Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2768) to amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Benton MacKaye Trail as a national scenic trail, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 2786.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2768, the Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2026, sponsored by Representative Fleischmann. Named after the American forester who envisioned the Appalachian Trail, the Benton MacKaye Trail, or BMT for short, is a roughly 280- mile backcountry trail that extends across Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Beginning at Springer Mountain in northern Georgia, the BMT crosses several national forests and ultimately connects with the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Approximately 95 percent of the trail is on land managed by the Forest Service or the National Park Service. H.R. 2768 authorizes a study to evaluate the feasibility of designating the BMT as a National Scenic Trail. There are currently 11 National Scenic Trails across the country. These routes generally extend 100 miles or more, are primarily nonmotorized, and offer exceptional recreational opportunities. This legislation will evaluate the BMT to ensure that it meets the criteria for designation as a National Scenic Trail before any designation is made. Importantly, this bill will not add any land to the Federal estate, and any designation of the BMT would require a separate act of Congress. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague Representative Fleischmann for his bipartisan work on this effort. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2768, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), the lead sponsor of this bill.

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, once again, I commend Representative Fleischmann and Representative Cohen for their leadership on behalf of Mr. Fleischmann's constituents. This legislation initiates an important process to evaluate a prominent trail in the South for potential designation as a National Scenic Trail. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4463) to amend the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina Land Claims Settlement Act of 1993.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 4463, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4463, introduced by Representative Norman of South Carolina, amends the Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina land Claims Settlement Act of 1993 to remove Federal restrictions on future membership in the Catawba Indian Nation. This is a straightforward Tribal sovereignty bill. In 1993, Congress passed the Catawba settlement act. That statute restored the Catawba Indian Nation's Federal recognition, resolved its land claims, and set out several rules for the Tribe in Federal law. The law also did something unusual. It put future membership rules for the Catawba Indian Nation directly into Federal statute. In practical terms, Congress, not the Tribe, set the requirements for who could be a Tribal member going forward. H.R. 4463 restores sovereignty to the Tribe. It removes Federal membership restrictions and allows the Catawba Indian Nation to determine its own membership under its own constitution and governing processes. That is how this should work. Deciding who belongs to a Tribe is one of the most basic parts of Tribal self-government. It should be handled by the Tribe through its own laws, not locked into Federal law by Congress. Mr. Speaker, I commend Mr. Norman for his work on this important bill. I support H.R. 4463, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4463 is a narrow, commonsense bill. It removes a unique Federal restriction on the Catawba Indian Nation and returns future membership decisions to the Tribe's own constitution and governing processes. Membership is a core part of Tribal self-government. This bill respects that principle. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Norman for his leadership. I urge passage of H.R. 4463, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3831) to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to prohibit feeding sharks in the exclusive economic zone off the State of Florida.

Mr. WESTERMAN. 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. 3831, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3831, the Florida Safe Seas Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Webster of Florida. In recent years, shark populations have exploded in our waters. In Florida, this has posed considerable safety concerns, especially for those participating in the State's commercial and recreational fishing sectors, as well as in other recreational activities on or near the ocean. To address this issue, Florida enacted a ban more than two decades ago on feeding sharks while diving and snorkeling in State waters. While this ban has been effective in State waters, threats still exist in Federal waters. H.R. 3831 extends the existing State ban on shark feeding to Federal waters, aligning State and Federal policies. Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Webster for his leadership on this important issue for the State of Florida, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this bill will improve administrative efficiency and enhance the safety of the ocean-going public by aligning State and Federal regulations. Congressman Webster's legislation is just the latest of several different bills that our committee has advanced to address issues related to shark depredation, which was exacerbated when Congress enacted the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2021. I thank Mr. Webster for his work on advancing this important issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5911) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to the City of Ouray, Colorado, certain land managed by the Forest Service, together with a reservoir, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and add extraneous material to H.R. 5911, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5911, the Crystal Reservoir Conveyance Act, which is sponsored by my colleague on the Natural Resources Committee, Representative Hurd. This is a commonsense bill that conveys the Crystal Reservoir, Full Moon Dam and Ditch, and surrounding 45 acres of land from the U.S. Forest Service to the city of Ouray, Colorado. This legislation reflects a simple but important idea: When a local community depends on reliable access to a resource, they should be empowered to take responsibility for it. This is especially true when the Federal Government is no longer in a position to manage that resource effectively. The city of Ouray is also known as the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Colorado. It is surrounded by Federal land and deeply tied to the Crystal Reservoir. That reservoir is not just a scenic feature. It plays a critical role in wildfire response, supports local agriculture, sustains recreation, and helps to provide water for the community and the city's well-known hot springs. Today, the reservoir is drained. The aging Full Moon Dam was found to have structural issues. Instead of being quickly repaired to restore access to the reservoir, the dam has been taken offline. This has left Ouray without a critical asset. H.R. 5911 offers a straightforward solution to make the reservoir operational again by conveying the water infrastructure, water rights, and surrounding land to the city. In doing so, this legislation allows the city to step in, repair the Full Moon Dam, and manage the reservoir in a way that reflects local needs and priorities. At the same time, this bill includes strong guardrails to ensure the public interest is protected. The land must remain as open space for public recreation with continued access to existing roads and trails. The city must assume full responsibility for operating and maintaining the dam and ensuring compliance with safety requirements. There are clear limitations on development and expansion, including provisions to conserve upstream wetlands. This transfer of responsibility represents good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Instead of the Federal Government taking on potentially costly repairs to aging infrastructure, this bill allows a willing and capable partner to assume that burden, ensuring that the people who depend on the infrastructure have a direct stake in its future. More broadly, this legislation reflects the kind of partnerships we should be encouraging across the country. Communities like Ouray are not asking for less access or less responsibility. They are asking for the ability to manage resources that are essential to their livelihoods, their safety, and their local economies. When we empower these communities, we get faster action and solutions that are tailored to realities on the ground. H.R. 5911 employs common sense to restore a critical resource, strengthen local water security, support wildfire preparedness, and maintain public access for recreation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this fiscally responsible legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hurd), the lead sponsor of this bill and the chairman on the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, at its core, this bill is about restoring a public recreation site that is vital to a nearby community. We have an opportunity to turn a stalled Federal asset into a functioning local resource, to replace uncertainty with action, and to show that when communities are ready to step up, Congress is willing to meet them there. That is a result that is worth supporting. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6162) to transfer certain Federal land into trust for certain Indian Pueblos in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 6162, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may assume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 6162, the Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025. This legislation conveys approximately 9.89 acres of Federal land in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to the Department of the Interior to be held in trust for the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. The land is currently owned by the General Services Administration. The transfer includes three tracts formerly used by the Albuquerque Indian School, which operated for a century, from 1881 to 1981. Those tracts remain historically and culturally significant to the 19 pueblos. H.R. 6162 requires the 19 pueblos to use the transferred land for educational and cultural purposes, as well as economic development. The legislation has received wide support from the All Pueblo Council of Governors, the Albuquerque City Council, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, and various local officials. It also includes a prohibition on gaming, subject to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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