Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup and favorably reported eight bills. Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Our committee is delivering results for the American people. We're working tirelessly to move bills through the legislative process and advanced eight important bills today that will increase access to our rich natural resources. These solutions touched a myriad of issues and will update international fishing agreements, protect our national parks from Biden's border crisis, boost the development of American energy and support scientific solutions for marine wildlife across the country. Just weeks after Biden's historically bad five-year offshore plan, we're also passing legislation to increase lease sales and make the U.S. less dependent on foreign energy. This slate of commonsense bills is a product of our commitment to promoting sound conservation policies, and I look forward to moving these bills through the House and ultimately into law."

Background

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

H.R. 1792, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa), would amend the South Pacific Tuna Act to update the text and extend the terms of fishing access for U.S. vessels.

H.R. 3415, the Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), would require the Bureau of Reclamation to begin negotiations with the Midvale Irrigation District to convey the Butte Power Plant to the district. 

H.R. 4587, the Red Snapper Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.), would prevent the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from implementing area closures in the South Atlantic until the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is complete and the findings are integrated into the fishery’s stock assessment.

H.R. 5009, the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver Reauthorization Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio), would reauthorize the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the programs that make up the Multinational Species Conservation Fund through fiscal year 2028.

H.R. 5283, the Protecting Our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), would prohibit the use of federal funds to provide housing for illegal immigrants on federal lands managed by agencies such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service.

H.R. 5616, the Bringing Reliable Investment into Domestic Gulf Energy Production Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), would require the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to hold multiple offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico. The Biden administration's five-year offshore leasing plan was nearly 500 days late and included only three new lease sales, the lowest number of sales in the history of the offshore leasing program. This legislation ensures certainty for bidders and that robust sales are held.

H.R. 2560, the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.), would allow NOAA to help coordinate the rapid response and rescue of sea turtles in the United States.

H.R. 4770, the Chesapeake Bay Science, Education, and Ecosystem Enhancement Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), would reauthorize NOAA's Chesapeake Bay office.