Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 677) to establish a process to expedite the review of appeals of certain decisions by the Department of the Interior, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, again, H.R. 1001 would bring WAPA, the Bureau of Reclamation, and local stakeholders together to produce an action plan to address the effects of the bypass flows on the Basin Fund, as well as the impacts of diminished hydropower generation at Glen Canyon Dam on grid reliability. The plan will also require the Federal agencies to identify the impacts of these actions on any species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. I again thank Representative Hageman for tackling these important issues. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1001 sponsored by Congresswoman Hageman. This bill requires the Bureau of Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration, or WAPA, to enter into a memorandum of understanding aimed at addressing the impacts that bypass flows at Glen Canyon Dam have had on the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund. These flows are an attempt to manage an invasive smallmouth bass population that imperils the federally listed humpback chub below the dam. While well-intentioned, this action comes at a steep cost. In 2024, the bypass flows produced $20 million in lost hydropower generation, which instead had to be replaced with power purchased on the open market. WAPA makes these purchases using the Basin Fund, which is funded by hydropower revenues, not appropriations. In other words, utility customers end up footing the very expensive bill to address the impacts of predatory smallmouth bass. The loss in revenues not only means higher electricity prices but also negative impacts on the Colorado River system, as the Basin Fund is the primary source of funding for operations and maintenance of the system's critical infrastructure. I want to be clear: H.R. 1001 does not prevent bypass flows. It does, however, require the agencies to fully cooperate to minimize the impacts of these flows on the grid and its customers. It also requires coordination with hydropower customers and other stakeholders, including the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group. I support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1001, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1001) to provide for a memorandum of understanding to address the impacts of a certain record of decision on the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this bill will ease the process for reclaiming abandoned mine land and improving environmental quality in communities across the country. This legislation will also allow reclamation organizations to clean up abandoned mine land without fear of becoming trapped in a litigation doom loop. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman LaHood for bringing H.R. 167 to the floor, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative LaHood's bill, H.R. 167, the Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025. This bill would revise the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program by allowing third-party organizations to clean up coal mines that were abandoned before modern environmental regulations. These organizations would be granted protection from liability so they can assist in the cleanup of acid mine drainage without fear of frivolous lawsuits. While Good Samaritan remediation laws have been successful in States like Pennsylvania, there is currently no similar Federal framework for third-party protections. As a result, would-be reclaimers are often deterred from cleanup projects due to fear of assuming liability for conditions caused by prior operations. H.R. 167, however, would recognize nongovernmental organizations as community reclaimers, and States would assume responsibility for all community reclaimer cleanup projects, just as they currently do for approved AML contractors. This bill also establishes approved practices for these reclamation projects and a process for agreements between States and Federal agencies on mine drainage remediation. Many third-party organizations support this legislation, as they need this liability protection in order to operate efficiently and effectively. The Community Reclamation Partnerships Act passed the House in the 115th Congress and has moved through committee for the last three Congresses. It is time we passed this commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation that will help reclaim abandoned mine lands and clean up our local estuaries. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 167, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 167, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 167) to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to authorize partnerships between States and nongovernmental entities for the purpose of reclaiming and restoring land and water resources adversely affected by coal mining activities before August 3, 1977, and for other purposes.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, out West, the development of an aquifer recharge program generally includes using existing irrigation canals and ditches to seep and percolate water into the aquifer. Much of this infrastructure crosses land owned by the Bureau of Land Management, requiring additional authorization for aquifer recharge activities, even when conducted on behalf of public entities. Cutting red tape for such activities is simply common sense. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back 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. 331, sponsored by Congressman Fulcher. In 2020, Congress passed the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act. The intent of that law was simple. It allowed existing irrigation canals to be used for conveying aquifer recharge water without requiring additional authorization from the Federal Government. Unfortunately, the implementation of this law has been bogged down by bureaucratic red tape. Despite the plain wording of the law, the Bureau of Land Management has asserted that the law does not apply to third parties, only to the right-of-way holders of record. As such, H.R. 331 amends the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to further clarify that an existing right-of-way, easement, permit, or other authorization can be used to recharge aquifers on behalf of State, Tribal, and local governments, without getting additional authorization or paying additional rents. The aquifer recharge and storage are already complicated matters that depend on a variety of natural characteristics, including soil type and underlying geology, which influence water retention and the ability to recover stored water. There is no need for the Federal Government to add further complexity to this important work. Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 331, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 331) to amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to clarify a provision relating to conveyances for aquifer recharge purposes, as amended.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I would like to, once again, thank my colleague from Arkansas, especially Representative Hill, for his tireless efforts on this piece of legislation and for the diligence in the process that he labored through to get to this point today. I appreciate him bringing forth this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), my colleague and the lead sponsor of the bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Representative Hill's legislation, H.R. 1612, which would add four parcels totaling 2,215 acres of Ouachita National Forest lands to the Flatside Wilderness Area in his district. The Ouachita National Forest is the oldest and largest national forest in the Southern United States, spanning nearly 1.8 million acres across Arkansas and Oklahoma. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, it is a true multiple-use forest, supporting timber harvesting, wildlife conservation, and a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities, such as hiking, hunting, camping, and fishing. Arkansans take great pride in this forest, which draws more than 670,000 visitors each year. Currently, only 3.6 percent of the Ouachita National Forest, including the existing Flatside Wilderness Area, is designated as wilderness. The Flatside Wilderness was expanded by 640 acres during the 115th Congress. The Forest Service also studied the potential designation of the parcels included in today's legislation. This bill has strong local support and has been endorsed by Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders; the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism; and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize Representative Hill for his efforts on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. 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. 1612, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1612) to designate the Flatside-Bethune Wilderness in the Ouachita National Forest, and for other purposes.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again thank Representatives Evans and Panetta for their efforts to introduce this meaningful legislation. This bill would reduce the financial burden on our military families who want to visit our national parks and expand their access to the healing powers of outdoor recreation. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Evans), the lead sponsor of the bill.

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. 1682, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1682) to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes for family members of members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives while serving their country.

Mr. WESTERMAN

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this bill will more appropriately reflect the varied and unique history of the timeless landmarks in Salem, Massachusetts. I thank my friend and acknowledge Representative Moulton for his work on this bill. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and acknowledge Representative Moulton for his work on this bill, and I urge its adoption. I yield back the balance of my time.