Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Guam (Mr. Moylan).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 20 seconds to the gentleman from Guam.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, thanks to Democrat energy policies, Putin, Xi Jinping, and the crown prince of Saudi are the ones that are drilling and mining their way to prosperity at the expense of the American public. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert), another member of the House Natural Resources Committee

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield the gentlewoman an 30 additional seconds.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), another member of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman), another member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the chairwoman of the Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, may I inquire again as to the time left.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Wyoming.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), another member of the House Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse), the chair of the Congressional Western Caucus.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Ezell).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Feenstra).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Jackson).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bergman).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Valadao), who understands what bad energy policy does to rural America.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, H.R. 423 is commonsense legislation, just like the previous bill that we looked at. It will enable the Pala Band of Mission Indians to protect their sacred land and ensure the protection of the Tribe's timeless heritage, culture, tradition, and history. I thank my colleague, Mr. Issa, for his leadership and for fulfilling a vital constituent service. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 423, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 548) to take certain Federal lands in Tennessee into trust for the benefit of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 548, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 548, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act, introduced by my friend from Tennessee, Congressman Fleischmann. H.R. 548 places approximately 96 acres of Tennessee Valley Authority land and permanent easements into trust along the shores of the Little Tennessee River and Tellico Reservoir in Monroe County, Tennessee, for the benefit of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. These areas include the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, the Chota Memorial, the Tanasi Memorial, and land to support these properties and cultural programs. The parcels placed into trust under the bill will primarily be used to memorialize and interpret the history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is one of three federally recognized Cherokee Tribes and is the only federally recognized Tribe in North Carolina. Their ancestral homeland includes substantial parts of seven eastern States, including Tennessee. The 57,000-acre Qualla Boundary is the name of the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina. In 1979, after the completion of the Tellico Dam by the Tennessee Valley Authority, or TVA, the Tribe approached the TVA about lands that are of historical significance to the Tribe that were impacted by the dam. The Tribe and the TVA informally agreed to allow the Tribe to manage two easements in 1984 and 1986, including the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. H.R. 548 helps this cause by transferring approximately 76 acres of historically significant lands from the TVA to the U.S. Government to be held in trust for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. It also places two permanent easements over TVA property to be held in trust for the Tribe to create recreational trails between the sites. This legislation will give the Eastern Band greater control over their historic homelands and the opportunity to memorialize the history and culture of the Cherokee people. Gaming pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act will be prohibited, and the bill also ensures that the TVA will be able to continue its river control and development activities to power the Tennessee Valley region. I urge adoption of the measure, and I commend the gentleman from Tennessee for his continued work on this important legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.