Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported a total of nine bills during a full committee markup. Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) released the following statement in response:

"In our last week of legislative business before August, the House Committee on Natural Resources is delivering wins for members to take home to their constituents. Today, we advanced solutions to tackle a variety of problems across the country and help keep our commitment to the American people this Congress. This slate of bills will help us fight fires, expand broadband access, honor our veterans and women trailblazers, spur economic growth and strengthen our military. The work we do in this committee touches virtually all aspects of American life, and it's an honor to help take these solutions one step closer to the finish line. I'd like to thank my colleagues for their thoughtful work on these issues and celebrate the productivity and success of this committee as we head into the second half of the year." 

Background

The House Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported a total of nine bills out of committee today:

H.R. 2717, introduced by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), authorizes the location of the National Medal of Honor Memorial within the National Mall to honor the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service and sacrifice displayed by Medal of Honor recipients.

H.R. 2997, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), conveys 31.1 acres from the Bureau of Land Management to Mesa County, Colo., for use in economic development.

H.R. 3049, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), ratifies a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate a series of land exchanges between the Department of the Interior and the state of Utah to raise additional revenue for Utah's K-12 public education.

H.R. 3499, introduced by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), gives the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior permanent direct hire authority to hire qualified candidates on an expedited basis for several roles in firefighting and firefighting support. 

H.R. 3675, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), reauthorizes currently expired Bureau of Reclamation authorities that allow agriculture and municipal water users to pre-pay their contracts.

H.R. 4141, introduced by U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), will help streamline the federal permitting process for certain broadband projects, helping close the digital divide for rural and tribal communities.

H.R. 1318, introduced by U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), authorizes the location of a monument on the National Mall to commemorate the women's suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

H.R. 1722, introduced by U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), amends the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to reflect that the Grand Ronde tribe’s extinguishment of land claims against the United States only applies to an 84-acre parcel of land, known as the Thompson Strip.

H.R. 4377, introduced by U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), extends the land withdrawal for the Barry M. Goldwater Range until 2049 and adds 2,365.89 acres of public land to the base to allow the Air Force and Navy continues access to this vital training ground.