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Committee Republicans Advance Bipartisan Bills, Offer Amendments to Dangerous Legislation

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Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a markup, reporting a total of 14 bills out of committee. Twelve of these bills were bipartisan - including U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks' (R-Iowa) recently-introduced Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act - and passed by unanimous consent. 

However, committee Democrats also advanced legislation that would be detrimental to American workers, infrastructure, land rights, energy and more. H.R. 3764, sponsored by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), would raise energy prices for Americans nationwide by locking up much of U.S. offshore production, as well as enable the federal government to implement even more land and water regulations under the guise of environmental review.

Republican committee members offered 32 amendments to remedy some of the issues in H.R. 3764 and H.R. 2780. Committee Democrats rejected almost all of them, including:

Amendment to H.R. 3764offered by U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), prohibits the bill from taking effect in Bureau of Reclamation states that are experiencing or have experienced at least severe drought conditions, as determined by the U.S. Drought Monitor classifications, within the last five years.  

Amendment to H.R. 3764offered by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), ensures the legislation will not be used to promulgate new regulations or for consultation with federal agencies on any proposed actions. 

Amendment to H.R. 3764offered by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah.), prevents the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from including private, tribal, county or state lands in the national map of coastal and marine blue carbon ecosystems unless it has written consent.

Amendment to H.R. 3764offered by U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), prevents the act from taking effect until the Secretary of the Interior determines its implementation will not decrease the revenues to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) or the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund.

Read all the Republican amendments here.

The full list of bills that passed under unanimous consent:

H.R. 4300sponsored by U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), directs the Secretary of the Interior to make free National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes available to members of the Armed Forces.

H.R. 3113sponsored by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), requires the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to digitize and make publicly available geographic information system mapping data relating to public access to federal land and waters for outdoor recreation.

H.R. 3616sponsored by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Bear River National Heritage Area.

H.R. 2444sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón (R-Puerto Rico), establishes Fort San Gerónimo del Boquerón in Puerto Rico as an affiliated area of the National Park System.

H.R. 820sponsored by U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), establishes the New Philadelphia National Historical Park in the state of Illinois as a unit of the National Park System.

H.R. 972sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), provides for the establishment of the Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge.

H.R. 1154sponsored by U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area.

H.R. 1664sponsored by U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas), authorizes the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs.

H.R. 1908sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Ka'ena Point National Heritage Area.

H.R. 2278, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate the September 11th National Memorial Trail.

H.R. 2497sponsored by U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), establishes the Amache National Historic Site in the state of Colorado as a unit of the National Park System.

H.R. 2899sponsored by U.S. Rep. Michael San Nicolas (D-Guam), directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating areas within the island of Guam as a National Heritage Area.