Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a relatively small Tribe located in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina. The Tribe was opposed to the construction of the Tellico Dam and, after its completion in 1979, worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority regarding impacted areas that were of historic significance to the Tribe. The Tribe currently manages most of these properties under permanent easements granted in the mid-1980s as a result of an informal agreement with TVA. This bill would permanently transfer these properties, totaling approximately 96 acres along the Little Tennessee River and the Tellico Reservoir, in trust status for the Tribe. Gaming, pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, would be prohibited. Most of the parcels to be placed in trust under the bill will be used for memorializing and interpreting the history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The remaining parcels will be used for recreational trails. I commend the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann) for his continued hard work on this legislation, which passed the House last Congress by an overwhelming vote of 383-2. I hope the Senate will take the opportunity to pass this worthy legislation this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I again commend the gentleman from Tennessee for his work on this bill. The Trail of Tears passes through my district in Arkansas. Again, this is a long-overdue bill. I urge passage of it in the House, and I urge our friends in the Senate to take up the bill and pass it, as well. Mr. Speaker, 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, this bill will help ensure that certain Columbia River Tribes have meaningful access to usual and accustomed fishing areas and related fishing facilities as established by treaty. Due to the construction of dams in the 1930s and 1950s along the Columbia River, the lands of these Tribes were flooded. Congress authorized the Federal Government to acquire and replace lost Tribal fishing areas along the river, including the construction of improvements. However, in recent years, there have been continued reports that the conditions at these fishing sites have deteriorated significantly. S. 50 directs the Department of the Interior to assess current sanitation and safety conditions on lands that were set aside to provide affected Columbia River Treaty Tribes access to traditional fishing grounds. The Bureau of Indian Affairs would also be authorized to execute improvements at the sites in coordination with the four Tribes that the sites serve. While this legislation is intended to address safety and basic maintenance needs, it is not the intent of Congress for these fishing sites to become permanent residences but to continue their existing purpose as traditional fishing access sites. With this caveat, we see no issues with this bill that was favorably reported by unanimous consent by the Committee on Natural Resources last Congress. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN

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

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have one speaker.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Randy Veach's decades of service with the Arkansas Farm Bureau. Mr. Veach spent 20 years working for the grassroots agricultural organization, 11 of those years as a state president. He and his wife, Thelma, are a tremendous resource to our state through their advocacy and commitment to Arkansas farmers and ranchers. Mr. Veach has always embodied the mission of the Farm Bureau by educating the public on the value of the agricultural industry in the state. I appreciate his dedication to his family, to Arkansas agriculture, and to the people we serve and love. I personally worked with Mr. Veach over the years and saw his lifelong commitment to service firsthand. He is a powerful reminder of the impact one can have on our communities. I'm honored to recognize him for the years he has given to the state of Arkansas, and wish him all the best in retirement.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and extend my gratitude to Mr. LC ``Buckshot'' Smith of Camden, Arkansas. Officer Smith has spent a lifetime in law enforcement. His career spans over five decades in the Fourth District of Arkansas. Having spent 46 of those years with the Ouachita County Sheriff's Department, he officially retired in September 2010. However, after only a few short months in retirement, he decided to return to the Camden Police Department. At the age of 90 years old, he is still serving the community after 56 years of service. President George H.W. Bush said, ``Public service is a noble calling.'' Officer Smith has answered this call to service everyday as a police officer, church deacon, and community member for decades. The Ouachita County and Camden communities can attest to the exemplary character and dedication to service found in Officer Smith. I'm proud to know of the lifelong commitment to service men like Officer ``Buckshot Smith'' have. His life serves as a powerful reminder of what an impact a lifetime of service can have on our communities. I take this time to thank him for the decades he has given to the Fourth District of Arkansas and for the example he has provided for generations of Americans to come.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rev. Jesse Turner of Pine Bluff on his recent selection to receive the Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the 400 Years of African American History Commission. This award is given to those who have made a lasting commitment to community service and work to commemorate the contributions of African Americans to our nation's history. Rev. Turner easily fits this description and is well deserving of this honor by the commission due to the profound impact he has had in his community. As the pastor of the historic Elm Grove Baptist Church, Rev. Turner's commitment to service has touched the lives of individuals across the country. The City of Pine Bluff issued a proclamation in his honor, highlighting his decades of work promoting African American history in the State of Arkansas and the impacts it has had on the people in his community. I'm proud to know of men like Rev. Jesse Turner and the commitment he has demonstrated to public service over his lifetime. His is a life well lived and truly is part of ``The Distinguished 400.''

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Benjamin Babst on receiving the 2019 Ouachita Society of American Forester's Award for Forestry Science Research. Dr. Babst and his students at the University of Arkansas at Monticello have spent the past five years studying the impact of certain forest management practices on the development of ecosystems. This research includes a study on environmental factors such as flooding or contact with insect species which can influence the growth of the nation's forests. The development of this knowledge has also served to influence more innovative forest management practices. His contribution is not limited to the sphere of research, but also includes his commitment to educating the young people of our district and our state. As a fellow forester, it is a supreme encouragement to see the dedication of Fourth District Arkansans like Dr. Babst to the proper management and stewardship of our nation's forests. I take this time to commend him on receiving this honor and to thank him for his years of study and service.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Barbara Jones on her retirement from South Arkansas Community College. Dr. Jones has served as the President of South Arkansas Community College for more than 10 years and has always been dedicated to promoting higher education. Dr. Jones brought an impressive resume to south Arkansas with a background in health science and educational leadership. She has served on the American Association of Community Colleges Board of Directors as well as several other professional educational organizations. Prior to Barbara entering the collegiate sphere, she worked as a laboratory scientist for 22 years in both hospitals and medical facilities. Young people in Arkansas are becoming leaders in their schools and communities, and Dr. Jones played a huge role in many of their lives. Working in higher education can often be a thankless job, but Dr. Jones was a tireless force for over a decade. By encouraging students in both STEM fields and others, Barbara demonstrated commitment to learning skills for a lifelong career. Dr. Jones will be greatly missed by the students and alumni of South Arkansas Community College. We wish her and her family all the best as she retires. It is with great pride that I honor Dr. Jones.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 107th birthday of Fourth District cattle producer, Buster Austin. Mr. Austin was born in Madison County, Arkansas on October 20, 1912, and has lived most of his young life in the Fourth District. He has seen over one hundred years of American change and progress. Born before the start of World War I, he has now lived to see the end of polio and the start of the computer age. Today, he and his wife, Gayle, raise cattle in Madison County. I find deep encouragement in hearing the story of Mr. Austin's life and history. I take this time to wish him a happy birthday and to thank him for his years of work and service in the Fourth Congressional District.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Norman Wagoner for his decades of service with the United States Forest Service. Mr. Wagoner began his career with the Forest Service in 1986, right in the Fourth District's own Ouachita National Forest. He worked his way up from a co-op student to a Forester Trainee to a Forester, later serving as a District Ranger in Colorado and Wyoming. Mr. Wagoner returned to the Ouachita National Forest in 2006 to become the Forest Supervisor, where he served until his retirement in 2019. I was privileged to work alongside Mr. Wagoner on numerous occasions, and always admired his commitment to forestry and environmental stewardship. He has been a fantastic leader and advocate for Arkansas forestry, and will be greatly missed. I wish him all the best in retirement.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Veterans Day, when we honor the extraordinary sacrifices made by our Nation's veterans. While Veterans Day has already passed this year, Congress must continue providing veterans with the support they need following their service. We saw significant progress in this area in June, when President Trump signed the bipartisan Blue Water Navy Act into law. This bill expands Vietnam veterans' access to VA benefits. Yet, we still have much work to do. The bipartisan Keeping Our Promises Act would further assist Vietnam- era servicemembers exposed to Agent Orange. May we focus the attention of this body on what our Founders described as the pursuit of happiness. May we work across the aisle to provide both former and active servicemembers with both the support and the resources they need. As Theodore Roosevelt said: ``A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards.'' Our democracy and freedom continue to thrive, thanks to the sacrifices of veterans and their families. On behalf of the Fourth District of Arkansas, thank you for your service.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. I would be amenable if we did that, but then it wouldn't be wilderness area.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, as much as I appreciate my colleagues' desire to do something good, I must rise in opposition today to H.R. 823. As we all know, wilderness designations in theory implement natural management, meaning that man is to have a hands-off approach on the management of the forest. But this is a farce, because when catastrophic wildfires ignite, as they will under natural management, we often rush to put the fires out, which is just as much human management as thinning or other more recognized forestry management processes. We need wilderness areas in our country, and we need to manage them as such if we want to be intellectually honest in claiming them as wilderness areas. This works in areas like Yellowstone National Park where the predominant species is lodgepole pine that naturally burns to the ground approximately every century, like we saw when one-third of the park burned in the 1980s. The idea that we can preserve a forest is misguided. Forests are living organisms, and there is only one way to preserve a living organism: first you have to kill it. Take, for instance, a cucumber. If you want to make a pickle, the first thing you do to preserve a cucumber into a pickle is you boil it, you put it in vinegar, you put it in a jar, and you preserve it. If you want to preserve human tissue, you put the tissue in formaldehyde. There is a misnomer that we can preserve our forests because forests are living organisms. We should be discussing instead conservation. We should want to conserve our forests, like Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot proposed. Colorado's forests are currently in an unhealthy state. They are overstocked and infested with insects like the bark and pine beetle. I say that based on a report from the Colorado State Forest Service 2018 Forest Health Report. It says that, for the seventh consecutive year, Colorado's most widespread and destructive insect pest was the spruce beetle. This insect has now affected more than 1.8 million cumulative acres since 2000, with a total of 178,000 acres of active infestations occurring in high-level Engelmann spruce forests in 2018. A 4-year trend of tens of thousands of new acres infested annually indicates a continuing spread of spruce beetle into previously uninfested forests. Moreover, more and more Coloradans are living closer to their forests and closer to the risk of wildfire. Again, from the report: A recent update to the CSFS-administered Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal indicated that the population living in areas at risk to wildland fire in Colorado increased to approximately 50 percent from 2012 to 2017, surpassing 2.9 million people. Madam Chair, Colorado has some great places, some of which are incorporated into this bill. However, as my colleague from Colorado, Mr. Tipton, and others have alluded to, what the State needs is not an attempt at preservation. What they need is the application of science to the forests. They need conservation. Colorado needs the utilization and management of their forests to restore their health and well-being. These forests need thinning, prescribed fire, and selective timber harvest to restore the appropriate stand density and reduce the beetle epidemic. What these acres do not need is inaction. Wilderness prevents any action, which threatens not just the surrounding acreage and the communities that lie within those boundaries. Our congressional responsibility is to be good stewards of our lands and ensure that they are there for future generations. I have no doubt that was the sponsor's intent when writing this bill. However, we cannot just claim vast swaths of land and call our work done. Instead, we must be precise as to what we are designing and why. Wilderness, in this case, is not the answer. Natural management will not be followed because when life and property are at risk, we will spend vast resources to extinguish nature's management tools. Authorizing this action over the objections of State and Federal representation is not wise. The future will be our judge if this land is designated wilderness, and nature will deliver its verdict in time. None of us may even be alive when the verdict is delivered, but I desire for the Record to indicate that I argued on the side of sound science, that I argued to be responsible and use science and management to restore our forest resiliency, and that I argued to make our forest carbon sinks instead of carbon emitters.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chairwoman, I argue for wildlife, for water, and for a better environment, and it is because of these reasons that I encourage my colleagues to vote against H.R. 823.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2181, the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2019. This unnecessary bill would permanently ban oil and gas development on about 316,000 acres of land in New Mexico. It would also incur $3 million in increased spending costs with no built-in mechanism to pay for it. H.R. 2181's proposed landgrab would surround Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The park itself is already under Federal protections, including a prohibition on mineral development. This bill would add 10 extra miles of protected area around the perimeter of the park. This arbitrary addition could have long-term negative repercussions to the State of New Mexico. H.R. 2181 would also impact the very Navajo Nation members it claims to protect. Many of them own lands and mineral rights in the area that have been passed down for generations, but this bill would make it virtually impossible for them to develop the energy resources to which they are rightfully entitled. The complex puzzle of interlocking Federal, State, Tribal, and private land in the disputed area would result in significant hurdles for the Navajo Nation, creating a de facto extraction ban. In June of this year, a Navajo Nation representative who owns some of these mineral resources came to Capitol Hill to testify in front of the Natural Resources Committee on behalf of 131 Navajo Nation members about how detrimental H.R. 2181 would be to their land. This bill ignores the request of local landowners and continues the pattern of government overreach in the West. H.R. 2181 also completely sidesteps the Department of the Interior's resource management plan for the area. This plan is currently undergoing environmental review and will be publicly released at some point. To permanently ban all future energy developments before we know all of the facts and research conclusions is uncalled for. I have stood here at this podium and spoken at length about American energy dominance and good environmental stewardship because I believe they can go hand in hand. Every indicator we have shows that energy production is becoming cleaner, faster, and cheaper by the day. Refusing to allow safe energy development on Federal land isn't environmentally friendly; it is just bad science and a thinly veiled power grab. As foreign energy sources become increasingly unpredictable, it is imperative that we tap into our vast domestic energy potential in sustainable ways and that we don't arbitrarily restrict future development. Keep in mind that any leasing in these areas is subject to a host of Federal regulations and oversight already. Any development must comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and NEPA. These laws are in place to protect and preserve historically significant sites across our country. But that is not the issue here. Instead, we are debating areas completely outside the boundaries of the Chaco Culture area. My Democratic colleagues are rushing to pass this bill without hearing the concerns of local Navajo Nation members or waiting to read the Department of the Interior analysis of the area. These hasty conclusions are unnecessary, with potentially devastating effects on New Mexico's revenue stream. I urge my fellow Members to consider the negative implications of this bill and vote against H.R. 2181.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1373, the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act. This bill is very cleverly named to imply that it is safeguarding the Grand Canyon, something I believe that we all support. After all, who wouldn't want to protect one of our Nation's most iconic natural sites? But when we look at what this bill actually does, we quickly see that it has very little to do with the Grand Canyon. Instead, it is a Federal land grab that would lock up approximately 1 million acres of public land in northern Arizona and permanently ban mineral development. Let me make this clear: H.R. 1373, the so-called Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act, focuses on land outside Grand Canyon National Park, miles away from the canyon. To hear this policy described, it sounds like we would be backing backhoes and trucks right up to the canyon and chipping off the rim of the canyon, but that is just not so. This is land very far outside of the park. This policy is progressive. It progressively increases outside bureaucratic control over more Federal land. The policy and the world view that supports it reminds me of the story of the greedy farmer. He said he didn't want all the land; he just wanted the land that bordered his land. Policy like this doesn't claim to want all the land; it just wants to put the land in protection that borders the land that is in protection. Someday, there won't be any land left if we continue implementing policies like this. As Mr. Gosar has already pointed out, the land up for debate is in his and Mr. O'Halleran's districts, not Mr. Grijalva's, and closing its development would result in hundreds of millions of dollars of lost revenue for local schools and communities. One of the common arguments against mineral development is that it disrupts wildlife habitats and water supplies, but we have seen this disproved time and time again. A strong economy and environmental stewardship can coexist. The Arizona Geological Survey published a report outlining uranium mining in this part of Arizona, showing how mining here would not contaminate the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon, or any of the surrounding watersheds. We have also seen how areas that were mined in the past have been successfully reclaimed. As modern mining techniques and technology continue improving, this process will only become more efficient and advanced. Finally, we cannot have a discussion about barring natural resource development on public lands without addressing the far and wide-ranging geopolitical repercussions. Our domestic uranium industry is currently supplying less than 1 percent of the uranium necessary to fuel U.S. nuclear reactors. Despite a vast domestic supply of uranium, much of it is inaccessible due to laws like H.R. 1373. This means the U.S. is forced to outsource its uranium supply from countries like Russia, Uzbekistan, and Chinese-owned mines in Namibia. With geopolitical tensions constantly increasing, it is foolish for us to continue relying so heavily on countries that have proven themselves to be unfriendly to the U.S. If we permanently ban mineral development on another vast expanse of land, we are overtly threatening American energy and economic security, and I believe we are promoting less environmental stewardship around the globe. I have seen this story play out over and over again. My Democratic colleagues claim to be concerned about environmental safety and security, but their only solution is to lock up millions of acres and throw away the key. I ask: Wouldn't our time be better spent finding smart energy solutions that are sustainable and environmentally friendly and that provide American jobs? If we want the U.S. to continue leading the world in long-term energy solutions, this must be our approach.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fourth District educator Corey Boby for receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. It is an honor today to recognize his hard work and dedication to excellence in teaching mathematics and science. Mr. Boby has long been a devoted educator to the students of the Fourth District of Arkansas. After serving for several years as an educator within the Arkansas school system, Mr. Boby now serves at the Dawson Education Cooperative in Arkadelphia, one of the state's fifteen education cooperatives. The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is one of the highest honors which is bestowed upon a kindergarten through 12th grade science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science teacher. I am pleased to see one of the Fourth District's own ranked among the finest educators our nation has to offer. I take this time to congratulate Mr. Boby on this tremendous honor, but also to thank him for his commitment to advancing the STEM skills and academic excellence of Arkansas students.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, this cloak-and-dagger impeachment process is unprecedented, uncalled for, and unfair to the American people. When I, a Member of Congress, am turned away from reading testimony from Chairman Schiff's closed-door hearings, how can I keep informed on a narrative that is constantly changing? How are we supposed to know all the facts when the Intelligence Committee is selectively leaking information to the press, creating a biased narrative while shrouding the truth in darkness? Will we ever get information before there is a vote on impeachment, or will the Speaker continue allowing secret hearings and inquiries to drag on? These are questions every American should be asking. Impeachment undoes an election and is the most serious tool Congress can use. We should treat it as such. Instead, we have seen Democrats calling for it since before President Trump was even inaugurated. One of my Democrat colleagues recently said: If President Trump isn't guilty, he needs to prove it. That is not how America works. It is the Speaker's responsibility to lay out the evidence in an open, transparent way so we can debate it and vote on it.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness to dyslexia, a learning disability that affects as many as one in five people. October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, which is why I will be introducing a resolution this week calling on Congress to formally recognize it. Those who have dyslexia struggle with language skills, making reading significantly more difficult. While this is a serious problem, it is a solvable one. If educators identify dyslexia early on and teach children proper techniques, students can use these tools to succeed. Reading is foundational to education, as we first learn to read and then read to learn. Dyslexia affects students equally regardless of intelligence, socioeconomic status, or gender. Many famous people, including Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, and George Washington, had dyslexia. They were able to achieve incredible things despite their learning disabilities. However, 74 percent of children who are poor readers in third grade remain poor readers by the time they reach ninth grade. This is why, as co-chair of the bipartisan House Dyslexia Caucus, I am working to increase awareness. I encourage my colleagues to join the House Dyslexia Caucus so we can ensure children with dyslexia have every opportunity to succeed.