This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed five bills that support job creation, economic development and reliable water supplies for rural communities, as well as providing free access to national parks and public lands for law enforcement officers and firefighters who serve our communities daily. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:  

"This week’s votes in the House reinforce Congressional Republicans' support of economic opportunities, good-paying jobs for rural communities, and the construction of critical water infrastructure. We also express our gratitude to our law enforcement officers and firefighters, who put their lives on the line to protect our communities and public lands, by providing free recreation passes. I'd like to thank my colleagues for their efforts to bring before Congress thoughtful solutions to local issues. I look forward to working with them to move these bills through the legislative process."

Background

H.R. 131, the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), will reduce cost-prohibitive interest payments for communities in Pueblo, Colo., for a critical water infrastructure project.

H.R. 183, the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), will amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide free annual passes for law enforcement officers and firefighters to our national parks and public lands. 

H.R. 1043, the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), will convey 3,400 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to support the continued development of a large-scale solar farm. The project is one of the largest in the United States and is expected to create numerous jobs for the local community.

H.R. 3937, the Wabeno Economic Development Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), would convey 14 acres of National Forest System land to a local aggregates business, helping job creation in this rural area of Wisconsin. The bill also promotes efficient permitting processes for domestic mining of aggregates.
H.R. 1917, the Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025, introduced by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), would congressionally authorize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Great Lakes Mass Marking Program, a program that purchases fish tags and other related equipment to improve fisheries management decisions