Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee markup and favorably reported 12 bills. Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"While the Biden administration continues to tout ambitious goals for clean energy, they ignore the elephant in the room: supply to meet this demand. Unlike the Biden administration, we're not all talk. The House Committee on Natural Resources is working on commonsense solutions to help ensure all hardrock mining projects are eligible to benefit from the FAST-41 permitting process. Today, we considered Congressman Lamborn's important legislation to support these projects and help unlock America's abundant resources instead of making our supply chains dependent on our adversaries. We also advanced 11 other bills covering a wide variety of important issues, from improving veterans' access to our national parks to supporting law enforcement officers on tribal lands. I'd like to thank my colleagues for their tireless work on these commonsense solutions, and I look forward to supporting them as they move through the House."

Background

H.R. 1657, the Lake Winnibigoshish Land Exchange Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), directs the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to exchange land in the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota for land owned by Big Winnie Land and Timber, LLC., allowing a local small business to continue using a lakefront marina, a popular outdoor recreation area.

H.R. 2468, the Mountain View Corridor Completion Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens (R-Utah), would require the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the state of Utah certain federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management within the boundaries of Camp Williams, Utah, to facilitate the completion of a new road for the public and active-duty military members.

H.R. 4389, the Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), would reauthorize the grant program that supports the conservation of neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

H.R. 4524, the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), would authorize tribal law enforcement officers to be considered as federal law enforcement officers for the purposes of federal benefits and pensions, tort claim coverage and enforcing penalties for crimes against tribal law enforcement officers. The bill creates parity between federal and tribal law enforcement officers, which will help with retention and recruitment of tribal law enforcement officers.

H.R. 5582, the White Oak Resilience Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), would formalize the White Oak Initiative, create pilot programs for white oak regeneration and allow private funding to be utilized for white oak management and reforestation. White oaks are a keystone species that plays a critical role in supporting healthy forest ecosystems. They are also prized commercial trees that are used for a variety of purposes, including flooring, furniture and barrels for wine and spirits.

H.R. 6342, the Military and Veterans in Parks (MVP) Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) would create innovative adaptive trails and recreation opportunities to ensure wounded warriors can experience the full splendor of our national parks and public lands. The bill also develops a national strategy to increase outdoor recreation opportunities for veterans and support non-profit organizations that organize activities for veterans and active-duty service members on public lands.

H.R. 6368, the Indian Buffalo Management Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), would establish a formal program within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to support tribes and tribal organizations as they create and maintain their own American buffalo programs for the economic and spiritual benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

H.R. 6862, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), would codify "mineral production" as a covered sector under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and rescind the proposed rule, "Revising Scope of the Mining Sector of Projects That Are Eligible for Coverage Under Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act."

H.R. 7072, the Wabeno Economic Development Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), would help a small business and the rural economy in Wabeno, Wisconsin, by authorizing a land conveyance and encouraging efficient permitting processes for domestic mining of aggregates.

H.R. 5443, the Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.), would allow non-federal land appraisers who are appropriately credentialed in one state or territory to perform appraisal and valuation services on the DOI's behalf in any state or territory.

H.R. 5665, the Promoting Accessibility on Federal Lands Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), would require the USFS and DOI to conduct a comprehensive assessment of trails, campsites, boat docks and outdoor recreation facilities on National Forest System lands and DOI-administered public lands.

H.R. 6235, the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), would reauthorize the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act and make significant changes to respond to these threats more effectively.