Don Young

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chair, I am very proud of this bill, and I am a sponsor of this bill, and no one is lining my pockets. I resent that comment. I am thinking of the United States of America and how we are importing these 31 known minerals and the process that we have to go through to mine our own natural resources in our great Nation. It impedes our capability to be secure, regardless of what one might say. You just don't do this overnight. You have to have time to develop, especially the rare earths. The rest of the minerals we are importing using outside people, countries to import those products from, which we live with. We have people in this Congress and across this place who say we don't need it. We have to follow the example. By the way, if a miner tries to develop a mine, you have to go through so many different permits; and then when you get done, guess what we have. The lawyers from the big, big environmental organizations like the Safari Club, Sierra Club, and Friends of the Earth, all 58 different groups, file suit by a legal body that impedes the progress for this Nation. We cannot continue to import all which we need to have this living style we have today, yet that is what a lot of people on that side of the aisle insist upon. This is a good bill. Mr. Amodei thought about this bill. How do we retain our security? But more than that, how do we keep jobs within the United States? His comment is ``made in the United States by resources mined in the United States.'' That is what we should be looking at as this Congress instead of following, I call it, the blind piper: We don't need to drill our oil; we will buy it from abroad. We don't need to mine our minerals; we will buy it from abroad. And, by the way, we will ship our jobs overseas, and we will be further in debt $18 trillion. We need our resources. That is what made this Nation great. Everything in this room, in these hallowed Halls, this body came from the earth. It was mined, it was cut, it was manufactured from the earth. Why should we buy it from abroad? Let's be American. Let's mine for our resources. Let's cut our trees for our resources. Let's build our resources. As it says right up there: ``Let us use our resources God has given for the benefit of mankind.'' If we don't do that, we are abusing the job we have here.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in this act that changes the President's authority. I go back to self-determination. These are tribal lands owned by the tribes, controlled by the tribal council, and they will make a decision about the sacred sites; not somebody, again, in Miami or New York that wants to stop the project. These are tribal sites, and that is the thing I don't quite understand. This affects nothing of the present law. If they decide this is a sacred site, that will be their decision, instead of someone else. I urge people to reject his motion to recommit, and let's pass this legislation, this one little, tiny step forward for our first Americans. This bill came from them and they support it. They are not worried about these sacred sites because they will control them, not somebody who is an official. We take no authority away from the President. Very frankly, Mr. Speaker, this is a motion to recommit to slow the bill down. They say it doesn't, but this is an attempt to do so. I urge a ``no'' on the motion to recommit and a ``yes'' on the passage for that little, tiny step for the American Indians, our first people. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Chair, I hope it is the right color for Ranking Member Grijalva. I yield back the balance of time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I do not oppose the amendment. I just want to congratulate the lady on backing up what is in the bill, making this correct. We have had testimony from a lot of the timber tribes on how well they have managed their timber, and right next door will be the Forest Service land that is managed terribly. That is a threat to the tribal timber, too. I really think, if we want to get back on this track of the freedoms I was talking about, if we allow the tribes to contract with the Forest Service, make it a contract for thinning, encouraging growth, managing growth for future timber needs--you know, the native tribes are doing so much better than the Federal tribes. So I compliment the lady on this deal. I compliment the gentlewoman on this view, and I accept the amendment. I think the gentlewoman is doing a great job, and I appreciate it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Chair, I have an amendment that was made in order under the rule.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, I suggest one thing. This bill came from the tribes, not from the Sierra Club and not from the friends of this and not from the friends of that. All 28 organizations had nothing to do with the tribes. I have said all along--and I am pretty well related to the Athabascan Tribe in Alaska--it is time they are given the opportunity to fulfill the self-determination act that we passed. Words do not do that. This administration has these great conferences, and we invite everybody down and winky, winky, and now have a good time. Nothing happens administratively. Now, I know there is some legislation and I am working very hard to get legislation, but I can't do it all. I have to do it one little step at a time. This bill is requested by American Indians to have more control over their land. I have to remind this Congress that I sit in that we are now ranked in the nations around the world 20th in the freedom category. We have gone from number 1 to 20th. Think about that. The American Indians, our first people, are 13th in freedom because of our so-called free government. Now, there is something wrong with that. We are doing an indirect thing, as trustees, by not allowing them to expand their God-given right, their ability, their intellectual capability, to expand their self-worth and keep their identity. Every time we try to bring a bill to the floor to do that, it is, first of all, ``We can do it better administratively.'' That is why they are ranked 13th in freedom because of our government. Now, I want everybody to think about this in Congress, from number 1 freest nation in the world to right now 20. That is not a good thing. In the last 5 years, we have dropped three spaces in that freedom chart, mainly because of overreach, regulation, and dictation by our government. That is what it is based on. Individual freedoms are lost. Try that as a tribe and have to go through all the other steps that the other person doesn't have to. Well, they dropped down to 13th. I am asking the people in this body to support this bill if you believe in self-determination, if you believe in self-sufficiency, if you believe in the right to get ahead, especially in nations by this Congress that gave them the ability to be self-determined. They really take it away. So this is a good piece of legislation, a piece of legislation that should be voted ``yes'' on. We should give a chance for the American Indian to go forth as I know they have the capability of. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Chairman, this amendment clarifies who may submit public comments on a NEPA study concerning a Federal permit or land approval for Indian lands. It also preserves current NEPA requirements concerning tribal gaming proposals. When a NEPA study is done on Federal action, like a mineral lease approval on Indian lands, the agency must consider comments received by any member of the public, regardless of whether they are affected. This is unfair to the tribe because tribal lands are not public land. They are private lands. Section 4 of the bill limits public comment in these situations to the tribe and individuals who live within the affected area of the project. Section 4 was drafted. We expected an individual living within the affected area would include State, tribal, and county officials, but no one from New York or San Francisco. It is none of their business. To address any ambiguity, the amendment would clarify that tribe, States, and county governments within the area affected may have their comments considered along with those of individuals. Finally, the amendment provides that section 4 will not affect Federal actions related to tribal gaming. Gaming is a unique area of law. Gaming facilities have a significant impact outside the local area. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers).

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton).

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I would like to mention one thing. I do have an amendment for a future day--I am speaking to the gentleman--on NEPA. We don't change the NEPA policy at all, other than the fact that only those affected can have comments on how it affects their land, not a bunch of people from New York or Maine or Dallas or Florida. So that is really a red herring that was drug across this bill. This is to help the tribes. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop), my good chairman of the full committee.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill H.R. 538.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 538 has been in the works for several years. This is not a bill that came out of nowhere. Its provisions are the result of oversight hearings and consultation with Indian tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. The bill streamlines Federal permitting for, and increases tribal control over, energy and other natural resource development on Indian lands. It gives tribes options to perform or waive appraisals of their lands and prohibits the Interior Department's hydraulic fracturing from applying to Indian lands without the consent of the tribe. It also contains provisions to streamline judicial review and deter frivolous lawsuits concerning Federal permitting for Native American energy projects. The judicial review provisions are crucial for Alaska Natives, whose ability to develop their land claims settlement lands has been abused by special interest groups filing lawsuits. The bill also authorizes a pilot project for the Navajo Nation to handle mineral leasing of its trust lands if Interior approves its tribal leasing program. Finally, Mr. Chairman, H.R. 538 promotes tribal forest stewardship contracting on Federal lands adjacent to Indian reservation land to provide a full supply of biomass energy for the tribes. This summer, the GAO issued a report called ``Indian Energy Development--Poor Management by BIA Has Hindered Energy Department on Indian Lands.'' Here a couple of the highlights: ``The BIA does not have comprehensive data to identify ownership and resources available for development, does not have a documented process or data to track and monitor its review and response times, and some offices do not have the skills or adequate staff resources to effectively review energy-related documents.'' ``In 2012, Interior's inspector general found that weaknesses in BIA's management of oil and gas resources contributed to a general preference by industry to acquire oil and gas leases on non-Indian lands over Indian lands.'' This is a jobs bill. It provides energy for America, and more than that, it takes care of the tribal community that has been blessed with resources. In some Indian reservations, where unemployment rates are 50 percent, energy jobs are the only high-wage, private sector jobs available for members. These energy jobs dollars go a long way in supporting families. The Native American Energy Act is strongly supported by a broad array of Native organizations as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, specifically, the National Congress of American Indians, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, the Intertribal Timber Council, Navajo Nation, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, and the Ute Tribe of Utah. I am a little bit surprised that the White House has issued a statement against this bill. Really, it is not anything new. I always listen to this administration's ``all of the above but none of the below'' as far as energy goes. In other words, the administration promotes only wind and solar, while opposing oil, gas, and coal on Nations' lands--Nations' lands. In the Dakotas, it takes 15 permits on tribal lands and 2 off of tribal lands. That is a disgrace, and I suggest, with 56 million acres of land, there ought to be the ability to be self-determined, be the first Americans, with the ability to take and produce energy, and help their tribal members out. Those that oppose this, it is the same old story: don't get too smart; we will give you a side of beef and a blanket. Don't let us help ourselves, let the government tell you what to do. This is a good piece of legislation. This did not come from me. This came from the Native tribes themselves. It is an example, as we have trust authority, we should let them control their own destiny. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Pearce).

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a great Alaskan and someone I am honored and privileged to call my friend, Mr. Jack Coghill. Without Jack, I would not be here today as the Congressman for all Alaska; I might very well be retired or even buried near the banks of the Yukon River. Jack's commitment to public service goes back long before Alaska statehood. He served as the Mayor of Nenana for 22 years, served in the Territorial House from 1952 to 1956 and was a State Senator for the first three Legislatures. He rounded out his time in elected office as Alaska's sixth Lieutenant Governor from 1990 to 1994. Beyond his elected political career, Jack--dubbed ``Mr. Republican''--has had a profound impact upon all of Alaska as one of the 55 framers of the state constitution. On a very personal note, in 1972 Jack was one of the few people who believed in me enough to encourage me to run for Congress. Jack not only encouraged my run but worked tirelessly in his support of my candidacy. None of us knew at that time there would be a horrific accident in which Congressman Nick Begich and House Majority Leader Hal Boggs would be lost in a flight from Anchorage to Juneau. Due to this loss, it was up to the Republican State Central Committee to appoint a Republican candidate for the Special election rather than go through a formal primary process. Despite many other qualified candidates, Jack stood by me and convinced his colleagues on the Central Committee to vote in my favor. I am forever thankful for his role in shaping the path that has led me to serve as the Congressman for all Alaska these past 42 years.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an Alaskan Pioneer--a woman who helped shape our great State and a dear friend of mine--Mary Binkley. From her humble beginnings with Jim on the Chena and Tanana Rivers to her dedication to public service, Mary has been a solid foundation to her family, Fairbanks and the state of Alaska. Mary arrived to Alaska in 1944. As the matriarch of the Binkley family, Mary was crucial to the growth of their family business--from the Godspeed, a 25-passenger vessel, to what would become the Binkley enterprise. She has been the backbone of the Discover Riverboat Touring Company since its founding in 1950; a business which still operates today. When her husband, Jim, entered the Alaska State Legislature, Mary stepped up to successfully manage the family business. The company played a vital role in helping grow and modernize the entire region. When I traveled in Fairbanks, I traveled on the Riverboats Discovery. Mary has been a leading Alaskan woman her entire life. She has always had a big heart and deep respect for the rich history and culture of the Alaska Native people. She consistently went out of her way to hire Alaska Natives, learning everything she could about their culture and graciously sharing hers in return. Those relationships echo her tireless efforts to build community. Her dedication to improving the economy and her resilience to the unforgiving Alaskan frontier make her the definition of determination. I will always consider Mary a dear friend and pivotal stalwart in moving Alaska into the future. I could not be more honored to recognize her lifelong efforts as an Alaskan and one who sets the standard for others to follow.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an Alaskan pioneer, a lifelong dedicated civil servant and volunteer, Mrs. Kathleen ``Mike'' Dalton. Life was not easy in any way for the pioneers of Alaska; only the strong in heart and mind would thrive in such an unforgiving environment. Mike's life epitomizes the spirit of resilience and strength which advanced an early Alaskan frontier. As a young girl, Mike moved to Alaska in 1949. She began her lifelong involvement in politics and public service in 1962, and quickly became the backbone of the Fairbanks Republican Women. She has proudly served in numerous political positions throughout her life, and played an integral role in the office of Senator Ted Stevens. Civic service was only one effort of the Dalton family. Mike's husband, Jim was instrumental to advancing U.S. energy and defense as a pioneer engineer of the early oil exploration efforts in the Arctic and the Distant Early Warning radar line (DEW line). Both of which made a great impact to the nation. On a personal note, the Daltons have always treated me as one of their own. I will never forget the many times they opened their house off Dalton Trail to my late wife Lu, my daughters and me. I will always cherish the memories, friendship and unwavering support we've shared over the years. Alaska would be a different place without Mike, and it is only fitting that she be recognized for all her efforts.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of one of the most dedicated, selfless and kind-hearted individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, Mr. Glenn Hackney. He is a friend and a true unsung hero for whom I have the deepest admiration. Glenn moved to Alaska before statehood, arriving in 1948. He served in the State House from 1972 to 1976 and the State Senate from 1976 to 1980. From the time of his arrival, Glenn began a life of service to Alaska. Mere words today cannot express the profound impact Glenn has had on the lives of many; he has truly done so much good, for so many people. Glenn has always lived by the simple words of Abraham Lincoln and I quote: ``To ease another's headache is to forget one's own.'' In that same vein, Glenn's service to his community runs deep. I recall a time when Glenn was cleaning up the streets of Fairbanks, AK and was struck by a vehicle. He suffered many broken bones and endured great pain, but never held any ill-will towards the driver. In fact, he was more concerned for the driver's well-being than his own. Soon thereafter, he was back on the street once again doing his part to clean up the community. Glenn is a strong, silent leader; a gentleman and a dear friend. I hope that this body will join me in recognizing his contributions to society and the great state of Alaska.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I do thank the chairman and I do thank the ranking member for their kind comments. Much has been said about this fine piece of legislation. As was mentioned, it has passed the House twice. The Senate finally passed out a bill, and now we are dealing with a Senate bill. As was mentioned, this gives an opportunity for the YKHC, a Native hospital, to expand on Federal lands. By ownership of the land now, there will be no cloud on that title. I do appreciate the comments. I do appreciate the work that has been put into this. This is a bill that should have been signed into law a lot sooner. It will be done now, and we will be able to expand this hospital for my Alaska Natives. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this legislation.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chair, on June 23, 2015, the House considered H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. It is my intention to vote against this legislation. For the past four decades I have fought tirelessly for one of the finest products in the world, wild Alaskan salmon. The multi-billion dollar seafood industry in Alaska is the largest private sector employer in my state. Yet the approval of a genetically engineered (GE) salmon, or ``Frankenfish'' as I call it, could put our thriving and iconic fishing sector in jeopardy. Frankenfish could pose a grave threat to our wild salmon stocks in Alaska, and the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) support for approving GE salmon is disturbing. Equally disturbing is the fact that, if approved, the FDA has said that it would not require GE salmon to be labeled. In today's global marketplace, a consumer's access to accurate ingredient information is paramount. Clear and accurate GE labeling requirements attempt to mitigate the risk of market confusion or rejection by countries that have no interest in purchasing the hybrid organism. Consumer confusion about what types of salmon or seafood are genetically engineered may deter shoppers from purchasing these products altogether. If GE salmon is approved despite opposition from Congress and nearly two million people who wrote in to the FDA, it should be clearly labeled to avoid the potential market rejection of all salmon. In an effort to ensure that Alaskan consumers have this essential information, Alaska enacted legislation in 2005 that requires the labeling of all products containing GE fish and shellfish. However, the so-called Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (H.R. 1599), recently referred out of the House Agriculture Committee, would block states like Alaska from requiring mandatory labeling of GE fish while also curtailing FDA's ability to craft a true, national GE labeling system. Rather, its proponents would suggest that Alaskan fishermen should go through a costly non-GMO certification if they want consumers to know that their salmon is not genetically engineered. Why should all U.S. salmon fishermen have to prove their salmon are non-GMO when farmed GE salmon coming into the U.S. from other countries would not. It is insufficient for consumers and it is insufficient for Alaska's thriving fishing industry. For these reasons, I oppose H.R. 1599 in defense of states' rights to decide these important matters for themselves. All consumers should be able to see whether their salmon is Frankenfish or not.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment. I want to thank Mr. Calvert and his committee for the work they have done on this legislation, and I support the underlying bill. The administration has left no alternative to the people of Alaska and to those with an interest in our national energy policy. This spring, under this President, the Department of the Interior published the management plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to recommend the entirety of the area be designated as wilderness. This would include the 1002 area that was set aside by Congress for potential development in the future, an area that holds 10 billion barrels of oil, at the minimum, and probably 37 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. My amendment would ensure that no funding can be spent implementing this recommendation. The impact of this recommendation should not be overlooked, as the recommendation requires immediate management of the entire area as wilderness--unilaterally undermining the role of Congress through a de facto wilderness designation. This action violates the Statehood Compact, which was founded on ensuring the development of subsurface resources for the economic well- being of this Nation. This action also violates the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which established more than 100 million acres of conservation areas. And in recognition of the enormity of the acreage being locked up, the act drew a line guaranteeing that no more conservation areas can be created without an act of Congress-- our role. There is no need for additional wilderness areas in ANWR, given 92 percent of the refuge is already closed to development. Mr. Chairman, Alaska holds 53 percent of Federal wilderness areas in the Nation, and that is not enough for this administration. You think about that a moment. The administration's plan immediately raises another administrative, bureaucratic wall to oil and gas development. This is a betrayal to the Alaskan people and, I believe, to this Nation and to this Congress. This plan by the administration handcuffs my State from providing for itself and pushes us to be more dependent on Federal funds. This is not just an assault on Alaska. This is another example of executive overreach by this administration undermining the role of Congress. This is our role, not this administration's. I don't care whose administration it is; when the President oversteps his bounds, we should take and accept our responsibility. And this is the law he cannot do, but he says ``I can do it.'' By the way, Mr. Chairman, this was an example, I think, of this whole Department of the Interior. Between EPA and the Department of the Interior, they are trying to cripple this Nation, trying to cripple my State, against the law. This is very specific in ANILCA. If you don't believe me, go back and read it. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.