Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a simple, bipartisan bill that will distinguish an important site for its pivotal role in the American fight for independence ahead of our Nation's 250th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8931) to redesignate Saratoga National Historical Park as Saratoga National Battlefield Park.

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. 8931, 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 Representative Stefanik's bill, H.R. 8931, which will redesignate the Saratoga National Historic Park as the Saratoga National Battlefield Park. On September 19, 1777, General Horatio Gates led the Continental Army troops against the British Empire in present-day Saratoga County, New York. In the ensuing Battles of Saratoga, American colonists would rout a British invasion force and create a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Today, the site of these battles is conserved in the 3,400-acre Saratoga National Historical Park, a unit of the National Park System. There, visitors can explore trails and tour routes to experience the historic battlefield, which includes landmarks, fortifications, and other important structures. The park also hosts artifacts, exhibits, historical reenactments, and guided tours. While the current site was originally named ``Saratoga Battlefield Park'' by New York State, the ``battlefield'' nomenclature was dropped in 1938 when the area became part of the National Park System. With the battles' upcoming 250th anniversary, however, residents of Saratoga County and New York State have called for renaming the park to clarify its place in the heroic struggle of American independence. Accordingly, Representative Stefanik's legislation would redesignate the site as the ``Saratoga National Battlefield Park,'' thus identifying its importance as a historical battlefield and emphasizing the sacrifices of soldiers who fought there. I thank Representative Stefanik for her leadership on this issue and for working tirelessly this Congress on behalf of her constituents. We will all miss Representative Stefanik next Congress, but in the meantime, I am pleased to be working with her in advancing this important legislation through the House. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik), the lead sponsor of the bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8308) to reauthorize the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003.

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. 8308, 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 Representative Harder's legislation which would reauthorize the nutria eradication program and existing funding levels through 2030. Nutria are invasive rodents native to South America that were imported to the United States in 1899 for fur production. Since then, the nutria population has exploded in places like northern California, Oregon, the Louisiana bayous, and the Chesapeake Bay. These rodents eat, dig, and trample healthy wetland habitats, causing significant erosion and habitat damage to native ecosystems. When this legislation was first enacted in 2003, an estimated 17 percent of the Chesapeake Bay's marshlands were estimated to have been destroyed by nutria. Due to the aid of this program, nutria eradication efforts have been very successful. For example, in Maryland, they have been declared eradicated. In Louisiana, where more than 423,000 acres were damaged or destroyed between 2002 and 2021, over 5 million nutria have been taken. I thank Representatives Garret Graves and David Valadao for co- leading this bill with Congressman Harder. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is straightforward legislation that will extricate property owners and the Federal Government from a legal quagmire. I support this bill and note that it passed out of the Committee on Natural Resources by unanimous consent. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, 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 Matsui's bill, H.R. 8956, the Revisionary Interest Conveyance Act. This bill will resolve a stubborn property law issue that has long afflicted a small parcel of land in California. The private owners of an 8-acre property in Sacramento recently discovered a revisionary interest on their land, which was originally conveyed by a railroad company. The interest, which dates back to the days of the transcontinental railroad, technically requires the land to revert to the United States since it is no longer used for railroad purposes. With their land encumbered, the owners of this property are limited in their ability to develop or sell the land. The Bureau of Land Management, which would receive the property through the reversion, does not want to manage the land in question. Since the agency can't extinguish the revisionary interest unilaterally, the BLM has encouraged Congress to pursue a legislative solution. H.R. 8946 would resolve this conflict by requiring the Bureau of Land Management to convey the reversionary interest to the private landowners for fair market value. In so doing, this bill will free up the land for economic development and prevent further Federal interference. That is a good governance bill that supports a local community, encourages economic development, and reduces the burden on the Federal Government. I applaud Representative Matsui for advancing this solution on behalf of her constituents. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, 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 move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8946) to convey the reversionary interest of the United States in certain land in Sacramento, California.

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. 8956, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3857) to take certain land in the State of California into trust for the benefit of the Jamul Indian Village of California, and for other purposes.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 3857, 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. 3857, the Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act, which would place approximately 173 acres of land into trust by the United States for the benefit of the Jamul Indian Village. The Jamul Indian Village is located in San Diego County and is part of the Kumeyaay people of southern California, otherwise known as the Mission Indians. While the Tribe's history dates back 12,000 years, they only received Federal recognition in 1981. The Tribe's reservation consists of approximately 6.04 acres, but the Tribe has continued to work to restore its land base. This legislation would place certain parcels into trust for the Tribe's benefit. The legislation also would prohibit Class 2 or Class 3 gaming on the parcels placed into trust consistent with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) for his work on the House companion to this legislation that passed the House earlier this year. Mr. Speaker, I encourage adoption of this legislation, 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. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), the lead sponsor of this bill.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I, again, commend Representative Waltz for his efforts in leading this important bill. This is a straightforward way of recognizing a historic venue that played a critical role in the fight for equality for all Americans. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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 include extraneous material on H.R. 8012, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Representative Waltz' bill, the Jackie Robinson Ballpark National Commemorative Site Act. By designating the Jackie Robinson Ballpark as a National Commemorative Site, this bill recognizes the ballpark's important role in advancing civil rights and ending racially segregated sports in 20th century America. In 1946, Jackie Robinson played in the first racially integrated spring training game at what is now named the Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida. At the time, Jim Crow laws prevented integrated baseball throughout the South. A year later, Robinson would make his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers where he broke the MLB's color barrier and became the first African American to play in a modern-era MLB game. Robinson would eventually finish his career as a six-time all-star while amassing over 1500 hits and maintaining a .311 batting average. Throughout his career, Robinson demonstrated courage and excellence on and off the field, opening the door of opportunity for generations of athletes who succeeded him. By designating the ballpark a National Commemorative Site, this bill recognizes the facility's historic role in advancing civil rights without adding to the Federal estate or using taxpayer dollars. Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill with strong bipartisan support. It offers a one-time grant to help the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City fulfill its crucial educational mission and ensure no American forgets the tragic events of 9/11. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, 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 strong support of Representative D'Esposito's bipartisan bill, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act. This legislation provides a one-time grant to assist with the security costs for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum occupies the site of the former World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. This unique facility serves as the principal tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. One of the focal points of the museum is an art installation with the quote, ``No day shall erase you from the memory of time.'' This is not merely a quote. It is a promise from each and every American that we will never forget the tragic events of 9/11. More than 23 years after these horrific attacks, we still remember the innocent men, women, and children who perished on that day. Representative D'Esposito's legislation will help ensure that the memories of those we lost on 9/11 remain eternal by providing a one- time grant, ranging from $5 million to $10 million, to assist with security costs for the memorial and museum. As the location of one of the most high-profile terrorist attacks in American history, the museum shoulders more than $1 million in security costs per month. This important grant coming from the Department of Homeland Security's existing appropriations would help defray those significant security costs. I thank Representative D'Esposito for his efforts to advance this legislation. Yet again, he has proven himself to be a tireless advocate for his constituents and the people of New York. His important bill would help the 9/11 Memorial & Museum continue operations, increase safety measures, and provide free admission for military veterans, first responders, and victims' families. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill and reserve the balance of my time.

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 include extraneous material on H.R. 5401, the bill now under consideration.