Bruce Westerman

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pearce for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, this rule by the BLM is a classic example of agency overregulation at its finest. Should the new regulations take effect, lessees and operators will be forced to maintain original gas charts, measurement tickets, calibrations, verifications, prover and configuration reports, pumper and gauger field logs, volume statements, event logs, seal records, and gas analysis. Most of these documents have nothing to do with determining the amount of production at a lease and will force businesses to hire more staff just to keep records. This will also likely result in more Federal employees to oversee the bureaucracy. This makes zero sense and is simply creating work and overregulation for no reason. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, another way the BLM has ignored their obligations under the rulemaking process is by discounting the practical difficulties for both industry and the agency associated compliance. Mr. Chairman, the BLM ignored their rulemaking responsibilities by both disregarding industry input and snubbing practical timelines for compliance. I believe the BLM should go back, reexamine this rule, and this time listen and get it right. Mr. Chairman, I ask support for my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. I have great respect for my colleague, Mr. Babin, who introduced this amendment, and I understand his intentions. I just believe that it is too late in the game to be changing this rule. There are many companies who have invested in this technology. We seem to have a problem in Congress where we can't give clear direction to businesses, and, therefore, it creates a lot of uncertainty. They sometimes make investments and the rules change. This will be a time when the rules would change before this investment would even be made. There have been specific issues, like livestock, that have been addressed already in committee. Mr. Chairman, again, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I was delayed in returning to the floor. If present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a young man whose thoughtfulness and generosity has stirred the hearts, souls, and patriotic spirits of people across my district in Arkansas. Earlier this year, 6-year-old Huck Plyler from Hope, Arkansas, started what is now known as Huck's Military Care Package Project. Huck's project is comprised of putting together care packages for nearly 700 members of the Arkansas National Guard currently deployed to the Horn of Africa. Huck's care packages include items such as nonperishable snacks, lip balm, sunscreen, personal hygiene products, socks, and more. When asked why he decided to start this project, Huck's answer was: ``We do this because they help us, so we help them.'' Though simple, this reply is wise beyond his years. Huck's dedication to this project has enabled him to collect enough donated items and monetary donations to send over 50 boxes to our troops thus far. Mr. Speaker, Huck's kindness and thoughtfulness brings honor to himself; his parents, Caleb and Brianna Plyler; and to the benevolent people of Hempstead County and Arkansas. I commend and thank Huck for his hard work and commitment to our military members serving overseas. It is young men and women like Huck that give me hope for the future, hope that the giving and caring spirit is still alive and well in our young people and country today.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 218, the King Cove Road Land Exchange Act. I thank Congressman Don Young for his tireless work on this pressing issue. Nineteen people: the cost of decades of inaction by the Federal Government, Mr. Chairman, is 19 American lives. Expedient access to a hospital is something most Americans can, fortunately, take for granted. For many, emergency services are an ambulance ride away. Not for the citizens of King Cove, Alaska. Adjacent to the Aleutian Islands, the 1,000 residents of King Cove, Alaska, are connected to hospitals in the region via a small runway and a ferry. Harsh winter storms ground planes and prevent safe sea travel, cutting off residents from hospitals and necessary supplies. In truly dire emergencies, King Cove residents have but two choices. Number one is to pray a boat captain will brave enormous seas. Or wait until the Coast Guard can dispatch a medivac helicopter. Mr. Chairman, allow me to read some of the stories of those who have braved the sea, or held out until help arrived. Take, for example, Lonnie Brandell, who had to hoist his ailing father out of a fishing boat during a blizzard. After a perilous 3-hour journey to Cold Bay, the sea was so rough his boat could not dock. Brandell had to tie a rope around his father and allow him to be pulled to safety. To quote Brandell: ``It was not a good scenario at all. But if we had stayed here one more day, even 10 or 12 more hours, he would not have lived.'' Or take Etta Kuzakin, who went into labor early. Unable to safely leave King Cove during a storm, it took the Coast Guard 8 hours to arrive to rescue her. ``I was lucky,'' she says. ``The Coast Guard was in the area. That is really what it was. They were in the area.'' Mr. Chairman, this is shameful. Our citizens should not have to wait hours for a medivac, or brave treacherous seas while we sit here and debate this issue. No American should have to perish while we argue whether or not a refuge would be better off with 81 or 70 miles of gravel road. I urge my colleagues to listen to the stories of Etta Kuzakin, Lonnie Brandell, and others. I urge my colleagues to think about the 19 Americans who perished for want of a gravel road. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support H.R. 218.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show my support for the ``Made in America'' Week initiative. It is an initiative to highlight the contributions of American workers and job creators. Made in America brings to mind a combination of the American spirit of innovation and perseverance that is required to turn raw materials into manufactured goods. I am proud of the contributions that my home State of Arkansas makes to the American economy. In Arkansas, 13 percent of the State's workforce is employed in the manufacturing industry, which is the second highest percentage in the South and the third highest percentage in the Nation. Twenty-eight percent of those jobs in Arkansas are in the Fourth District. In 2016, manufacturers contributed $2.2 trillion to the American economy. For every dollar spent in manufacturing, an additional $1.80 is added to another part of the economy. With abundant resources, a strong infrastructure, and a second-to- none work ethic, Arkansas is working to train the next generation of technicians and visionaries so that manufacturing can expand, promoting better careers, stronger families, and thriving communities.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, it is an extreme honor to note the accomplishment of a hardworking Arkansas Fourth District family. Mark and Shay Morgan and their daughter, Kate, of Clarksville, were named last December as the 2016 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, and will compete this coming October among nine other State winners to be the 2017 Southeastern Farmer of the Year. The Morgans' diverse farm is best known for its Peach Pickin' Paradise which consists of 3,500 peach and nectarine trees on 17 acres. I was fortunate to visit Peach Pickin' Paradise last fall and sample some of their produce. With peaches making up 60 percent of the farm's operation, it also consists of 600 acres of hay used for their 300 head of beef cattle. Beyond their hard work on the family farm, the Morgans are a vital part of their local community, participating in a number of organizations that display the hard work ethic they live by. Congratulations to Mark, Shay, and Kate Morgan as they have exhibited exemplary testimony to the American Dream and to the Fourth District of Arkansas.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in favor of H.R. 1873, the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, and I thank Mr. LaMalfa for his leadership on this issue. I would also like to commend the nonpartisan support for this bill, and associate my remarks with the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Schrader). This bill is a commonsense piece of legislation that will reduce the risk of wildfires and improve the safety and reliability of our electrical grid. How will this bill accomplish these objectives? It is really quite simple. When we remove overgrown vegetation near our electric grid on Federal lands, we remove the fuel component of wildfires. By reducing the risk of wildfire, we reduce the risk of an interruption of our electrical grid. Mr. Chairman, this is so much just plain common sense that it baffles me that we are having to debate it on the floor of the House of Representatives, but I think it is an example of how misguided some of our land management agencies have become, and the need for broader reforms. This bill would streamline the Federal review process for removal of trees and vegetation that pose a risk to our power grid and promotes consistency among Federal agencies tasked with the decisions on removal. If we want to move toward better protection of our forests on Federal lands and the electrical grid that moves through these locations, it is obvious that we should pass H.R. 1873.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Karrington Evans, John Paul Post of Altus, Randall Parker Ross of Hot Springs, Katie Welch of Pearcy, Briston Yarbrough of Danville. These star students from the Fourth District of Arkansas will have the honor of attending the service academies this Fall. Briston will attend the Air Force Academy; Parker will attend West Point; John Paul and Katie will attend the Naval Academy; and Karrington will attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School. Arkansas has a history of academy alumni. These include General Douglas MacArthur--Supreme Allied Commander in the Pacific during World War II, and Brigadier General William O. Darby, leader of what would later become the Army Rangers. Their example is one of courage and excellence under any circumstances. With this rich tradition before them and through their own accomplishments, there's no doubt these students will do their very best--bringing honor to themselves, their families, and their state. I wish them well in their service careers and success in whatever they pursue.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, the world has changed much over the last 100 years. If you want to know just how much, ask Mr. Hubert Mills of Hot Springs, Arkansas. The year of Mr. Mills' birth was eventful--the U.S. faced uncertainty as President Woodrow Wilson prepared our nation for World War I, the Chicago White Sox won the world series, and the man who would become the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, was born. In his 100 years of life, Mr. Mills saw America win two world wars and put a man on the moon. He has lived through the administrations of 18 presidents of the United States and experienced the American dream. During 100 years, he has worked a variety of jobs from driving a sprinkler truck at the local race track at age 20 to working as a driver for Railway Express. But Mr. Mills made a name for himself building homes in the Hot Springs region, retiring at the age of 95, though he still does work for his many customers. At 100-years-old, Mr. Mills is surrounded by many loved ones, including his three children, six grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren. As Mr. Mills celebrates his 100th birthday on Friday, June 9, 2017, I would like to wish him a happy birthday.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Lieutenant Deputy Kevin Mainhart. A Yell County Sheriff's deputy, Kevin was killed during a traffic stop on May 11, 2017. Lieutenant Mainhart had served as a police officer for 20 years in West Memphis, Arkansas, before returning to Yell County 5 years ago to protect and serve his hometown. He lived a life of service that his wife, Pam, and two sons, Lucas and Cody, can be proud of. While words will never be able to console the pain and grief his family, community, and the State of Arkansas feel, we can take solace in the words of Christ, who said: ``Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'' Yell County has lost a true friend and a servant. I thank Lieutenant Mainhart for his service and sacrifice and send my most sincere condolences to his friends, family, and all those affected by this senseless act of violence.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of former Congressman Jay Dickey, who represented the Fourth District of Arkansas for 8 years. In the days since Congressman Dickey's death last week at the age of 77, tributes have poured in, with many noting his sense of civic duty, his love of family, and, most of all, his faith in God. If you spent much time with Jay, you likely reached a point in the conversation where he would pause and ask a pointed question: When you die, where will you spend eternity? I remember Jay asking me that question, and when I quickly responded ``Heaven,'' he didn't let me off easy, as he followed up with: How do you know? After which, we had a long discussion sharing our common faith in Christ. There are current Members of this House who served with Jay, the first Republican to represent Arkansas' Fourth Congressional District. Regardless of political party, he was a representative of all Arkansans, and he genuinely cared about people. Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members of the House to join me and the Members of the Arkansas congressional delegation in observing a moment of silence in remembrance of Congressman Jay Dickey.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an individual who has served the people of Arkansas' Fourth Congressional District with dedication during the last two and a half years. My legislative director, Jonathan Shuffield, has led my legislative team since I took office in January 2015, bringing with him an extensive knowledge of federal lands, forestry, and how to navigate the legislative process in the House. Prior to serving the people of Arkansas, Jonathan worked as a legislative assistant for Congressman Steve Pearce of New Mexico beginning in January 2011 and the Congressional Western Caucus, where he served as executive director until December 2014. While I am disappointed to lose a valuable member of my office's senior leadership, I know Jonathan will continue to make an impact on the important issues in the years ahead. I thank him for his work on behalf of the people of Arkansas and wish him well as he moves forward in his career.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the outstanding achievements of four young men in my district. The Hermitage, Arkansas, FFA Forestry team not only placed first in Arkansas but also won the 37th annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational and the National FFA Forestry Career Development Event. The Hermitage FFA Forestry team was comprised of: Ethan Boykin, Hunter Saunders, Cade Wilkerson, and Connor Wilkerson, all of Hermitage, Arkansas. During the Forestry Invitational, teams competed for overall team and individual awards in events such as tree identification, insect and disease identification, forest evaluation, and a written forestry exam. The National FFA Forestry CDE tests students' skills and knowledge in forest management. As a forester serving in the House of Representatives, I recognize the many hours that these young men dedicated to competing on a national level, and I admire them for their hard work. Additionally, special recognition is due to Mr. Taylor Gwin, who coached the Arkansas Forestry team, the parents of the team members, and the Bradley County Extension Services. They all played a crucial role in making this victory possible. Mr. Speaker, agriculture and forestry are the main economic engines in Arkansas, and there is little doubt, in my mind, that one day soon, talented and passionate young people, such as these, will be called upon to lead our State into the future. Once again, I offer them my most sincere congratulations and wish them the best as they continue to pursue their passion for forestry.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the opening ceremonies of the Traveling Wall That Heals in Mena, Arkansas. The Traveling Wall is a replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington and brings the names of the fallen to cities across our great nation. According to Mena VFW Post 4451 Commander Linda Johnson, ``Bringing the Wall to communities across the country spreads its healing legacy to millions.'' I want to thank Commander Johnson, members of VFW Post 4451, and the citizens of Mena for their leadership in bringing this important piece of history to the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas. May the lives of those killed during the Vietnam War never be forgotten.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 69, a bill to use the Congressional Review Act to repeal a rule issued by the Fish and Wildlife Service to restrict hunting within national wildlife refuges in Alaska. I would like to commend Congressman Young for his leadership on crafting this legislation and for defending his constituents' right to manage the wildlife in their home State. Mr. Speaker, the assertion that the repeal of this rule would allow unethical management and hunting practices is utterly false. Alaskans have hunted and managed their land for generations, and this overreach by the Fish and Wildlife Service simply impedes their ability to do just that. Allow me to read from the 2016-2017 Alaska Trapping Regulations, one of many sound management documents usurped by this bureaucratic overreach: ``Wolves and bears are very effective and efficient predators of caribou, moose, deer, and other wildlife. In most of Alaska, humans also rely on the same species for food. In Alaska's Interior, predators kill more than 80 percent of the moose and caribou that die during an average year, while humans kill less than 10 percent. In most of the state, predation holds prey populations at levels far below what could be supported by the habitat in the area. Predation is an important part of the ecosystem, and all . . . wolf management programs, including control programs, are designed to sustain wolf populations in the future.'' Additionally, the regulations go on to say: ``You may not: disturb or destroy beaver houses or any furbearer den.'' Such as wolves, coyote, or mink. Mr. Speaker, the claim that this bill will allow Alaskans to hunt wolves in their dens is simply false rhetoric, designed to mislead the public, while bureaucrats take away the rights of Alaskans. The people of Alaska rely on these lands to provide for their families, and this Fish and Wildlife rule attempts to insert Washington bureaucrats into that process. Mr. Speaker, I cringe to think about U.S. Fish and Wildlife usurping established law. I cringe to think about U.S. Fish and Wildlife legislating themselves more power through the rulemaking process. I cringe to think about U.S. Fish and Wildlife expanding the regulations in Alaska, and I sure as heck don't want them expanding them in Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, this is a slippery slope, and I urge my colleagues to rescind this overreach and support this resolution.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a milestone for Little River County, Arkansas. On March 5, the county will celebrate its 150th birthday. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Little River County came into existence following an act of the Arkansas General Assembly, officially separating from Hempstead and Sevier Counties in 1867. During its century and a half, the citizens of Little River County have shown resilience and innovation as they weathered the Great Depression, sent its men to fight in World War II, and grew the local economy in the years since. In recent years, Little River County has withstood severe flooding, but they have come back strong and resilient. Little River County is blessed with natural resources, including forestry, agriculture, and minerals that all provide the inputs for manufacturing jobs that play a big role in the local economy, and will continue to do so in Little River's next 150 years. I am proud to call Little River County part of the Fourth Congressional District, and I congratulate its citizens on 150 years of progress.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, after serving on a school board, in my State legislature, and now in Congress, I have witnessed firsthand that government works better when it is closest to the people. That is why I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 44, which disapproves the Bureau of Land Management's 2.0 Planning rule. I commend the gentlewoman from Wyoming for introducing this legislation on behalf of her constituents as well as Americans all across the country that desire more effective government. The Planning 2.0 rule will fundamentally change the way land management decisions are made, and I believe it will fundamentally change them for the worse. Planning 2.0 puts faith in a faraway, Washington-based one-size-fits-all approach to land management decisions. BLM has a light footprint in my home State of Arkansas, but last year I had the opportunity to attend a field hearing in St. George, Utah. I saw firsthand the mismanagement by the BLM and how it impacts real people. Individuals from Washington County, Utah, told our field hearing of the heavy-handed approach BLM takes toward local landowners in management decisions. Local officials talked about how BLM has also ignored the will of Congress by ensuring updated resource management plans decrease grazing permits or effectively stop the construction of roads that are authorized in Federal legislation. Land management changes should be made in a collaborative way, with ample State and local input. Despite what some people may think, Congress and Congress' will still matters. Planning 2.0 marginalizes State and local officials in favor of unelected bureaucrats and special interests. By passing H.J. Res. 44, we will remind Federal agencies that they work for the people. Mr. Speaker, we are not a people of the government, by the government, and for the government. We have a government that is supposed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people. The people's voice should be heard in major land management decisions. H.J. Res. 44 will make the BLM listen to their voice. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, American workers and American businesses are the most innovative and productive in the world. This is no more evident than in our oil and gas fields--the ones in my district, in my State, across our country, and offshore. Mr. Speaker, in spite of the Obama administration's war on energy, our producers made huge gains in technology, production, and productivity to meet the needs and lower energy costs. The gentleman from California is correct, energy production has increased during the Obama administration. According to this 2016 CBO report, both oil and gas production has increased on State and private lands both onshore and offshore. However, during the same time, under the heavy hand of the Obama administration, production on Federal lands has decreased. The Energy Information Administration reported that oil production on non-Federal lands has increased 89 percent while it has decreased 10 percent on Federal lands, while gas production has increased 37 percent on non-Federal lands and decreased 37 percent on Federal lands. The Bureau of Land Management's venting and flaring rule is an overreach of the Obama administration. This is not about the environment. It is about extending the war on energy to private and State lands. The rule increases costs on producers, which are then passed on to customers, stifling job growth and hurting the economy. The BLM, as it has already been said, does not even have the legal authority to regulate air quality. It is an authority expressly provided to the EPA by the Clean Air Act. Methane emissions are already on the decline, dropping 21 percent since 1990 to 2014. This drop occurred despite the rise in natural gas production by nearly 47 percent. If the venting and flaring rule goes into full effect, it will cost nearly $1 billion by 2025. The result of overregulation is a decrease in domestic energy production, lost jobs, a battered economy, and an increased dependence on foreign energy sources. A repeal of the venting and flaring rule is necessary to protect our economy, the Constitution, and the American people. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. ``Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.''

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a fixture of the Arkansas Judiciary. The Honorable Berlin Jones of the Eleventh West Judicial Circuit in Pine Bluff was originally appointed to the bench by then-Governor Bill Clinton on July 11, 1987, serving the remainder of a term that ended on December 31, 1988. Judge Jones ran for a full term four years later, taking office January 1, 1993. Since assuming the bench more than 20 years ago, Judge Jones has heard a magnitude of criminal, civil, and probate cases in the Delta. Among Judge Jones' accomplishments since taking the bench has been the Jefferson County Drug Court, for which he has been the presiding judge since its formation in March 2004. In the time Judge Jones and his staff have been managing the drug court program, 106 citizens have graduated and started on the path to a new life free from drugs. In addition to being an advocate for those in recovery, Judge Jones has also served on the Arkansas Sentencing Commission and has been an active member of the Arkansas Bar Association, where he was admitted in 1976. Men like Berlin Jones are hard to find today. Not only did he serve his country in uniform during the Vietnam War, but he has devoted his life to the people of Jefferson and Lincoln Counties as an attorney and judge. I thank him for his decades of dedicated service to the Pine Bluff region, the state of Arkansas, and the United States. May God bless him.

Mr. WESTERMAN

Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I believe the number one way to move people from poverty to self-reliance is not a government program. If we want to make a difference in the lives of the impoverished, we must help them find a pathway to employment. In my hometown of Hot Springs, Arkansas, a nonprofit has taken this mission to heart. Cooperative Christian Ministries and Clinic works with disadvantaged residents to give them skills that will give them a step up in the workforce. The ministry's program, Bridges to Hope, has worked with local employers in Hot Springs to put its graduates to work, and it is seeing great success. According to a report by the local Sentinel-Record newspaper, Oaklawn Race Track has employed four graduates, all of whom have had a 100 percent success rate, according to Oaklawn General Manager Eric Jackson. The first Bridges to Hope class graduated only 90 days ago, but its success is already resounding as residents in the Fourth Congressional District of Arkansas are finding satisfaction and self-reliance through employment. I thank Bridges of Hope for its work in my hometown, and I hope to see its efforts not only grow, but also be replicated, because there is a better way to fight poverty and it is still the best anti-poverty program of all time--a job.