Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3276, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3276, the Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act of 2025. Birds are an important part of our Nation's natural heritage and play an important role in healthy and resilient ecosystems. Millions of Americans also enjoy bird-watching each year, supporting local economies and businesses across the country. Unfortunately, birds face several challenges in urban areas, including habitat loss and hazards such as building collisions and light pollution. H.R. 3276 addresses these challenges by codifying the Urban Bird Treaty Program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently provides grants and technical assistance to communities and other eligible partners to conserve, restore, and enhance urban bird habitat, reduce hazards to birds, and engage the public in monitoring and conservation efforts. This legislation will enable this important work to continue with greater congressional oversight and accountability. Mr. Speaker, I just recently had the opportunity to visit Audubon, Arkansas, and see the great work that they are doing with bird habitat and also to discuss again how healthy forests not only provide us with clean air and clean water, but they also provide excellent bird habitat. It is another reason the Senate should pass the Fix Our Forests Act. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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. 3276, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3276) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Urban Bird Treaty Program, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank Dr. Kennedy of Utah for his work. I urge the passage of H.R. 8658, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Kennedy), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8658, introduced by Congressman Mike Kennedy from Utah, would amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to require that non-elderly and nondisabled Indian patients have at least 15 days to notify the Indian Health Service when they receive emergency treatment or are admitted to a healthcare facility through the purchased/referred care program. The IHS uses the purchased/referred care program, or PRC, to pay outside providers when needed services are unavailable at an IHS or Tribal health facility. IHS approves a PRC payment if a patient meets specific requirements, including timely notification of IHS. The law currently provides elderly or disabled Indians a 30-day emergency notice window, while the rule for all other patients is 72 hours. During an emergency, 72 hours is a very short window. While extensions can be granted, the 72-hour window remains the standard. This timeframe is unrealistic for a patient dealing with a health crisis who may be transferred between facilities, recovering from surgery, or relying on assistance from someone unfamiliar with PRC notice rules. When the 72-hour deadline is missed, a claim that would otherwise be approved may be denied, and the patient is at risk of being billed or sent to collections for emergency care. This legislation would amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to provide at least 15 days to notify IHS of emergency treatment or admission for PRC purposes, while preserving the existing 30-day notification window for elderly or disabled Indians. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Kennedy of Utah for championing this important legislation for Indian Country. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, August 24, 2026. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Westerman: I write regarding H.R. 8658, the ``Indian Health Service Emergency Claims Parity Act.'' While there are provisions of the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, I wanted to notify you that the Committee will forgo action on the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. This is done with the understanding that the Committee's jurisdictional interests over this and similar legislation are in no way diminished or altered. In addition, the Committee reserves the right to seek conferees on H.R. 8658 and requests your support when such a request is made. I would appreciate your response confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 8658 and ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the committee report on the bill or in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Thank you again for your assistance on this matter. Sincerely, Brett Guthrie, Chairman.

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. 8658, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8658) to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to modify the notification requirement for emergency contract health services for certain beneficiaries, and for other purposes.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 7889, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, as we consider water in our country, I want to point out a couple of trips that I have made recently. One was to the little town of Beaver, Utah, where they had a 100,000-acre forest fire, and a few weeks later, they had an inch to an inch and a half of rain, which normally would be very welcome there, but because this forest fire basically clear-cut this whole canyon that provides the water for the town of Beaver. Instead of replenishing their water supply, what it did was wash vast amounts of soil and debris into the watershed. It took out three hydropower plants. It washed mud and debris across bridges and took them out. It also washed all this debris into the town and had their water system offline for an extended period of time. We often don't associate forest health and water as much as we should. This is a crisis that is facing us across the country. That is why it is important to have legislation like Representative Wittman has proposed here. I was in southwest Colorado at the end of last week, and we flew over another 100,000-acre fire. We saw, again, how when the land is denuded, to use a word from Teddy Roosevelt, and soil is no longer held in place and we get rain, it causes catastrophes. It doesn't have to be this way. We can have safe, healthy drinking water all across this country. Actually, about two-thirds of our water comes from forested landscapes. We have seen how important this is, even in places like New York City, where they have a tremendous water system that people, putting a lot of forethought into this many, many decades ago, protected the watershed and protected the water going into New York. We see it in Boston. We typically think of these forest issues out West, but the Quabbin Reservoir in Boston is another forested area that is protected and managed strictly for water. It is because of research and efforts that have happened for many years that give us the science to understand how to manage the landscape to produce the water that we all need. When we talk about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure, we know that managing our forests gives us that ounce of prevention. It saves a lot of money in the long run and saves a lot of headaches and hard work to restore these systems in the long run, and it is important that we continue to do the research and fund these programs so that we can provide safe, clean water to all Americans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7889, the Advancing Water Research and Collaboration Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Wittman from Virginia. Water is one of our Nation's most important resources, and the challenges facing our water systems are becoming more complex. This legislation takes a practical approach to strengthening the science and partnerships we need to manage those challenges. The bill reauthorizes the Water Resources Research Act Program, which supports water research and education through a network of university- based institutions. It extends the program through fiscal year 2029 and increases funding from $15 million to $16 million annually, consistent with currently enacted levels. By investing in research at the universities across the country and encouraging collaboration on State and regional water issues, the bill helps ensure that policymakers, communities, and water managers have the science and tools needed to find solutions before water challenges become crises. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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. 7889, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7889) to amend the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize the water resources research and technology institutes program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of S. 550, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8121, which would officially name a historic bandstand located within the Christiansted National Historic Site on the Island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands as the Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand. For generations, the Christiansted bandstand has served as a gathering place for music and community in the heart of St. Croix. H.R. 8121 honors a man whose life and legacy are closely tied to that history. Peter Gregory Thurland, Sr., was born in Christiansted in 1892. While serving in the United States Navy, Mr. Thurland helped design and construct the Christiansted Bandstand and performed there as a member of the Christiansted Naval Band until his honorable discharge in 1921. His service to his community did not end there. Mr. Thurland founded the St. Croix Community Band and spent decades training generations of young musicians and bringing music to the community through free monthly concerts. A master craftsman, talented musician, and dedicated mentor, Mr. Thurland made a lasting contribution to the cultural and civic life of St. Croix. It is particularly fitting that the bandstand he helped build, which became a center of community life in St. Croix, bears his name. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 8121, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 8121, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 8121, 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. 8454) to provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of California, 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. 8454, 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. 8454, introduced by Representative McClintock, which executes a commonsense boundary adjustment between Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest in California. Ackerson Meadow supports important wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, and livestock grazing by the Erickson family, whose ranching history in the area dates to the late 1800s. A portion of Ackerson Meadow was officially donated and added to Yosemite National Park in 2016, but this inadvertently created a boundary that left parcels within the meadow under the administrative jurisdiction of two different Federal agencies. As a result, the National Park Service and Forest Service manage adjoining parcels within the same meadow, complicating restoration work, grazing operations, and recreational management. H.R. 8454 provides a straightforward solution. The bill transfers administrative jurisdiction over approximately 160 acres of land currently managed by the Forest Service to the National Park Service to be managed as part of Yosemite National Park. In return, the Forest Service will assume jurisdiction over 170 acres of land currently managed by the National Park Service. This is not a Federal land acquisition, and it does not increase the size of the Federal estate. Instead, this bipartisan and bicameral legislation adjusts which Federal agency manages each parcel so map lines don't interfere with important restoration work on the ground. By placing these lands under the agency best suited to manage them, this legislation will improve coordination, support ongoing restoration work, and enhance the efficiency of grazing operations, while simplifying the management of recreation opportunities within Ackerson Meadow. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McClintock for his leadership on the legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8454, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 283) to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and the Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of seafood to support enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and for other purposes, as amended.