This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed 11 House Committee on Natural Resources bills with significant bipartisan support. The bills honor American history, support farmers, enhance outdoor recreational opportunities and more. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Even as we approach the final days of the 118th Congress, we're still working to honor our nation's most sacred sites, increase outdoor recreation opportunities for veterans and recognize the contributions of groundbreaking Americans. The House Committee on Natural Resources is ending this congress the way we started: passing meaningful legislation that impacts every American. I look forward to building on this momentum in the 119^th Congress to accomplish our goals and find solutions to the issues facing our country."

Background

H.R. 1101, the Lumbee Fairness Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.), will extend federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina (the Lumbees), making its members eligible for the services and benefits provided to members of all federally recognized tribes.

H.R. 5401, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.), provides a one-time grant from the Department of Homeland Security to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum to defray its significant security costs.

H.R. 6127, the Modernizing Access to Our Public (MAP) Waters Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), would help enhance access to the nation’s outdoor recreational opportunities by digitizing and standardizing mapping information, such as access points and permissible uses, of federal waters.

H.R. 7938, the Klamath Basin Water Agreement Support Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), will shield farmers from the adverse effects of removing the four non-federal dams on the Klamath River.

H.R. 8012, the Jackie Robinson Commemorative Site Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), designates the Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla., where Jackie Robinson first broke the color barrier in professional baseball, as the “Jackie Robinson Ballpark National Commemorative Site.”

H.R. 8931, introduced by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), will redesignate the Saratoga National Historical Park as Saratoga National Battlefield Park to emphasize its place in the heroic struggle for American independence.

H.R. 9516, the Military Families National Parks Access Enhancement Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), will expand access to free, lifetime America the Beautiful Passes to Gold Star Next of Kin family members and families of veterans who pass away due to a service-related illness.

S. 3857, the Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), would place approximately 173 acres of land into trust for the benefit of the Jamul Indian Village in San Diego County, California.

H.R. 3396, the Fire Department Repayment Act of 2023, introduced by U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.), would require the Secretaries of Agriculture, the Interior, Homeland Security and Defense to establish standard operating procedures for payment timelines of fire suppression cost-sharing agreements.

H.R. 8308, the Nutria Eradication and Control Reauthorization Act of 2024, introduced by U.S. Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.), reauthorizes a program to eradicate nutria, an invasive rodent species, in the Chesapeake Bay, Louisiana, and other places where nutria have inflicted significant damages to ecosystems.

H.R. 8946, the Reversionary Interest Conveyance Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), would resolve a conflict over a parcel of land in Sacramento and allow landowners to develop further without complications from the federal government.