This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed 12 House Committee on Natural Resources bills with significant bipartisan support. Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"The bills passed in the House this week represent the product of extensive bipartisan work by my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and deliver commonsense solutions for Americans across the country and around the globe. These wide-ranging bills expand outdoor recreation opportunities for sportsmen and women across the country, support tribal autonomy and land management practices, develop a retreat center for our veterans, support fishing access in the territories, improve wildlife conservation and much more. The myriad of solutions represent the diverse priorities of our work in the House and demonstrate our continued commitment to passing solutions that reach all communities across the United States. I'd like to thank Speaker Johnson for bringing these bipartisan bills to the floor, and I look forward to moving these bills to the Senate and ultimately to President Biden’s desk."

Background

H.R. 524, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.), is a return to previous policies allowing for more efficient restoration of beach habitat for communities in need by creating an exemption to the restriction on the use of federal funds for certain shoreline borrow sites within the Coastal Barrier Resources System.

H.R. 1246, introduced by U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), would authorize leases of up to 99 years for land held in trust for federally recognized Indian tribes.

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. 1829, introduced by U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), would require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Ariz., in order to develop a retreat center for veterans.

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. 6011, the Right of Way Application Transparency and Accountability Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), addresses a significant bottleneck in the permitting process for all-of-the-above energy projects on federal lands by requiring that federal agencies notify right-of-way applicants if their application is complete within 90 days. At present, there is no such timetable for responding to right-of-way applications on federal lands.

H.R. 6233, the Community Reclamation Partnerships Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), would grant liability protection to third-party organizations participating in clean-up projects of inactive and abandoned coal mines. This bill creates a pathway for NGOs to contribute their resources to reclamation and lessens the burden on states and taxpayers.

H.R. 6443, the Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), would place approximately 172.1 acres of land owned by the Jamul Indian Village in San Diego County, Calif., into trust for the benefit of the tribe.

H.R. 6492, the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act (EXPLORE) Act, introduced by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), would expand public land access by supporting recreation opportunities like biking and rock climbing, addressing access barriers for veterans and people with disabilities, streamlining the permitting process for small businesses and more.

S. 382, introduced by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), would take approximately 17 acres of fee land in Pierce County, Wash., into trust for the benefit of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

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

H.R. 3250, the National Museum of Play Recognition Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), which would recognize the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum as the National Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y.