Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

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 to S. 254, 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 S. 254, Alaska's Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act, or the ARTIST Act. Subsistence harvest of marine mammals is a key aspect of Alaska Native culture. Subsistence hunters harvest marine mammals for both food and to create Native handicrafts, clothing, and artwork. Many of the millions of Americans that visit Alaska each year purchase these products. However, as States have enacted bans on ivory to prevent the trafficking of elephant tusks, these bans have been incorrectly applied to walrus ivory, a central component of the Alaska Natives' creations. The ARTIST Act fixes this longstanding issue by allowing Alaska Natives' handicraft and artworks to be sold in interstate commerce. Ultimately, this bill recognizes the immeasurable ways in which Alaska Natives have contributed to the story of Alaska. I thank Congressman Begich for his leadership on this important issue in the House and Senator Sullivan for his leadership in the Senate. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Begich), the lead sponsor of the House companion to the bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, last year, a bipartisan group of members of our committee traveled to Alaska. As part of that visit, we held a roundtable with Alaska Native organizations during which we heard about the importance of subsistence hunting for Alaska Native communities, cultures, and economies. Enacting this bill will remove a longstanding barrier for the sale of Alaska Native handicrafts and artwork, and I am pleased that Congress is championing policies that are important to the Alaska Native way of life. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of S. 254, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7250) to reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System Act of 2000.

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. 7250, 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. 7250, a bill to reauthorize the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System, sponsored by Representative Troy Downing of Montana. The system consists of two interconnected water systems in northeastern Montana, which serve Tribal and non-Tribal communities. Major features of the system have already been completed, and a substantial portion is operational. Some work remains to complete the project. This legislation would extend the Bureau of Reclamation's authority to carry out work on the project through fiscal year 2028, which will provide enough time to complete the project using existing funds. Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Downing for his leadership on this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support the 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 Montana (Mr. Downing), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this bill will provide for the completion of a water system that is necessary for the long-term sustainability of rural communities in Montana. 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. 3922) to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on existing programs, rules, and authorities that enable or inhibit wildfire mitigation across land ownership boundaries on Federal and non-Federal land, 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 include extraneous material on H.R. 3922, 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. 3922, the Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act, a bipartisan bill led by Representatives Neguse and Kim. This important, straightforward legislation directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study analyzing barriers to cross-boundary forest management between the Federal Government and non-Federal partners. Catastrophic wildfires do not respect manmade boundaries. They burn across a patchwork of Federal, State, Tribal, local, and private lands, wreaking havoc all along the way. Confronting our Nation's forest health and wildfire crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach with stronger coordination and collaboration across all jurisdictions. Tools like Good Neighbor Authority and Shared Stewardship have successfully allowed non-Federal partners to work with Federal agencies to carry out cross-boundary treatments to restore forest health and mitigate wildfire threats. Recently, the Trump administration signed a new Shared Stewardship agreement with Montana to treat up to 200,000 acres of fire-prone, overgrown forest. Just last week, another Shared Stewardship agreement was signed between the Forest Service and South Dakota, which will allow more fuels reduction treatments on South Dakota's nearly 2 million acres of forest land. This type of proactive collaboration is exactly what is needed, especially as we approach the height of what some are anticipating will be one of the worst wildfire years on record. However, more can be done to remove barriers that limit cross-boundary efforts, improve coordination, and reduce fragmentation and duplication across programs. H.R. 3922 will help address these challenges by directing the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of wildfire mitigation efforts across Federal and non-Federal lands. This legislation requires an examination of Federal programs, rules, and authorities to determine which policies are supporting cross- boundary efforts and which are inhibiting them. The study will also identify necessary changes to improve and increase wildfire mitigation efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3922, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, May 26, 2026. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter confirms our mutual understanding regarding H.R. 3922, the ``Cross-Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act.'' Thank you for collaborating with the Committee on Agriculture on the matters within our jurisdiction. The Committee on Agriculture will forgo any further consideration of this bill. However, by forgoing consideration at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over any subject matter contained in this or similar legislation. The Committee on Agriculture also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees, should it become necessary, and ask that you support such a request. We would appreciate a response to this letter confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 3922 and request a copy of our letters on this matter be published in the Congressional Record during Floor consideration. Sincerely, Glenn ``GT'' Thompson, Chairman.

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, to address the enormity of the wildfire crisis, it is critical that we find ways to improve forest management across manmade jurisdictional boundaries. H.R. 3922 is a good bipartisan bill that will do just that by identifying existing Federal policies that can be changed to streamline proactive forest management. 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. 2860) to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Act to promote the protection of the resources of the Northwest Straits, and for other purposes, 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 include extraneous material on H.R. 2860, 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 the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2025. The Northwest Straits Advisory Commission was first authorized by Congress in 1998. Initially, it was created to respond to discussions about a potential marine sanctuary that was proposed in that region of Washington State. In the years since, this commission has worked with local communities to conserve marine resources. H.R. 2860 reauthorizes this commission; establishes clear goals for the commission's work; and modifies its membership, including two representatives from the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 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.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Advisory Commission. I commend my colleague, the gentleman from the State of Washington (Mr. Larsen), not only for his work on this bill but for his leadership to pass the successful highway transportation reauthorization bill recently. Again, I support the legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2252) to authorize the relinquishment and in lieu selection of land and minerals in the State of North Dakota, to restore land and minerals to Indian Tribes within the State of North Dakota, and for other purposes, 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 include extraneous material on H.R. 2252, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2252, the North Dakota Trust Lands Completion Act of 2026, introduced by the gentlewoman from North Dakota (Mrs. Fedorchak). This bill addresses a land management issue that dates back to North Dakota's admission to the Union. At statehood, Congress granted lands to North Dakota to help support public institutions, including schools and universities, through responsible land and resource management. For more than a century, the State has used those lands to generate revenue for education and for other public purposes. Today, North Dakota continues to manage hundreds of thousands of acres of surface estate and millions of acres of mineral estate known as State trust lands. However, approximately 31,000 of these surface acres and roughly 130,000 acres of the State trust minerals are located within the boundaries of Tribal reservations. This has created overlapping jurisdictional challenges and fragmented, checkerboard ownership patterns that are burdensome to all parties. Furthermore, these stranded State trust lands are unable to generate revenue for the benefit of North Dakota's citizens and public schoolchildren. H.R. 2252 provides a better path forward that is a win-win for everyone involved. The bill allows North Dakota to relinquish certain trust lands located within reservation boundaries and select equal- value Bureau of Land Management lands elsewhere in the State that they can utilize to generate millions of dollars in new revenue. In return, the relinquished lands from the State within reservation boundaries will be taken into trust for the benefit of North Dakota's Tribes. Importantly, this legislation protects taxpayers by requiring independent appraisals, equal-value exchanges, and protection for valid existing rights. This logical fix helps North Dakotans better manage their trust land, provides long-term funding for education, supports Tribes, and consolidates fragmented land ownership to reduce the burden on Federal land management agencies. This is truly a win-win across the board. I commend the leadership of Representative Fedorchak in advancing this bill. I also commend Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who has supported this legislation since his time as North Dakota's Governor. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2252, and I reserve the balance of my time.