to support employee safety, work/life balance, inclusive recruiting and retention, a shared sense of responsibility, and duty to give back. My wife, Kathy, and I have developed a close relationship with Mark and his wife, Ann Marie, who has distinguished herself through her work with the College of Eastern Idaho and various eastern Idaho charities. Mark and Ann Marie are an incredible asset to Idaho and Kathy and I are grateful for their passion for our community and friendship. Mark and Anne Marie will be missed, but I look forward to working with Mark in his new role.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Oklahoma for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in reluctant opposition to H.R. 7617, the six-bill fiscal year 2021 appropriations package that includes the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. I had hoped to have been able to support the appropriations bill this year. Unfortunately, while the bill includes some bipartisan priorities, excessive spending and partisan riders mean I am unable to support the bill at this time. I am pleased that the bill continues significant investments in our Nation's water resources infrastructure, including harbor maintenance activities. Unfortunately, the majority is choosing to ignore several opportunities to enhance water security in the drought-prone West. The bill cuts funding for water storage projects, blocks a critical water storage project in California, and unnecessarily delays the use of previously appropriated funds for other water storage projects. Republicans--in fact, I think every Republican from the California delegation--filed multiple amendments to correct these problems, but none of them were made in order. Even a simple amendment to highlight the importance of funding for water storage projects was left out of the rule. In fact, every other Energy and Water amendment that followed the same format was made in order and will be in en bloc amendments expected to be adopted. Yet the majority refused to allow the full House to even consider and to even debate these critical Western water storage issues. One bipartisan priority of great importance to me is the Department of Energy's nuclear energy program. While the bill addresses several priority activities within the program, overall funding for the program is not reflective of its importance to the national and global energy future. The committee report repeatedly expresses the majority's intent to address climate change, and we have heard that today several times. Yet nuclear energy, a carbon-free, baseload source of power, suffers one of the largest cuts from enacted levels in the entire bill. I am pleased to support Mr. Weber's amendment highlighting the importance of the versatile test reactor. This project will provide a capability that will help with the development of next-generation fast neutron reactors as well as benefit materials development for today's reactors. I am hopeful that, moving forward, we can work together towards stronger funding for the entire nuclear energy program, including the versatile test reactor. One of my main concerns with the bill is the significant amount of emergency spending, mandatory spending, and other gimmicks that effectively undermine the defense and nondefense spending levels agreed to in last year's bipartisan budget deal. The emergency spending provisions alone almost double the cost of the Energy and Water bill, all without discussion, let alone buy-in from House Republicans. That is why I support Mr. Perry's amendment to strike the emergency spending in the Energy and Water bill. If there is a demonstrated need for spending above and beyond the bipartisan caps, it should only occur as a result of bipartisan discussions on that issue, not as a partisan title to an annual appropriations bill. Even with all the additional spending, however, the bill still shortchanges funding for the nuclear weapons program by almost $2 billion. Currently, much of our nuclear weapons complex infrastructure is old, outdated, and some of it is literally falling apart. We must uphold our Nation's strong nuclear deterrence posture, and to do that, we must adequately fund the activities necessary to maintain a safe, reliable, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile. The bill includes numerous policy riders and authorizing provisions, most of which we know will be unacceptable to the administration and will need to be addressed before a final bill can be enacted. I believe one of these riders is intended to reaffirm current law with respect to the authority of the Secretary of Energy, and I strongly support that intent. The House will consider an amendment to strike this language due to concerns that the text goes beyond the intent and would unintentionally disrupt the important work of the Nuclear Weapons Council. While I certainly understand those concerns, I am also concerned about recent efforts in the Senate to undermine the authority of the Secretary of Energy. The Secretary must continue to have full authority for appropriately balancing priorities across the entire Department, including the nuclear weapons program. Unless or until those Senate efforts are defeated once and for all, I believe it would be better to improve the bill text to avoid unintended consequences rather than strike the language entirely. Finally, I am disappointed that the bill does not include any funding to advance the Yucca Mountain license application process and, instead, offers a false promise of interim storage as a solution to the nuclear waste issue. Continuing the license process is how we ensure an authoritative scientific decision--not a political decision--on the safety of Yucca Mountain. Over the past few decades, electricity customers across the country have paid roughly $43 billion, with accrued interest, into the nuclear waste fund for permanent disposal of nuclear waste. Due to the political decision to halt advancement of a permanent repository, however, it is the taxpayers--not the ratepayers, but the taxpayers in all 435 congressional districts--who currently are paying approximately $2.2 million per day, or more than $800 million per year, to cover the cost of temporary onsite storage. There has long been broad, bipartisan support for continuing the Yucca Mountain licensing process, and the Energy and Water bill should reflect that reality. Despite our disagreements over the issues I have mentioned, I want to close by thanking Chairwoman Kaptur and the majority staff for their dedication and hard work on this bill. Ms. Kaptur has continued the cooperative tradition of the subcommittee, even during this year's unusual circumstances, and I appreciate that very much. I would also like to thank Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Granger for their support. Lastly, I would like to thank the staff on both sides of the aisle, particularly my staff in my office, Sarah Cannon, who is on kind of semi-leave about ready to deliver another child. So she does a great job. I look forward to working together as this bill moves forward in the legislative process to develop a final Energy and Water bill that reflects a balanced set of priorities.

Mr. SIMPSON

Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Utah for yielding. I know that was painful. Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of the Great American Outdoors Act. It makes sense to me that, if we are going to have public lands and preserve public lands for Americans, we should also take care of it. That is why the LWCF funding and deferred maintenance part of this bill are very important and a perfect combination. With that in mind, I wrote the LAND Act in 2017, which funded these two programs without using a dime of taxpayer money. Fast-forward to 2020 and the President specifically asked Congress to send him a bill that funded both these programs and that he would sign it. Thanks to Senator Gardner, Senator Daines, Senator Heinrich, and Senator Manchin, the Great American Outdoors Act built upon the LAND Act and passed the Senate with 73 votes, which brings us to this historic day. The Great American Outdoors Act creates 100,000 jobs, preserves public lands for future generations, and cares for our current national parks and trails. All this is funded by energy revenue and the existing $20 billion fund--again, not taxpayer dollars. The bill does not expand the Federal footprint because 99 percent of the LWCF purchases are within existing public lands. The bill does not force anyone to sell their property since it is willing seller and willing buyer. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill not for me and not for you, but for future generations so that they can enjoy our great outdoors.