| Speaker | Time | Text |
|---|---|---|
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Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act
00:10:04
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| President Trump yesterday on his way back to Washington teased the announcement about Russia today. | ||
| This is what he told reporters. | ||
| Well, I'm going to have a meeting with the Secretary General. | ||
| It's coming in tomorrow. | ||
| But we basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military. | ||
| They're going to pay us 100% for them. | ||
| And that's the way we want it. | ||
| And we've been trying to get that again. | ||
| I don't think Biden ever asked one. | ||
| We're in for about $350 billion. | ||
| Europe is in for $100 billion. | ||
| That's a lot of money, $100. | ||
| but they should be inactually for more than us. | ||
| So as we send equipment... | ||
|
unidentified
|
See the rest of this program on our website, cspan.org, to Capitol Hill now, where the House is gaveling in for legislative business. | |
| Today, members are expected to consider several cybersecurity-related bills, including legislation requiring the federal government to examine the cybersecurity of existing wireless networks. | ||
| Live coverage of the U.S. House is here on C-SPAN. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1709. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 143, H.R. 1709, a bill to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to submit to Congress a report examining the cybersecurity of mobile service networks and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend the remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman's recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1709, the Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act, led by the gentlelady from Florida's 3rd District and the gentleman from Ohio's 1st District. | ||
| In recent years, we have seen a rise in a large-scale cybersecurity attacks that put Americans at risk. | ||
| Attacks like the SALT Typhoon have directly impacted the communications of public officials, including President Trump and Vice President Vance. | ||
| While mobile service providers take numerous steps to address vulnerabilities in their networks, threats to our mobile networks continue to exist. | ||
| To sufficiently address threats across networks, Congress needs a sophisticated and comprehensive assessment of what vulnerabilities persist, what issues have been resolved, and where mobile cybersecurity policymaking should be focused. | ||
| The Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act requires the National Telecommunication and Information Administration, NTIA, to submit to Congress a comprehensive report examining the cybersecurity of existing wireless networks and vulnerabilities to cyber attacks and surveillance by adversaries. | ||
| This bipartisan bill will ensure communications networks are safe and protect the privacy and security of the American people. | ||
| This bipartisan legislation passed by a vote of 393 to 22 in the last Congress. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1709, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized. | ||
| Thank you. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1709, the Understanding the Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act. | ||
| The security of our mobile networks and devices is paramount to American security overall. | ||
| Most Americans carry a cell phone or other mobile device with them all the time, and this trend is unlikely to change as we're only becoming more and more connected. | ||
| Consumers, therefore, deserve to stay in touch with their friends and family, the social media, or connect to the internet without fear of their devices being hacked. | ||
| We must ensure that these devices, the networks they run on, and the vast amount of data they hold, are secure and protected from the malicious actions of our foreign adversaries and other bad actors. | ||
| H.R. 1709 is an important step towards addressing these concerns. | ||
| The bill directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to report to Congress on the cybersecurity threats our mobile networks and mobile devices face at the hands of foreign adversaries and other bad actors. | ||
| Among other things, the report will include an assessment of whether mobile carriers have or have not addressed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in their respective networks. | ||
| It will also include an analysis of whether there are commercially available tools to help consumers evaluate the cybersecurity risk of these networks. | ||
| So I want to thank Representative Lansman and also Kamek for their bipartisan work on this bill. | ||
| It's a good step towards ensuring we can protect our mobile networks from evolving threats. | ||
| And I know we will continue to work towards securing our country's data, devices, and networks, whether from a foreign adversary or a domestic threat. | ||
| And with that, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, at this time, we have no other speakers. | ||
| If the gentleman is prepared to close, gentlemen, reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield now such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lansman, a member of our committee. | ||
| Gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleague from Ohio, Mr. Lada, and to Mr. Pallone. | |
| This is, I think, a really important bipartisan piece of legislation, a very simple, straightforward bill, simpler than the name itself, 1709, the Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act, is a mouthful, but the bill is really quite simple as Mr. Lada and Mr. Pallone described it. | ||
| We have foreign adversaries like Russia and China who are attempting to get our data. | ||
| And there have been breaches, including our own personal data and personal devices. | ||
| And so the goal of this bill is to require an interagency group to build out all of the information we need to ensure that we understand where all of our vulnerabilities are, | ||
| that we are dealing with those vulnerabilities, where are the gaps, how our foreign adversaries are accessing data, how could they be accessing our data, and how to further our ability to stop our enemies from attacking our individual devices. | ||
| So this is an important step toward understanding and improving our cybersecurity for the safety and protection of all Americans. | ||
| It passed overwhelmingly in the Energy and Commerce Committee. | ||
| I want to thank this as a bipartisan bill, thank the staff on both sides of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Republican and Democratic staff, for helping us put this together. | ||
| I urge all my colleagues to support it tonight. | ||
| With that, thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| Gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Reserve. | |
| Gentleman from New Jersey, Reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Well, we're prepared to close. | ||
| Yes, I have no additional speakers. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| This is an important bill, as was described by the sponsor, and I urge my colleagues to support it and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| You know, cybersecurity is something that we've talked about not only in the Energy and Commerce Committee for many years, but it's absolutely essential that our wireless networks are not vulnerable to attacks, especially by our adversaries across the globe. | ||
| So I would urge support of this legislation and would ask passage of the legislation. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| The question is: will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1709? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative. | ||
| Yet, the gentleman is recognized. | ||
| We call for a recorded vote on the legislation, the yays and nays. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| The yays and nays are requested. | ||
| All those in favor of taking this vote by the yays and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. | ||
| A sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. | ||
| Pursuant to Clause 8 of Rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. | ||
| For what purposes does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I move the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1618 as amended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 159, H.R. 1618, a bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to review certain rules of the Commission and develop recommendations for rule changes to promote precision, agriculture, and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous matters in the record on the bill. | ||
|
Supporting H.R. 1770
00:15:20
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|
unidentified
|
Without objection. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as they may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 1618, the Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act, that I was pleased to introduce with the gentlelady from Illinois' 2nd District. | ||
| For years, large parts of my district and rural areas across America have lacked access to fast broadband connections. | ||
| Reliable Internet access is more than just being able to stream your favorite TV shows and movies. | ||
| It's the critical connecting link for all of us. | ||
| Whether it's helping our seniors access telehealth services or allowing students to complete homework assignments or enabling small businesses to reach global markets, our people, country, and economy run on a reliable internet connection. | ||
| Farmers in rural Ohio also know that reliable broadband connections are essential to their operations. | ||
| After all, it helps deploy technologies that increases their productivity, produces higher yields, and minimizes operating costs. | ||
| Today's smart agriculture technology from autonomous tractors and distributed soil sensors rely on internet connections on shared data. | ||
| In fact, farmers use information in real time to make smarter decisions on how to optimize inputs and whether and when to plant or harvest. | ||
| And when terrestrial or cellular networks are not available, satellite broadband steps in to make these technologies work. | ||
| However, it's not just advanced satellite broadband capabilities that improve precision agriculture. | ||
| Earth imaging satellites also provide important information that help farmers and ranches identify visual trends that may require immediate attention. | ||
| In order to ensure our regulations maximize these opportunities, our bill would require the FCC to look at its current satellite rules to determine if rural changes can be made to promote precision agriculture. | ||
| I'm committed to ensuring our farmers have the tools needed at their disposal to help increase productivity while minimizing costs. | ||
| This legislation is a good step forward in that mission. | ||
| I want to thank the chairman of the full committee for bringing this legislation to the floor and working with us. | ||
| I would ask my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1618, the Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act. | ||
| The innovations we're seeing in the commercial satellite industry have the potential to transform so many aspects of daily life, especially for those in more rural and remote areas. | ||
| For years, Americans have relied on satellites for a variety of services, including global positioning system, GPS, radio, and television. | ||
| But within the last decade, satellite capabilities have become more sophisticated and are now being woven into the fabric of our mobile networks. | ||
| And with these advancements, mobile consumers now have even greater connectivity and the comfort of knowing they can reach first responders and loved ones in a time of need, no matter where they may be. | ||
| This satellite evolution is also touching American farms by facilitating advancements in precision agriculture. | ||
| H.R. 1618 promotes the innovation of satellite technology for precision agriculture, which uses satellite images to help farmers yield better crops and maximize their yield profitability. | ||
| The legislation directs the FCC to review its satellite service rules to assess whether there are any rule changes that could better enable satellites to deliver precision agriculture solutions. | ||
| And if the SEC finds that changes are necessary, the bill requires the FCC to develop recommendations for implementing them. | ||
| It also instructs the FCC to report its findings to Congress, including any recommendations. | ||
| So I want to thank Representatives Kelly and Lata for their bipartisan work on this bill. | ||
| With this legislation, we ensure that the FCC and its satellite rules are enabling technological advances in the important area of precision agriculture as much as possible. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Ms. Speaker, reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| Gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| I have no additional speakers. | ||
| Any other speakers? | ||
| I'm ready to close. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Okay. | |
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Again, this is important to the farm community and it shows the efforts that can be made with satellites for precision agriculture. | ||
| I think it's important. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support it and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I urge support of this legislation because I know across my district, I have one of the largest farm income-producing districts in the state of Ohio, and our farmers rely on this technology. | ||
| And it's very, very important that the FCC looks at what they can do to help promote agriculture across this country. | ||
| So again, I'd urge support of the legislation. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1618 as amended? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed. | ||
| And without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1770. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 123, H.R. 1770. | ||
| A bill to direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a pilot program to explore the use of artificial intelligence in support of the mission of the Commission and to direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission to study and report on the use of blockchain technology and tokens, respectively. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous matters in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as they may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 1770, the Consumer Safety Technology Act, led by the gentlelady from Indiana's 9th District, the gentleman from Florida's 9th District, and the gentlelady from Massachusetts. | ||
| This legislation will require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a pilot program to explore the use of artificial intelligence in support of its product safety efforts. | ||
| It would also direct the Secretary of Commerce and Federal Trade Commission to study and report on the consumer protection applications of blockchain technology. | ||
| Technologies such as AI and blockchain are revolutionizing the private sector with improvements in efficiency, security, and transparency. | ||
| We need to make sure the federal government is reaping the same benefits and using technology to its advantage. | ||
| This bill would not only make these agencies more effective, but would protect consumers in the process. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to join with me in voting in favor of H.R. 1770, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise to speak in support of H.R. 1770, the Consumer Safety Technology Act. | ||
| Our consumer protection agencies play a critical role in ensuring unsafe products do not enter the U.S. market. | ||
| Advancements in technology, especially as it relates to artificial intelligence, have the potential to help alleviate the stress that some of these agencies may face in being underfunded and understaffed. | ||
| H.R. 1770 would require the Consumer Product Safety Agency to stay up to date on new and emerging technologies by integrating them into their daily agency functions. | ||
| It also requires the Federal Trade Commission to study blockchain technologies and tokens. | ||
| Both the CPSC and the FDC do important work to protect all Americans from dangerous products, including emerging technologies. | ||
| While this bill will help assist in these efforts, it's no replacement for strong independent and bipartisan agencies or proper funding and staffing levels. | ||
| So I hope, in addition to supporting this bill, that my Republican colleagues will finally speak up against President Trump's dangerous attempts to weaken or even dismantle these critical agencies. | ||
| But I want to commend Representative Soto for his leadership on this issue and encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 1770. | ||
| And with that, I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Gentleman in Reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| I yield now, Mr. Speaker, such time as he may consume to the sponsor of the bill, Mr. Soto of Florida, a member of our committee. | ||
| Gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| I rise in strong support of H.R. 1770, the Consumer Safety Technology Act. | ||
| The bill directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to launch a pilot program exploring the use of artificial intelligence so we could track injury trends, identify hazards, monitor recalls, and identify products not meeting importation requirements. | ||
| See, the reality is the crooks are already using AI. | ||
| The cops on the beat need to be able to use this too. | ||
| And we also heard in committee that this could help make the CPSC more efficient by the use of this technology, and it's critical that we protect consumers. | ||
| The bill also requires the Department of Commerce and other agencies to study blockchain technology in the context of consumer products and safety. | ||
| Right now, blockchain is an exciting technology, new technology that can be used for data storage and helping AI to analyze major issues. | ||
| In addition, it could also be in the digital currency form too. | ||
| And so the next section also instructs that the FTC should report to Congress on its efforts to address unfair and deceptive trade practices related to tokens, aka digital currency, and make any recommendations to improve our federal agency's ability to protect consumers and promote innovation. | ||
| I'd like to thank Chair Lata, Ranking Members Pallone and Schaukowski, Representatives Houchin, Trahan, and Castor for joining me in this important legislation. | ||
| I urge them to all vote yes and I yield, reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| Reserves, gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| We don't have any other speakers. | ||
| If I'm prepared to close, if the gentleman is prepared, New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I would urge my colleagues to support this bill on a bipartisan basis. | ||
| It's important from a consumer safety point of view. | ||
| And I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| As has been pointed out, that the technologies are changing so rapidly, especially when we're looking at AI and blockchains and they're revolutionizing the private sector because of the efficient security and transparency and what we need to be doing on the federal government side at the same time. | ||
| So I would urge my colleagues to support this legislation with an aye vote. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1770? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are yes. | ||
| Yays and the nays. | ||
| Okay. | ||
| The yays and nays are requested. | ||
| All those in favor of taking this vote by the yays and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. | ||
| A sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20. | ||
| Further proceedings on this question will be postponed. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1766. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 141, H.R. 1766, a bill to amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend the remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I give myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy Cybersecurity Coordination Act led by the gentleman from California's 23rd District and the gentleman from California's 4th District. | ||
| Cyber threats, whether originating from state actors, criminal organizations, or malicious hackers, pose significant risks to our national security, economy, and the privacy of our citizens. | ||
| The frequency, the increasing frequency, and sophistication of cyber attacks, like we saw last year in the SALT typhoon attack, underscore the urgency of addressing this ever-evolving challenge. | ||
| The NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act bolsters our nation's cybersecurity posture by strengthening the coordination between the National Telecommunication and Information Administration and other relevant federal agencies. | ||
| Additionally, the bill renames the existing NTIA Office of Policy, Analysts and Development to the Office of Policy, Development and Cybersecurity and codifies the existing activities of the office. | ||
| H.R. 1766 seeks to promote effective information sharing, collaboration, and response efforts established in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. | ||
| The legislation also facilitates public-private partnerships to develop and implement cybersecurity policies relating to communication networks. | ||
|
NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination
00:08:05
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||
| By encouraging collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders, we can work together to address cyber threats and vulnerabilities more effectively. | ||
| This bipartisan legislation passed the House of Representatives by voice vote in the last Congress. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1766, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| And Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act. | ||
| Protecting our nation's communication networks is of vital importance to our national security, and this is particularly important now when a significant amount of our country's economic and social activity has moved online and consumers are continuing to connect more devices to these networks every day. | ||
| We therefore must build in safeguards into our country's communication networks to increase their safety and security while also promoting innovation and competition. | ||
| So H.R. 1766 will help us achieve these goals. | ||
| The bill authorizes the existing Office of Policy Analysis and Development at the NTIA and renames it the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity. | ||
| It also codifies the responsibilities of NTIA in administering parts of the Secure and Trusted Communications Network Act and requires the Office to coordinate and develop policy initiatives to enhance cybersecurity efforts with respect to our communications networks. | ||
| The office will also be tasked with developing and analyzing policies that promote innovation, competition, and workforce development in the communications, media, and technology markets. | ||
| I want to thank Representatives Obernalty and McClellan for their bipartisan work on this bill, which will ensure that there's a firm foundation within the federal government to oversee the security of our nation's communications networks. | ||
| And this legislation is more important now than ever, given our foreign adversaries' continued attacks on these networks. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, a message from the Senate. | |
| Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Madam Secretary. | ||
|
unidentified
|
I have been directed by the Senate to inform the House that the Senate has passed without amendment, H.R. 517, an act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the rules for postponing certain deadlines by reason of disaster. | |
| I'm from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| At this time, I'd like to recognize the bill sponsor, the gentleman from California, 23rd District, for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise in proud support of my bill, H.R. 1766, the NTIA Cybersecurity Coordination Act. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as more and more of Americans' lives move into a digital format, it's leaving the information of Americans more and more vulnerable to cyber attacks. | ||
| That's why it is critical that we establish cybersecurity protocols and capabilities to counter the threats not just of foreign actors but of cyber criminals and transnational criminal organizations who attempt to breach our data security and access the data of Americans. | ||
| This bill is an important step towards doing that. | ||
| It establishes a new Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. | ||
| The role of this office would be to research the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the American economy and within our government and to coordinate efforts to counter cyber threats within those organizations. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is national security and this bill is a meaningful step towards achieving that for the people that we represent. | ||
| I would like to thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their support on this bill, as well as my bipartisan co-lead, Congresswoman McClellan, and urge my colleagues to vote yes. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I would yield such time as she may consume now to the gentlewoman from Virginia, Ms. McClellan, a member of our committee. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Today, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act, which I was pleased to introduce with the gentleman from California, Representative Obernulte. | ||
| This important bipartisan legislation would cement the responsibilities of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, by codifying, renaming, and enhancing the work of its Office of Policy, which plays a critical role in shaping our nation's telecommunications and information objectives. | ||
| NTIA is already central to advancing market-driven strategies that foster innovation, expand broadband deployment, and promote a competitive digital economy. | ||
| But this legislation ensures that NTIA is equally empowered to help safeguard that digital future, particularly as the cybersecurity threats we face grow more complex and more dangerous by the day. | ||
| Last year's SALT typhoon cyber attack was one of the most sophisticated and malicious efforts to infiltrate our telecommunications networks. | ||
| It was a sobering reminder of how vulnerable our communications infrastructure remains and how deeply those vulnerabilities can impact multiple sectors, from health care to national security. | ||
| In today's interconnected world, a breach in one wireless network can compromise critical services in transportation, health care, finance, and public safety. | ||
| As our reliance on digital technologies increases, so too does the scale and sophistication of these threats, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence. | ||
| And while AI holds tremendous potential to improve efficiency, optimize networks, and revolutionize industries, it also introduces new cybersecurity risks. | ||
| Foreign adversaries and malicious actors are already leveraging AI to enhance phishing campaigns, automate malware, and exploit zero-day vulnerabilities faster than ever before. | ||
| These tools can evade traditional defenses, manipulate systems, and do so at a scale and speed that we have never encountered or imagined before. | ||
| That's why this legislation is so timely and so necessary. | ||
| By reinforcing the NTIA's authority and resources in cybersecurity policy, we position the agency to not only be a leader in innovation and broadband expansion, but a central player in securing the national digital infrastructure against these emerging threats. | ||
| As the principal advisor to the President on telecommunications and information policy, NTIA must be equipped to identify risks early, coordinate effectively across agencies, and shape forward-looking policies to protect American consumers, businesses, and critical services. | ||
| I applaud my colleague for introducing this bill and urge my fellow members to join me in supporting it and strengthening NTIA cybersecurity capabilities, which is not just a matter of good governance, but a national security imperative. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey, gentlemen from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. | ||
|
Supporting H.R. 1455
00:15:22
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||
| The gentleman is prepared to close. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I would urge bipartisan support for this legislation. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| As you can see from today's bills coming from the Energy and Commerce Committee, cybersecurity is high on to make sure that we're protecting the American public. | ||
| And I highly ask the support of the gentleman from California's 23rd and the gentlelady from Virginia's 4th District on their legislation. | ||
| I would request an I vote on the legislation. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1766? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The bill is passed. | |
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purposes does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1455. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union Calendar No. 142, H.R. 1455, a bill to codify the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences and to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lada, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend the remarks and insert extraneous matters in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as they may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1455, the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences ITS Codification Act, led by the representative from Georgia's 1st District and the representatives from Colorado's 7th District. | ||
| As demand for wireless technology continues to grow, we must continue to focus on identifying potential opportunities to make more spectrum available for commercial use, including reallocating and sharing spectrum. | ||
| Complex technical engineering testing and analysis underpins these important decisions on how best to maximize our airways for commercial use while preserving essential federal missions. | ||
| The Institute for Telecommunications Sciences, or ITS, within NTIA, plays an essential role in conducting the tests that guide spectrum reallocation or sharing decisions. | ||
| ITS will also help ensure the NTIA, as the federal spectrum manager, can continue to find opportunities to unleash commercial wireless innovation while also ensuring military readiness, securing our southern border, and advancing scientific discovery and other federal missions are successful. | ||
| The work ITS performs has led to innovative advancements in the way we manage our airways. | ||
| These airways power faster mobile connectivity for Americans, and making more spectrum available in the future is critical to beating Communist China and ensuring our continued economic and national security. | ||
| The ITS Codification Act will strengthen the statutory authority for ITS and ensure that the work that they do to advance the United States technological leadership remains a key part of our approach. | ||
| This bipartisan legislation passed by a voice vote last Congress. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1455, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1455, the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences Codification Act, or ITS Codification Act. | ||
| The Institute for Telecommunications Sciences, or ITS, is the premier engineering laboratory of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA. | ||
| Among its many responsibilities, ITS manages various technology development programs for NTIA and the Department of Commerce and oversees cutting-edge studies concerning the use of our country's airwaves. | ||
| ITS has played a significant role in furthering telecommunication advancements for our country's benefits. | ||
| H.R. 1455 recognizes the numerous contributions of ITS by providing it with additional statutory authority. | ||
| Under this bill, ITS will serve as the primary laboratory for the executive branch of the federal government to study wireless technologies, including the use of innovative sharing technologies for our airwaves and improving the federal government's use of spectrum. | ||
| The legislation also will allow the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, acting through the head of ITS, to enter into agreements needed to carry out the functions of the laboratory. | ||
| Now, this bill also requires the Assistant Secretary to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communications and tracking technologies. | ||
| And these technologies would then be used to locate people trapped in areas where wireless connectivity may not be available due to natural disasters and other devastating events. | ||
| I commend Representative Peterson and Carter for their bipartisan work on this bill. | ||
| It will ensure that one of our nation's key telecommunications facilities has the necessary tools and resources to not only continue its important work, but also expand its activities. | ||
| So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from Ohio, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| At this time, I'd like to recognize the gentleman from Georgia's 1st District for as much time as he may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| I thank the gentleman for yielding. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 1455, the ITS Codification Act. | ||
| This legislation would codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, ITS, which plays a critical role in making spectrum available for commercial use. | ||
| As we examine how federal and commercial spectrum is allocated, it is our job as members to ensure the agencies tasked with managing spectrum have the technical resources they need to be successful in their messages and their missions. | ||
| ITS is an essential part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA, and we must strengthen its statutory authority to ensure it continues informing important spectrum policy decisions. | ||
| This testing center will also play an important role in America's ability to stay ahead of international competitors like China on spectrum policy. | ||
| I'm confident that ITS will continue to contribute to innovative advancements that are crucial to our global competitiveness. | ||
| This bill also directs ITS to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies for use in locating trapped individuals in confined spaces. | ||
| This is an important initiative that has the potential to protect and save American lives. | ||
| Last Congress, this bill went through regular order and enjoyed unanimous support on the House floor. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back. | ||
| Gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| I have no additional speakers, Mr. Chairman. | ||
| And so I'm prepared to close. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| I would just urge support for this bill. | ||
| It's obviously very important, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| One of the things in the Energy and Commerce Committee for a good number of years, especially in the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, that we've talked about, is about spectrum and how much more we have to have in this country to move forward. | ||
| And so for us to stay number one in the world in this sector, it's absolutely essential this piece of legislation is supported and agreed to by the House. | ||
| And I asked for unanimous or asked for support of the legislation. | ||
| The question is: will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1455? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, nay. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed. | ||
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 2037 as amended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 149, H.R. 2037. | ||
| A bill to provide outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding open RAN networks and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act, led by the gentleman from North Carolina, the chairman of the Subcommittee of Communications, Technology, and Energy and Commerce, and the gentleman from Louisiana's 2nd District. | ||
| This legislation helps pave the way for greater U.S. competition with China by promoting technology that encourages vendor diversity. | ||
| Specifically, this legislation requires NTAA To provide support to all our small and rural communications providers that want to deploy Open RAN technology. | ||
| Promoting a more competitive market of trusted vendors to provide 5G equipment remains an important strategic component to protect U.S. networks. | ||
| As an open network infrastructure, Open RAN technology can help diversify communications technology by allowing multiple components from multiple manufacturers. | ||
| This bill will give small and rural providers information and support to deploy Open RAN technologies if providers would like to implement this technology in their networks. | ||
| This legislation has a strong history of bipartisan support in the Committee of Energy and Commerce and passed the full committee in April by voice vote. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2037 and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume now to the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Carter, a member of our committee. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Thank you, Ranking Member Pallone, for yielding the time. | ||
| I stand in strong support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act. | ||
| I'm proud to have introduced this bipartisan Open RAN Outreach Act with Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina. | ||
| I am grateful that the full committee, the full House, is considering this bill. | ||
| Today's bill is an example of what bipartisanship can look like on the Energy and Commerce Committee. | ||
| The bill provides greater federal support for small telecommunication companies in rural and disadvantaged communities to help these companies improve their network and remove potentially insecure Chinese network hardware. | ||
| Specifically, this bill directs the National Telecommunication Information Administration to provide outreach and technical assistance to small communication network providers about the benefits of transitioning to open radio access network or open RAN or O-RAN technologies. | ||
| It is imperative that telecommunication providers of all sizes are aware and have access to cutting-edge technologies. | ||
| It is also the case that this bill promotes U.S. technology technological innovations, competitiveness, and most importantly, our national security. | ||
| While I am proud to be a part of this effort, I would be remiss in highlighting that programs like this, the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program, may be negatively affected by reconciliation decisions made by the administration. | ||
| This is a pivotal step towards strengthening our nation's telecommunications infrastructure by providing technical assistance and outreach to small telecommunication providers, especially in rural areas. | ||
| This bill opens the door to a more secure, diverse, and competitive wireless network landscape. | ||
| The shift to open RAN technology not only enhances national security by reducing resilience on foreign-made equipment, but also boosts American manufacturing and fosters innovation in 5G and 6G. | ||
| The bill assures that rural communities are no longer lifted or left rather behind in the race for cutting-edge technology, driving down costs and empowering smaller carriers to build stronger, more resilient networks. | ||
| I encourage my colleagues to pass the Open RAN Act, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I'm prepared to close at this time. | ||
| We have no further speakers. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio Reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act. | ||
| Open RAN or Open Radio Access Network Technology is a wireless network architecture that has the potential to drive 5G and 6G innovation forward. | ||
| But like any new technology, we are just beginning to broadly deploy it as there is still much to learn about its potential. | ||
| And this is especially true for smaller communications providers who must be prudent about their resources and refrain from taking unnecessary risks in introducing new technology into their networks. | ||
| But we know Open RAN can both help introduce competition into a market that is currently dominated by untrusted equipment makers like Huawei and support the development of new trusted manufacturers, including those in the United States. | ||
|
Guidance For Small Providers
00:01:41
|
||
| So this bill helps bridge a gap by providing small communication providers with the support they need to determine whether Open RAN is an appropriate network solution for them. | ||
| Under this bill, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information will be required to engage in outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications providers concerning the uses, benefits, and challenges of Open RAN and other open network architectures. | ||
| And this bill would also require the Assistant Secretary to provide guidance to small carriers about their participation in the agency and the agency's public wireless supply chain innovation fund. | ||
| Sadly, with the passage of the one big ugly bill, the need for this guidance is significantly diminished as congressional Republicans inexplicably gutted this program by withdrawing $850 million in funding. | ||
| It's deeply disappointing that congressional Republicans would rather use this money to give tax cuts to billionaires than develop creative solutions to protect our wireless networks from foreign adversaries seeking to harm our nation. | ||
| Nevertheless, I want to commend Representatives Carter and Hudson for their bipartisan work on this bill. | ||
| This is a good bill as it ensures that our country's small communication providers have the necessary tools to make informed decisions about the need for new technology in their networks. | ||
|
Communications Security Council Codification
00:09:33
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||
| So, Mr. Speaker, I therefore urge my colleagues to support the bill and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I am prepared to close with the gentleman as I have no further speakers. | ||
| Gentleman from New Jersey. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I would urge support for this legislation and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| And Speaker, I also urge the members of the House to support this legislation and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is: will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 2037 as amended? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The bill is passed. | |
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purposes does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1717. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union Calendar No. 158, H.R. 1717. | ||
| A bill to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Latta, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Without objection? | |
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as they may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1717, the Communications Security Act, led by the gentleman from Pennsylvania's 13th District and the gentleman from New Jersey's 8th District. | ||
| The bill strengthens the cybersecurity of critical telecommunications infrastructure by permanently establishing a Federal Communications Commission Advisory Council to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communication networks. | ||
| The FCC established the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council, the CSRIC, to provide recommendations to the Commissioner regarding best practices and actions the Commission can take to ensure optimal security, reliability, and operability of commercial and public safety communications. | ||
| A hallmark of the body has been the collaboration between the representatives of the private industry, government, and other stakeholders in a forum that facilitates information sharing and the advancement of important issues. | ||
| Last fall, we saw one of the most significant attacks on our nation's communications networks in the SALT typhoon, which is publicly reported to have been carried out by Communist China. | ||
| Against that backdrop, it is critical that we continue efforts to strengthen existing government partnerships with the communications technology industry. | ||
| This legislation would accomplish that goal by making CSRIC a permanent advisory council to the FCC. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| And Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1717, the Communications Security Act. | ||
| Our nation's communications networks play an important role across many aspects of our daily lives. | ||
| We're more connected than ever before, and it's vital that we do all we can to protect this critical infrastructure and ensure it's reliable and available to all Americans. | ||
| The Federal Communications Commission's Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council, or CISRIC, is meant to do just that. | ||
| It's made up of government leaders at the federal, state, and local levels and thought leaders from industry and public interest organizations. | ||
| The Council provides the FCC with recommendations on the best practices and actions the agency could take so that our communications networks are secure, reliable, and compatible with each other. | ||
| CISRIC has been in existence since 2009 and was recharted in 2024 under the Biden administration and former FCC Chairwoman Rosenwursel for another two years. | ||
| It has served the FCC well by operating in a collaborative manner with representatives from private industry, governments, and other key stakeholders. | ||
| The Council is also now co-chaired by a representative from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to help foster collaboration between our nation's leading cybersecurity experts across the government. | ||
| But given the important objective of CISRIC, we should not leave it to the FCC's discretion on whether to recharge this council or not every two years. | ||
| Instead, CISRIC must become a permanent fixture at the FCC. | ||
| So H.R. 1717 requires the FCC to do just that. | ||
| Under this bill, the FCC would be required to establish a permanent council to advise the agency on the security, reliability, and interoperability of communication networks within 90 days. | ||
| This council would include representatives from trusted communications companies, public interest organizations, academic institutions, as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments for a term of two years. | ||
| This bill also requires the council and its working groups to submit reports offering their recommendations to the chair of the FCC every two years. | ||
| In turn, the FCC must make these reports publicly available on its website. | ||
| So I want to thank Representative Menendez and Joyce for their bipartisan leadership on this bill. | ||
| It's an important step in protecting our communications networks from bad actors and foreign adversaries. | ||
| So, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Okay, the gentleman from Ohio Reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| I yield now such time as he may consume to my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Menendez, who is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| Thank you, Ranking Member Pallone, for yielding. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 1717, the Communications Security Act. | ||
| One of the many vital functions that the Federal Communications Commission serves is ensuring that our nation's communication systems are prepared to deal with cybersecurity threats and natural disasters. | ||
| We know that threats to critical infrastructure that put our communities in harm's way are on the rise, and we need expert collaboration at the FCC to ensure that our communications networks remain reliable when we need them the most. | ||
| Countless tragic and heartbreaking incidents have highlighted the urgent need to bolster these networks, from the recent flooding in Texas to Hurricane Haleem last year to Superstorm Sandy that devastated my home state of New Jersey in 2012. | ||
| In these moments, our ability to communicate with one another and with emergency responders is vital. | ||
| That's why the FCC should have a permanent advisory council that can provide recommendations regarding both the rapid restoration of communications services in the event of widespread or major network disruptions and the steps communications providers can take to help secure these networks and everyone who relies on them. | ||
| My bill would codify the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council, or CISRIC, which focuses on improving next generation 911 emergency preparedness, network security, resiliency, and interoperability. | ||
| Time and again, CISRIC has improved the reliability, availability, and performance of our communications networks during natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and cybersecurity attacks. | ||
| It's common sense that we should make this council permanent. | ||
| The bill specifies that CISRIC must include representatives from a wide range of stakeholders from the communications industry, academia, the public interest sector, and state, local, and tribal governments, ensuring that everyone is at the table to help keep our communities safe and secure. | ||
| In a time when oversight is key, this bill would require biennial reporting to the FCC, Congress, and the public with recommendations on future improvements and updates to keep all of us and the American public informed. | ||
| I want to thank my colleague and good friend from the great state of New Jersey, Ranking Member Pallone, for helping move this bill forward and to my colleague from Pennsylvania, Mr. Joyce, for joining me in this bipartisan effort. | ||
| I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I urge unanimous support for this bill and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
|
Supporting U.S. Wireless Leadership
00:11:36
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||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I also urge support of this legislation because, as I've said, that we've been working on many of these areas in the Energy and Commerce Committee. | ||
| So, again, I would ask an aye vote on the legislation and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1717? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio rise? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I request the yays and the nays. | ||
| The yeas and nays are requested. | ||
| All those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. | ||
| A sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20. | ||
| Further proceedings on this question will be postponed. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I move the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1765 as amended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| H.R. 1765, a bill to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to take certain actions to enhance the representation of the United States and promote United States leadership and communications standard-setting bodies and for the purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| Gentlemen's recognized. | ||
| Again, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1765, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act, sponsored by the gentleman from New Jersey's 7th District, the gentlelady from Michigan's 6th District, the gentleman from Michigan's 5th District, and the gentlelady from New York's 9th District. | ||
| For decades, the United States has led the development of next-generation wireless technology. | ||
| To maintain our technological leadership and defend against our foreign adversaries, we must continue our leadership in standards development, including our participation in global industry-led standards bodies. | ||
| Without participation by U.S. agencies and companies, we allow our adversaries to pursue their own economic and national security interests unchecked and the opportunity to lead in the development of standards for the next generation of wireless technology. | ||
| Already, we are hearing about the Communist Chinese efforts to dominate the upcoming 2027 World Radio Conference. | ||
| I would like to thank the representatives again from New Jersey's 7th District, Michigan 6th, Michigan 5, and New York's 9th Districts for their leadership on this legislation. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1765, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1765, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act. | ||
| This legislation is an important step towards ensuring that the nation and global bodies crafting standards for next generation wireless technologies such as 6G and Wi-Fi 8 include significant representation from trusted American companies and those from allied countries as well. | ||
| H.R. 1765 accomplishes this objective by requiring the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to encourage and facilitate the participation of trusted companies and stakeholders in the domestic and international standard-setting bodies for wireless technologies. | ||
| The Assistant Secretary must also brief Congress within 60 days of the bill becoming law on the strategy to accomplish these objectives. | ||
| It's crucial, Mr. Speaker, that American and allied interests are well represented at these standard-setting bodies. | ||
| If the United States is not a leader in shaping the wireless future, our adversaries will step in to fill the leadership void. | ||
| And this includes dominating the future for a 6G marketplace in a way that may undermine our values, national security, and economic prosperity. | ||
| We cannot allow that to happen. | ||
| History has shown us that early developers and adopters of technology define the marketplace, drive innovation, and reap the economic benefits. | ||
| And that's why America must lead here. | ||
| Moreover, as we've seen with the SALT Typhoon cyber attack, foreign adversaries often see our communications networks and devices as the entry points to disrupt our daily lives and conduct espionage campaigns. | ||
| In the SALT typhoon cyber attack, which was backed by China, several American telecommunications networks were infiltrated to gain access to detailed information about President Trump, former Vice President Harris, other political leaders, and American surveillance information. | ||
| It's imperative that American interests are at the table as new wireless standards are crafted, including those that have cybersecurity and national security implications. | ||
| So I want to thank Representatives Dingell, Clark, Kane, and Wahlberg for their bipartisan work on this bill. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1765 and reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| At this time, I would yield as much time as he may require to the gentleman from New Jersey's 7th District. | ||
| Gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1765, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act. | |
| The United States has long been a leader in the development and deployment of the wireless infrastructure that connects Americans and the world. | ||
| America led the way in the development and the deployment of 5G, an important tool in our communications arsenal that connects millions to everyday needs, emergency services when needed, and to one another. | ||
| But make no mistake, our adversaries are aggressively working to exert their own influence, their own values, and their own interests on the global wireless stage. | ||
| As the next generation of wireless technologies takes shape, it is critical that America leads, not follows. | ||
| This bipartisan bill will cement our continued leadership by directing the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, to encourage participation by trusted stakeholders in the international standard-setting bodies like 3GP and IEEE that develop technological standards for 5G and next-generation wireless. | ||
| Through this bill, NTIA will partner with these trusted stakeholders, representing companies, engineers, and policymakers from America and our allies to offer technical expertise to American-led innovators. | ||
| By ensuring that our companies, engineers, and policymakers have a seat at the table, we can promote fair competition, protect our national security, and prevent our adversaries, like China, from shaping the future of the global communications to their advantage and to our detriment. | ||
| I appreciate the partnership of Representatives Dingell, Wahlberg, and Clark and the work of the Energy and Commerce Committee on this important matter. | ||
| I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield now such time as she may consume to the sponsor of this bill, the gentlewoman from Michigan, Ms. Dingell, a member of our committee. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| And I want to thank my dear friend, the chair of the subcommittee, Bob Lada, and our ranking member, Frank Palung, for helping to move this and for recognizing me today. | ||
| I rise today in support of the 5G and Beyond Caucus Bill, H.R. 1765, the Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act. | ||
| As a co-chair of the 5G and Beyond Caucus, it's good to see that we actually have bipartisan agreement in this body that the United States must be a leader in the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies. | ||
| I want to thank my co-leads of this bill, Representative Tom Kaine, from you just heard from, Representatives Tim Wahlberg and Yvette Clark, who are also members of the 5G caucus, for their work on this legislation. | ||
| This bipartisan bill ensures the United States remains at the forefront of innovation by playing a central role in setting international wireless standards in emerging technologies such as 6G and what's to come. | ||
| Today's policy decisions have lasting effects on the global wireless technology development of tomorrow. | ||
| Today, we are taking concrete, proactive steps to lower the barriers of entry for U.S. companies and other stakeholders to promote American ingenuity at international standard-setting bodies as they develop the next generation of wireless technologies. | ||
| Let's be clear, our global competitor is China. | ||
| As 5G has become the backbone of our digital infrastructure, China has aggressively positioned itself as the global leader for this technology. | ||
| To accomplish this, the Chinese government has streamlined spectrum management, invested heavily in telecom infrastructure, and launched diplomatic efforts to shape international standards in its favor. | ||
| To maintain our technological edge, we must invest now in setting standards for the next generation of wireless technology, 6G. | ||
| We need to counter China's influence. | ||
| We must work to ensure that we shape these global standards as they will define the future of telecommunication technologies. | ||
| This bill will do exactly that. | ||
| It will have a real impact on our global competitiveness, 6G deployment, and our national security. | ||
| I'm glad to see that today we are making real progress. | ||
| I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 1765. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey Reserves, the gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| We have no further speakers. | ||
| I'm prepared to close if the gentleman is. | ||
|
Hydropower Relicensing Transparency
00:09:16
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||
| The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I would urge bipartisan support for this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| I also encourage a yes vote on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1765 as amended? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed. | ||
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purposes does the gentleman from Ohio seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 3657 as amended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 157, H.R. 3657. | ||
| A bill to amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Lata, and the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Pallone, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio. | ||
| Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as they may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 3657, the Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act led by the gentleman from Idaho's 1st District and the gentlelady from Washington's 8th District. | ||
| Hydropower is critical to our nation's energy mix, supplying power to approximately 30 million homes and businesses and accounting for 40% of the nation's black start capacity. | ||
| However, the average age of hydropower facility in the United States is 60 years of age. | ||
| Therefore, hundreds of projects will be up for relicensing between now and 2035. | ||
| Hydropower developers must go through an extensive permitting process in order to license and relicense projects. | ||
| While important, this process can significantly increase the cost and timeline of relicensing these important energy sources. | ||
| In fact, the average permitting length in the original license process spans from five to seven years, and the average relicensing process takes between seven and ten years. | ||
| To increase transparency surrounding the status of hydropower licensing and relicensing applications, H.R. 3657 would require an annual report from FERC to Congress detailing the status of projects that have filed a notice of intent for original or new licenses. | ||
| This will better inform Congress on the status of applications and highlight obstacles to the efficient permitting and deployment of hydropower projects. | ||
| It is important that projects are relicensed in a timely manner to ensure clean and reliable hydropower dams remain online for the years to come. | ||
| I thank the gentlelady from Washington's 8th District and the gentleman from Idaho's 1st District for their leadership on this very important legislation. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3657. | ||
| And Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentleman Reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 3657, which will provide transparency into the hydropower licensing process at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC. | ||
| Today, FERC is responsible for issuing licenses for hydropower dams, but it's often dependent on other regulatory entities, such as the Army Corps, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, or state water agencies to provide information and approvals that FERC relies on to issue licenses. | ||
| It also can be dependent on the dam developer itself to give FERC necessary information. | ||
| With all these different entities involved in the process, it's often difficult to monitor from the outside and to understand where things stand on a particular project. | ||
| So, this bill helps us to bring more transparency to the process. | ||
| It requires an annual report to Congress on the status of each license application and outstanding actions that are required of regulatory agencies or the applicants themselves. | ||
| This is particularly important now because 15% of the electric capacity at hydropower dams will come up for relicensing in the next decade. | ||
| Forecasts, I should say, for electricity demand also seem to be increasing by the day, and that's why it's critically important that we have transparency into where the hang-ups are in the hydropower licensing process. | ||
| So, I want to thank Representative Schreier for her hard work on this bipartisan bill. | ||
| I also thank Representatives Fulture, Chairs Guthrie and Latta, and Republican Committee staff for accommodating common sense bipartisan amendments to the bill, such as expanding it to cover new hydropower projects. | ||
| I urge support for the bill and reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from Ohio, is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I yield such time as she may consume to the sponsor of the bill, Dr. Schreier. | ||
| The gentlewoman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Thank you, Ranking Member Pallone. | ||
| Thank you, Chairman Lada. | ||
| I'm from Washington State, and in the Pacific Northwest, hydropower power makes up the majority of our energy mix. | ||
| And that's why I'm very proud to lead this effort to enhance transparency and really help streamline the non-federal hydropower licensing process with my colleague from Idaho, Representative Fulcher. | ||
| This bill will support the proper permitting of clean, abundant, affordable energy by allowing Congress, tribes, resource agencies, and ratepayers to better track the status of the relicensing process for new and existing hydropower license applications. | ||
| Every 30 to 50 years, hydropower dams must relicense their dams with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in order to continue operating. | ||
| Hydropower dams in my district are critical to keeping the lights on and keeping the power flowing, and several, including the Rock Island Dam at Chelan County PUD, are due for relicensing at the end of 2028. | ||
| The relicensing process is typically very lengthy, in part for good reason. | ||
| The public comment period needs to be robust for all parties to weigh in, and without that input, we risk potentially devastating environmental consequences on regional ecosystems. | ||
| With relicensing activities set to double in the coming decade and the process typically taking seven to ten years to complete, there are crucial reforms that are needed to cut red tape without compromising careful consideration. | ||
| Otherwise, we could risk not having the affordable power we need when we need it. | ||
| The bill also includes annual reporting to track progress on new hydropower licenses, which are the most sensitive to licensing costs and any delays. | ||
| Existing projects have a revenue stream to pull from that allows the licensee to fund these processes as they move along, but new projects are completely sourced by the developers. | ||
| This common sense, bipartisan bill takes a first step by enhancing transparency and tracking progress on any given licensing process for all parties involved. | ||
| I look forward to continuing work with my colleagues on comprehensive bipartisan hydropower licensing reform, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. | ||
| I yield back. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey, Reserves, gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, we have no further speakers on the bill, and I'm prepared to close with the gentleman and I reserve. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from New Jersey is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I would urge bipartisan support for this important bill related to hydropower dams, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from New Jersey yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Ohio is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| You know, all the reports that we have across this country state that we're going to be producing more power, not less. | ||
| And hydropower plays an important role in our structure of energy in this country. | ||
| I encourage a yes vote on this legislation. | ||
| I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is: Will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 3657 as amended? | ||
|
Mapping Sinkhole Prone Areas
00:15:37
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||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed. | ||
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| The purposes of the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 900 as amended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union Calendar number 147, H.R. 900, a bill to direct the Director of the United States Geological Survey to establish a program to map zones that are at greater risk of sinkhole formation and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentlewoman from Oregon, Ms. Hoyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 900, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized? | ||
| I rise in support of Representative Soto's bill H.R. 900, the Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025. | ||
| Sinkholes are a natural hazard that costs the United States government approximately $300 million per year and pose a serious threat to public safety. | ||
| Sinkholes occur when there is a lack of proper external surface drainage. | ||
| So, when a heavy rainstorm comes through and the ground cannot drain the water properly, a void may form underground. | ||
| From that point on, it is often simply a waiting game until the ground gives out and the dangerous sinkhole develops. | ||
| This bill would require the director of the United States Geological Survey to establish a program that examines the short and long-term causes of sinkholes. | ||
| This research would provide the government with more accurate data on the cost incurred from these hazards. | ||
| The program would also create maps of areas most at risk of sinkholes, analyze the areas with the greatest risk of experiencing a sudden sinkhole, and make maps publicly available to help community planners and government agencies prepare for and avoid these catastrophes. | ||
| I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from Oregon, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I'm excited to see my colleague Representative Darren Soto's Sinkhole Mapping Act today on the floor. | ||
| This bipartisan legislation will direct the U.S. Geological Survey to study both the short and long-term causes of sinkholes, including extreme weather events, droughts, and groundwater depletion. | ||
| Right now, there's no national comprehensive mapping to track and predict sinkholes, leaving communities across the country more vulnerable to sudden and serious damage. | ||
| Sinkholes can open without warning and wreak havoc on our infrastructure, damaging roads, bridges, buildings, and utilities, and putting people's lives and livelihoods at risk. | ||
| We've seen this firsthand on the Oregon coast at Camp Kawanda, where an ocean wave erosion has carved into the sandstone. | ||
| In 2023, two sinkholes appeared there, measuring up to 25 and 30 feet deep, 25 feet across and 30 feet deep each. | ||
| Thankfully, state and local officials acted quickly, identified the problem, put safety precautions in place to protect the public. | ||
| But with effective sinkhole mapping, we can do even more. | ||
| We can identify at-risk areas before disaster strikes and take preventative action like ground stabilization to protect lives and reduce the cost of damage. | ||
| This bill is a common sense, forward-looking investment in our communities and infrastructure, especially as climate change increases the risk of sinkholes across the country. | ||
| I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives Soto and Billarrackas, for introducing this bill and their leadership on this issue. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 900 and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for Tom. | ||
| I'm prepared to close and reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentleman in Reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida, the sponsor of this bill, Representative Soto. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the gentlelady from Oregon for her leadership, Representative Hoyle. | |
| I rise in strong support of H.R. 900, the Sinkhole Mapping Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation with my fellow Floridian, Gus Billarakis. | ||
| You know, Mr. Speaker, sinkholes pose a huge problem for Florida and many states, yet we don't have a comprehensive mapping system to help first responders and community planners. | ||
| As was mentioned by our chairman, Chairman Westerman, and thank you for agendaing this bill today, sir. | ||
| It costs over $300 million a year. | ||
| We see in Florida homes and community centers and businesses be affected by this. | ||
| And so having a database that displays potential sinkholes in our sunshine state and across the nation would absolutely be critical. | ||
| And that's what this bill does: directs the U.S. Geological Survey to study the short and long-term mechanisms that trigger sinkholes. | ||
| This includes extreme storms, prolonged droughts, shifts in water management practices, ongoing aquifer depletion, other major water uses. | ||
| And it's all about having a public website displaying maps depicting zones at greater risk of sinkhole formation, helping with communities, helping save lives, and getting us to have more resilient communities. | ||
| I want to thank Chair Westerman, Ranking Member Huffman, and Hoyle, obviously Representative Billarakis, Frost, Castor, Wilson, Costa, Harder, Fitzpatrick, and Bell for joining me. | ||
| And I urge a yes vote and reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman from Oregon Reserves, the gentleman from Arkansas, is recognized. | ||
| I reserve. | ||
| GENTLEMEN RESERVES, THE GENTLEMEN FROM OREGON IS RECOGNIZED. | ||
| MR. SPEAKER, I HAVE NO FURTHER REQUESTS FOR TIME. | ||
| We're prepared to close. | ||
| I reserve. | ||
| I'm sorry. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, Mr. Soto's bill will help leverage modern technology and mapping data to gain a better understanding of the sinkhole hazards facing the country and empower local communities to prepare for and mitigate these hazards. | ||
| With that, I encourage adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is: will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 900 as amended? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The bill is passed. | |
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| This does the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 2316. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 156, H.R. 2316. | ||
| A bill to amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to provide that interest on obligations held in the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Fund shall become available for apportionment at the beginning of fiscal year 2033. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule of the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentlewoman from Oregon, Ms. Oyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members be given five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2316, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 2316, the Wetland Conservation and Access Improvement Act of 2025. | ||
| This bill is sponsored by Representative Heard of Colorado, and it would ensure that the interest from unallocated Pittman-Robertson funds continue to go to North American Wetlands Conservation Act, or NACA. | ||
| NACA is one of the most successful conservation programs administered by the federal government and has proven to be invaluable all over the country as well as in my home state of Arkansas. | ||
| Over 100,000 people visit Arkansas each year to hunt waterfowl in the pristine flyways of the natural state. | ||
| Across North America, NACA projects have conserved nearly 34 million acres of wetland habitat for migratory waterfowl. | ||
| Funds generated under Pittman-Robinson come from excise taxes on the sale of hunting equipment and firearms. | ||
| Various state and wildlife agencies, as represented by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, are on record supporting this approach, further confirming its viability and effectiveness. | ||
| I want to commend my colleague from Colorado, Mr. Heard, for being a champion for sportsmen and women, and I thank him for his work on this bill. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentlewoman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| The Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act of 2025 would extend critical wetlands conservation funding through 2033. | ||
| Many of my constituents live and breathe wetlands conservation, whether you're a duck hunter on the river or a birder exploring the coastal marshes or a family counting on clean water and flood protection. | ||
| Wetlands deliver for everyone. | ||
| Since 1937, the Pittman-Robertson Act has created successful conservation models where hunters and sportsmen support wildlife restoration through excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. | ||
| Currently, the interest earned from these funds supports wetlands protection through 2026, and this bill ensures that funding continues uninterrupted through 233. | ||
| This is conservation funding that works. | ||
| It's user-funded, results-driven, and focuses on protecting habitats that benefit all Americans. | ||
| The North American Wetlands Conservation Act has helped protect millions of acres of wetlands and grasslands across North America. | ||
| I commend Representatives Heard and Elfrith for their bipartisan leadership in advancing this proven funding mechanism and ensuring future generations inherit healthy wetlands and thriving wildlife. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2316. | ||
| Thank you, and I reserve. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the lead sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Heard. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Chairman Westerman, and thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 2316, the Wetlands Conservation and Access Improvement Act. | ||
| This bipartisan legislation ensures that the interest earned on unallocated Pittman-Robinson funds will continue to support wetlands restoration through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act for years to come. | ||
| For nearly a century, the Pittman-Robinson Act has stood as one of the most successful conservation funding models in the world. | ||
| It works because sportsmen and sportswomen pay a dedicated excise tax on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. | ||
| That money is then invested in habitat restoration, public access, and in hunter education. | ||
| Since 2004, interest generated from these funds has added an average of nearly $11 million per year to support wetland and waterfowl conservation across North America. | ||
| That funding is leveraged by nonprofit and state partners, often doubling or tripling the federal investment, delivering high-impact results. | ||
| This bill is about safeguarding that model. | ||
| It's about making sure that the dollars contributed by sportsmen and sportswomen continue to be put to work conserving the wetlands that sustain wildlife, outdoor access, and rural economies, including in places like Colorado's San Luis Valley, where thousands of acres of wetlands benefit from these funds. | ||
| There is no better conservationist than the American sportsman, and this legislation honors their legacy by protecting the very lands and waters they've long fought to preserve. | ||
| I would like to take a moment to thank Chairman Westerman and the staff of the House Committee on Natural Resources for working with my office to get this bill introduced. | ||
| I'd like to thank my colleague from across the aisle, Representative Elfrith, for co-leading this legislation with me. | ||
| And I'd also like to thank all the organizations supporting this effort. | ||
| I respectfully ask my House colleagues to join me in supporting this common sense, bipartisan bill. | ||
| And with that, I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. | ||
| We're prepared to close. | ||
| I reserve. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. | ||
| I'm prepared to close and reserve. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this really great legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, by passing this common sense legislation, the House will ensure we can continue conserving vital waterfowl habitat for years to come. | ||
| This is important for sportsmen and women who depend on healthy wetland habitats for hunting, fishing, and other forms of wildlife-centered recreation. | ||
| H.R. 2316 is a whim for conservation and the sportsmen and women community alike. | ||
| NACA has proven to be a very successful program. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 2316? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed. | ||
| And without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1729. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union Calendar No. 155, H.R. 1729. | ||
| A bill to amend the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation Management and Recreation Act to allow for additional entities to be eligible to complete the maintenance work on Boltz Ditch and the Bolt Stitch Headgate within the Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado. | ||
|
Supporting Hydroelectric Renewals
00:13:35
|
||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentlewoman from Oregon, Ms. Hoyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 1729, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection, Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| You're recognized. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 1729, the Boltz Ditch Act, sponsored by Representative Ngoose. | ||
| This straightforward legislation allows additional entities to conduct routine maintenance activities on Boltz Ditch and the Boltz Ditch Headgate in Colorado. | ||
| Boltz Ditch and the Boltz Ditch Headgate are water facilities located near the town of Mintern, Colorado that divert water into Boltz Lake. | ||
| In 1980, Congress established the Holy Cross Wilderness in the White River and San Isabel National Forest, but inadvertently failed to include Boltz Ditch among a list of existing water facilities excluded from the designation. | ||
| This has prevented the structure from being rebuilt or repaired for more than three decades. | ||
| The inability to rehabilitate and rebuild the Boltz Ditch Headgate prevented new development in the area, which would have required the expansion of Boltz Lake to provide a water supply for surrounding homes. | ||
| Congress corrected this error in 2019 by allowing the town of Mintern to access Boltz Ditch for maintenance and repairs. | ||
| H.R. 1729 builds on this legislation by allowing additional local entities, including the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority, to maintain this vital infrastructure near Boltz Lake. | ||
| This again is common sense legislation that will help local Coloradans and improve the operational efficiency of this important water infrastructure. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. | ||
| I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1729, the Bolt Stitch Act, introduced by my colleague and good friend from Colorado, Representative Joe Nagoos. | ||
| The Bolt Stitch Headgate and Ditch segment are located within the Holy Cross Wilderness in Colorado's White River National Forest. | ||
| The infrastructure is essential for delivering water to the Boltz Lake Reservoir, supporting water supply needs and economic development in Eagle County. | ||
| To balance the protection of the wilderness area with the continued operation of Bolt Stitch, Congress previously authorized the town of Mintern access to use, maintain, repair the headgate and ditch under the John Dingell Jr. Conservation Management and Recreation Act. | ||
| The Bolt Stitch Act would expand this authority to the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority as eligible entities. | ||
| Under this new authority, they would be eligible to receive a permit from the Secretary of Agriculture for non-motorized access to use, use, maintain, and repair Bolt Stitch Headgate and 450 feet of Bolt Stitch. | ||
| Representative Ngoose's legislation would ensure continued access to critical water infrastructure and promote efficient regional water supply management while protecting the wilderness area. | ||
| It would also support higher end stream flows for Cross Creek, reduce energy consumption, and foster long-term economic benefits for Eagle County. | ||
| This is a priority for this community, and I want to thank Representative Ngoose for his hard work and leadership. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further request for time. | ||
| I'm prepared to close and continue to reserve. | ||
| The gentleman reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado, the sponsor of the bill, Representative Ngoose. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| First and foremost, let me thank my colleague from Oregon, Ranking Member, Ms. Hoyle. | ||
| And I also want to say thank you to Chairman Westerman for his support and to his team and his staff for giving us the opportunity here to consider a number of bills that are bipartisan, common sense, and certainly mean a lot to the folks that I represent out west. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, as you may know, I represent Colorado's 2nd Congressional District. | ||
| It is an incredibly large geographic district. | ||
| It's a district that spans across more than 8,000 square miles. | ||
| It is larger than eight states on the eastern seaboard, spans 12 counties and over 55 towns. | ||
| And I have the privilege of representing this incredible district each and every day back home in Colorado. | ||
| And when you represent a district of that size and scale, you learn early on how important it is to be present in your communities, to be able to listen directly to constituents, local leaders, the folks on the ground about problems that you can ultimately help solve. | ||
| This bill is a perfect example. | ||
| It is a bill that has been described well by the chairman and the ranking member that, in effect, would ensure that a number of different water authorities, specifically the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority, would have access, as the town of Mintern already does, to the Boltz Ditch structure. | ||
| It builds on legislation that we successfully got across the finish line several years ago. | ||
| It's common sense, it's bipartisan, and it means a great deal to the folks that I represent in Western Colorado. | ||
| So I hope that my colleagues can support this measure, and I look forward to doing everything that needs to be done to getting it to the President's desk. | ||
| And with that, I yield back. | ||
| The gentlewoman reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| I reserve. | ||
| Gentleman Reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. | ||
| I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentlewoman yields back. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, again, Mr. Nagoos's bill is a straightforward bill that will improve the maintenance of Bolf Ditch and the Boltz Ditch Headgate near Mintern, Colorado. | ||
| I support H.R. 1729 and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1729? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Those opposed, no. | |
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed. | ||
| Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1044. | ||
|
unidentified
|
The clerk will report the title of the bill. | |
| Union calendar number 140, H.R. 1044. | ||
| Pursuant. | ||
| A bill to amend public law 99-338 with respect to COWIA project permits. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentleman from Oregon, Ms. Hoyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members be given five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 1044, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise in support of Representative Valadio's bill H.R. 1044. | ||
| This bill is a common sense measure to ensure the continued operation of existing hydroelectric facilities, which have provided reliable and affordable power to Californians over a century. | ||
| The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue four 10-year renewals for a special use permit for the Cahuia Hydroelectric Project, thereby extending the project's life for up to 40 additional years. | ||
| These hydroelectric dams located on the Cahuia and East Fork Cahuia rivers fall within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park, but they predate the park's expansion and have long been recognized by Congress as a valuable energy asset. | ||
| With the current statutory authorization for the permits set to expire in 2026, this bill provides much-needed certainty for the continued operation of a critical source of reliable energy. | ||
| Without an extension, Southern California Edison will be forced to remove this infrastructure at enormous expense to their ratepayers. | ||
| I thank Representative Valadeau for his leadership on this issue. | ||
| By championing this bill, he is ensuring that more than 15 million people in California have access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy for generations to come. | ||
| I support this bill and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentleman Reserves, gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 1044, introduced by my colleague, Representative Valadeo of California. | ||
| This bill would allow Secretary of the Interior to issue additional permit renewals for the CAUA project, a hydroelectric facility that operates within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park. | ||
| The COUIA project has been generating clean renewable energy since 1907. | ||
| Although it was originally granted a 50-year permit, the boundaries of the Sequoia National Park were later expanded in 1943, bringing portions of the project, such as flow lines and diversions, within parklands. | ||
| Because the project predated the park, it was allowed to continue operating. | ||
| In 2004, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Interior to issue up to three permit renewals with reasonable safeguards to ensure the project's continued operation wouldn't harm the park. | ||
| These include prohibiting any expansion of the project within the park, requiring a safety assessment, and appropriate compensation for the use of public resources. | ||
| H.R. 1044 would build on that responsible approach. | ||
| By allowing the Secretary to continue renewing permits for the COEA project under the same protective conditions, this bill allows continued hydropower generation while upholding our responsibility to protect the park for future generations. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentlewoman Reserves, the gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as you may consume to the lead sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from California, Mr. Valadeo. | ||
| Recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you. | |
| Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge support for my bill, H.R. 1044, which authorizes seven permit renewals for the COUIA hydroelectric project in Tulare County, California. | ||
| Southern California Edison has operated the Cahuilla Hydroelectric Project since 1899, marking well over a century of reliable clean power. | ||
| For decades, Congress has allowed for the continued use of the federal lands for this purpose. | ||
| But unless we act now, the authorization will expire in 2026. | ||
| Without authorization, Southern California Edison would be forced to dismantle critical infrastructure costing ratepayers in the region tens of millions of dollars and eliminating a clean, reliable, and affordable source of energy. | ||
| This bill ensures that COIA can keep operating without disruption and unnecessary costs for families across California. | ||
| I want to thank Chairman Westerman and his staff at the Committee on Natural Resources for their work on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill and protect the Central Valley's clean energy future. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back. | ||
| Join Reserves. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I continue to reserve. | ||
| Join Reserves, gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentlewoman yields. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, this is a straightforward common sense bill. | ||
| In the world we live in today, where we have more and more electrical energy demand. | ||
| It makes no sense to be closing down any kind of electrical generation, especially one where the infrastructure is already built and it's working and it's producing reliable and affordable baseload power. | ||
| I again urge my colleagues to support Representative Valadeo's legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is: Will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 1044? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill S 1596. | ||
| The clerk will report the title of the bill. | ||
| Senate 1596, an act to rename the Anahuak National Wildlife Refuge, located in the state of Texas as the Jocelyn Nungery National Wildlife Refuge. | ||
|
Renaming for Remembrance
00:07:39
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| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentlewoman from Oregon, Ms. Hoyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members be given five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on S 1596, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Jocelyn Nungery was a vibrant 12-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, whose life was tragically cut short on June 16, 2024, when she was murdered by two Venezuelan nationals who illegally entered the United States and are allegedly members of the Trend Duagua gang. | ||
| This senseless act has done irreparable damage to Jocelyn's family, friends, and community. | ||
| In May, Jocelyn's mother, Alexis, testified on this legislation, but more importantly, she highlighted Jocelyn's caring personality, deep love for animals, and passion for finding animals' homes, sharing stories of Jocelyn's life, such as Jocelyn's efforts to nurse injured animals back to health. | ||
| Alexis recounted one instance when Jocelyn bought a pigeon that had injured its legs into her home. | ||
| Jocelyn, without hesitation, tried to nurse the pigeon back to health in her bedroom until it was well enough to be released back into the wild. | ||
| On March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior to rename the Anahawk National Wildlife Refuge after Jocelyn Nungare, permanently commemorating Jocelyn for her compassion for animals and people who care about nature. | ||
| To ensure the name change is permanent, Congressman Babbin and Senator Cornyn introduced identical legislation that would codify the President's executive order. | ||
| The National Wildlife Refuge System plays an important role in coastal conservation, public recreation, and environmental education, all of which honor Jocelyn by allowing current and future generations of Americans to enjoy the natural landscape and animals that Jocelyn also enjoyed. | ||
| I again thank my colleague Congressman Babbin for introducing this House companion for the legislation and for his commitment to honoring Jocelyn's memory. | ||
| I support this bill and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentlewoman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| Senate Bill 1596 will codify the renaming of the Onah National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to honor the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungare. | ||
| Wildlife refuges are more than places to protect our environment. | ||
| They're places where so many young people are inspired to build a lifelong connection to nature and develop a sense of stewardship for the world around them. | ||
| Jocelyn Nungare was one of those young people. | ||
| She loved animals and the outdoors. | ||
| Her life was tragically taken far too soon. | ||
| This legislation ensures that her love for wildlife and the natural world will be remembered and honored forever at one of our nation's most important coastal conservation areas, spanning 39,000 acres along Texas's Gulf Coast. | ||
| This refuge is a vital sanctuary for migratory waterfall, endangered species, and countless other wildlife. | ||
| Now it will also stand as a lasting tribute to Jocelyn's spirit and the values she held dear. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to join me by supporting Senate Bill 1596 and help preserve her legacy in a place that reflects the beauty and wonder she saw in the world. | ||
| And I hope that this will bring her family some semblance of peace. | ||
| Thank you, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentlewoman reserves. | ||
| The gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as you may consume to the lead sponsor of the House Companion Bill, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Babbin. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I'd like to thank my good friend and classmate, Chairman Westerman, for his services here. | ||
| And I want to thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today in support of Senate Bill 1596 to rename the Anawak National Wildlife Refuge located in the state of Texas and in my district as the Jocelyn Nungaree National Wildlife Refuge to forever commemorate the life of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungare, who was tragically killed on June the 17th of 2024. | ||
| Jocelyn was brutally murdered in Houston, Texas last summer, and two illegal Venezuelan aliens, both reported members of Train de Aragua, the gang notoriously known around the country, have been charged in her killing. | ||
| Naming the refuge after Jocelyn is a very, very fitting way to honor her love for animals and to preserve her spirit within the very landscape that she called home. | ||
| I want to thank Chairman Westerman and Senator Cornyn for their leadership and their support in these efforts, and also the Democrat colleague across the way there. | ||
| I want to thank her as well. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this very common sense legislation, which we can never bring back, Jocelyn, but we can commemorate her and memorialize her for the love of animals that she had in her wonderful family and have that be a fitting testimony to her short life. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Texas, and the chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee for his unwavering work and dedication to bring this good piece of legislation to the floor. | ||
| I have no further requests for speakers. | ||
| I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves. | ||
| The gentlewoman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. | ||
| I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields. | ||
| Joan from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, refuges are places dedicated to conservation, public enjoyment, and environmental education. | ||
| Jocelyn was a kind, compassionate young girl who loved animals and cared deeply for the natural world. | ||
| Renaming this refuge is a fitting honor to Jocelyn's life, which ensures that her memory lives on. | ||
| Again, I want to thank Congressman Babbin and the Texas delegation for the work on this issue. | ||
| I support this bill and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass Senate Bill 1596? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Aye. | |
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative. | ||
| Purposes, the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I request the yays and the nays. | ||
| The yays and nays are requested. | ||
| All those in favor of taking this vote by the yays and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. | ||
|
Alaska Native Veterans Land Rights
00:14:54
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| A sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. | ||
| Pursuant to clause 8 of Rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 410. | ||
| The clerk will report the title of the bill. | ||
| Union Calendar number 153, H.R. 410, a bill to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentlewoman from Oregon, Ms. Hoyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask that all members be given five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material on H.R. 410, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise to support H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Begich. | ||
| This legislation would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program for an additional five years to end on December 29, 2030. | ||
| Alaska Natives have long experienced land-related hardships. | ||
| Recognizing this, Congress passed the Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act in 1971 to settle the Aboriginal land claims of Alaska Natives. | ||
| Unfortunately, this congressional action coincided with the Vietnam War, meaning that many Alaska Natives who were serving overseas in the U.S. military at the time were unable to apply for a land allotment. | ||
| Congress has attempted to fix this problem legislatively over the years, but many eligible Alaska Native veterans have yet to receive their allotment. | ||
| Accordingly, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program was established in the 116th Congress. | ||
| Through this program, eligible Alaska Natives or their heirs can select an allotment of up to 160 acres of certain federal land. | ||
| On January 21st, the Trump, or on January of 2021, the Trump administration revoked 11 public land orders, which opened up 28 million acres of Bureau of Land Management land for allotment purposes. | ||
| The next month, however, the newly elected Biden administration postponed that revocation, prompting a battle that waged throughout the rest of President Biden's term. | ||
| During that time, Alaska Natives remained without their allotments. | ||
| Immediately upon his return to office this year, President Trump reinstated the revocation through an executive order titled, Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resources Potential. | ||
| While this executive order will help address Alaska Natives' allotment needs, the program is running out of time. | ||
| Recent estimates show that over 2,000 eligible Alaska Native veterans had yet to receive their allotment, illustrating a clear need for an extension. | ||
| H.R. 410 would provide this relief by extending the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program for an additional five years. | ||
| I thank Representative Bakich for sponsoring this legislation, for his hard work on behalf of Alaska Native Veterans, and for ensuring that we keep our promises to those who fought for this country. | ||
| I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, the gentlewoman from Oregon, is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today in support of H.R. 410, a bill that would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program until 2030, giving those brave men and women who served in the Vietnam War additional time to apply for and claim the land allotments that they were promised. | ||
| In 1906, Congress passed the Alaska Native Allotment Act to provide individual Alaska Natives up to 160-acre allotments. | ||
| However, this law was later repealed with the passage of the Alaska Native Claim Settlement Act in 1971. | ||
| While many Alaska Natives were able to apply for allotments prior to the ANCSA, others were unable to due to their active military service at the time. | ||
| To correct the issue, Congress established the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program in 2019. | ||
| Under the program, Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Who Served Between 1964 and 1971 and had not previously received an allotment or their heirs were deemed eligible to apply. | ||
| Despite the number of veterans still eligible to apply, the program is set to expire in December of this year. | ||
| By extending the program through 2030, Congress will reinforce our support for Native communities and give eligible Alaska Native veterans the time they need to apply for the land that they are entitled to. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentlewoman reserves, the gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as you may consume to the lead sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Alaska, Mr. Begich. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | |
| I appreciate the opportunity to speak on H.R. 410, the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025. | ||
| This bill extends the application period for the Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans Land Allotment Program by five years, ensuring eligible veterans can claim the land that they were promised. | ||
| For decades, thousands of Alaska Native veterans who served in Vietnam were unfairly denied the ability to apply for land allotments due to their service overseas. | ||
| While Congress took steps to correct this injustice, the executive branch until recently has been slow processing eligibility applications and conveyances, leaving many veterans in limbo. | ||
| As of January 2025, out of more than 2,000 eligible Alaska Native veterans, only 41 applications have been certified and only 18 veterans have received their conveyances. | ||
| Fortunately, executive orders issued by the current administration have reinstated federal land withdrawals previously revoked, returning lands to the state of Alaska and unlocking lands that had been closed. | ||
| This expansion of available land increases opportunities for veterans to select and receive their rightful allotments. | ||
| This bill will give these veterans time to participate in the program with ample land for viable selections. | ||
| These veterans served our country honorably, and we need to make sure that they are not denied what they were promised. | ||
| Thank you for your consideration of H.R. 410. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. | ||
| I'm prepared to close and reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman in reserves, gentlemen from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation. | ||
| I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields. | ||
| Gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, this legislation again would extend the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program through the end of 2030. | ||
| I commend Mr. Begits for his leadership and for working on this important issue for his constituents in Alaska. | ||
| I urge the adoption of H.R. 410 and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The question is, will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 410? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
|
unidentified
|
Aye. | |
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| And the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative. | ||
| The rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| For what purpose does the gentleman from Arkansas seek recognition? | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 504. | ||
| The clerk will report the title of the bill. | ||
| Union Calendar number 154, H.R. 504. | ||
| A bill to amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to authorize the expansion of the Miccosukee Reserve area and to carry out activities to protect structures within the Osceola camp from flooding and for other purposes. | ||
| Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas, Mr. Westerman, and the gentlewoman from Oregon, Ms. Hoyle, each will control 20 minutes. | ||
| The chair recognizes the gentleman from Arkansas. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all members are given five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to add extraneous material to H.R. 504, the bill now under consideration. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| I rise in support of H.R. 504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act, sponsored by Representative Jimenez. | ||
| This bill would amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act, or MRAA, to include the Oceola Camp Tribal Village as part of the Miccosukee Reserved area. | ||
| It would also direct the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the tribe to protect the village from flooding. | ||
| The Miccosukee tribe has a long history in Florida. | ||
| Rural history has the tribe originating in the northern portion of Florida, but they later settled in the Everglades following the Seminole Wars. | ||
| Congress passed the MRAA in 1988, which gave the tribe permanent residency in the Everglades. | ||
| The MRAA also declared the Miccosukee Reserve area as Indian country, yet the federal government still held the right to engage in restoration and protection activities in the area. | ||
| The area known as the Oceola Camp was not included in the MRAA despite serving as a residential tribal village with key historical and ancestral ties to the tribe. | ||
| The National Park Service is already working with the tribe to protect this residential area from flooding. | ||
| Once the camp is incorporated into the Miccosukee Reserved area, the tribe will be able to work alongside the Department of the Interior to prevent flooding, preserve the village's infrastructure, and ensure that the village can be inhabited for years to come. | ||
| I thank Representative Jimenez for his work on this important bill. | ||
| I support the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| H.R. 504 would amend the Miccosokee Reserve Area Act to expand the boundaries of the Miccosokee Reserved Area within the Everglades National Park. | ||
| This expansion would ensure that the Miccosokee tribe of Indians of Florida can access the Osceola Camp, a historic tribal village that was unfortunately excluded from the original reserved area without requiring the tribe to obtain special use permits. | ||
| H.R. 504 would also direct the Department of the Interior to implement needed flood control measures to protect homes and structures within this village. | ||
| For centuries, the Miccosokee tribe's way of life has been challenged through forced relocation, damage to wetland drainage projects, and the need to acquire special use permits to reside in their own villages. | ||
| In 1988, Congress established the Miccosukee Reserved Area, granting the tribe rights to much of their ancestral lands within the park while supporting environmental restoration. | ||
| However, not all of the tribe's villages were included within the reserved area. | ||
| H.R. 504 would correct this oversight by incorporating Osceola Camp into the reserved area, a critical step towards honoring tribal sovereignty, addressing ongoing governance concerns, and environmental challenges. | ||
| This bill underscores the importance of righting historical wrongs and supporting tribal communities. | ||
| I encourage my colleagues to vote yes on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentlemen Reserves, the gentleman from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the lead sponsor of the bill, the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Jimenez. | ||
| The gentleman is recognized. | ||
| Thank you, Mr. Speaker. | ||
| I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 504, the Miccosukee Reserved Area Amendments Act. | ||
| This bipartisan legislation ensures that the Miccosukee tribe has the legal authority to manage, protect, and preserve their land and continue their traditional way of life. | ||
| Specifically, the bill amends the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to include the Osceola Camp, an inhabited tribal village located within the heart of Florida's Everglades. | ||
| The Osceola Camp is not only home to tribal members, but it is also a site of historical and cultural importance. | ||
| Including this land in the reserved area will empower the tribe to protect their community, manage water flow into the Everglades National Park, and raise structures within the camp to prevent catastrophic flooding. | ||
| The Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the continental United States and one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. | ||
| For generations, the Miccosukee Tribe has served as a responsible steward of the fragile environment. | ||
| Their leadership in conservation, water management, and environmental protection has helped preserve the natural beauty, the biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of South Florida. | ||
| This bill is about fairness and conservation. | ||
| It ensures the Miccosukee Tribe has the autonomy to protect their home, their land, and their way of life. | ||
| I want to thank my colleague from Florida, Representative Darren Soto, for co-sponsoring this measure. | ||
| I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 504. | ||
| Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. | ||
| I'm prepared to close and reserve the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman reserves, the gentleman from Oregon is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| The gentleman yields, gentlemen from Arkansas is recognized. | ||
| Mr. Speaker, this legislation would amend the Miccosukee Reserved Area Act to include the Oceola camp as part of the Miccosukee Reserved area. | ||
| This bill would also help with important work to mitigate the impact of flooding on the structures in the area. | ||
| Before I close, I ask unanimous consent to include in the record an exchange of letters between the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. | ||
| Without objection. | ||
| Urge adoption of H.R. 504 and yield back the balance of my time. | ||
| Gentleman Yields, the question is: Will the House suspend the rules and pass the bill H.R. 504? | ||
| Those in favor say aye. | ||
| Those opposed, no. | ||
| In the opinion of the chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative. | ||
| The rules are suspended. | ||
| The bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. | ||
| Pursuant to clause 12A of Rule 1, the chair declares the House in recess until approximately 6:30 p.m. today. | ||
|
Contact Your Representatives
00:02:35
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|
unidentified
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And with that, the House is now in recess. | |
| Members are expected to return later today for legislative business. | ||
| Today, the House considers several bills related to cybersecurity, including legislation requiring the federal government to examine the cybersecurity of existing wireless networks. | ||
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Tom Homan On Deportation Efforts
00:00:28
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These points of interest markers appear on the right-hand side of your screen when you hit play on select videos. | |
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| Well, coming up, Trump Administration Immigration and Border Security Advisor Tom Homan speaks on the administration's deportation efforts at an event hosted by Turning Point USA. | ||