Providing for Consideration of H.R. Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Providing for Proceedings During the Period From July Through September and for Other Purposes
Floor Speech
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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 820 and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 820
Resolved, That at any time after adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5538) making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017, and for other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations.
Sec. 2. (a) After general debate the bill shall be considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. The bill shall be considered as read through page 184, line 21. Points of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived except as follows: page 71, line 19, through page 71, line 25.
(b) No amendment to the bill shall be in order except those printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, amendments en bloc described in section 3 of this resolution, and pro forma amendments described in section 4 of this resolution.
(c) Each amendment printed in the report of the Committee on Rules shall be considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment except as provided by section 4 of this resolution, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
(d) All points of order against amendments printed in the report of the Committee on Rules or against amendments en bloc described in section 3 of this resolution are waived.
Sec. 3. It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting of amendments printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution not earlier disposed of. Amendments en bloc offered pursuant to this section shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees, shall not be subject to amendment except as provided by section 4 of this resolution, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
Sec. 4. During consideration of the bill for amendment, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for the purpose of debate.
Sec. 5. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
Sec. 6. Section 454 of H.R. 5538 shall be considered to be a spending reduction account for purposes of section 3(d) of House Resolution 5.
Sec. 7. During consideration of H.R. 5538, section 3304 of Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 shall not apply.
Sec. 8. On any legislative day during the period from July 15, 2016, through September 5, 2016-- (a) the Journal of the proceedings of the previous day shall be considered as approved; and
(b) the Chair may at any time declare the House adjourned to meet at a date and time, within the limits of clause 4, section 5, article I of the Constitution, to be announced by the Chair in declaring the adjournment.
Sec. 9. The Speaker may appoint Members to perform the duties of the Chair for the duration of the period addressed by section 8 of this resolution as though under clause 8(a) of rule I.
Sec. 10. Each day during the period addressed by section 8 of this resolution shall not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 7 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1546).
Sec. 11. Each day during the period addressed by section 8 of this resolution shall not constitute a legislative day for purposes of clause 7 of rule XIII.
Sec. 12. Each day during the period addressed by section 8 of this resolution shall not constitute a calendar or legislative day for purposes of clause 7(c)(1) of rule XXII.
Sec. 13. It shall be in order at any time on the legislative day of July 14, 2016, or July 15, 2016, for the Speaker to entertain motions that the House suspend the rules as though under clause 1 of rule XV. The Speaker or his designee shall consult with the Minority Leader or her designee on the designation of any matter for consideration pursuant to this section.
Sec. 14. The Committee on Appropriations may, at any time before 5 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2016, file privileged reports to accompany measures making appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017.
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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave
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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 820, providing for consideration of an important piece of legislation, H.R. 5538, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017.
The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5538 under a structured rule, which is a standard tool currently available under the rules of the House and previously used by both Republicans and Democrats for consideration of appropriation bills. However, the Rules Committee received 178 amendments to this bill and undertook a long, arduous, and very open process to make as many amendments in order as possible. While 10 were withdrawn, out of the remaining 168 amendments, the committee made 131 in order, almost equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, ensuring that both sides of the aisle have the opportunity to offer their amendments and provide their input on this very important measure.
Mr. Speaker, the bill appropriates funding for the Department of Interior, the EPA, the U.S. Forest Service, the Indian Health Service, and various independent and related agencies. This is a fiscally responsible measure that appropriates $32.095 billion in discretionary spending, which is a $64 million decrease from fiscal year 2016 and a $1 billion reduction from the President's request. While this bill respects our country's current fiscal year situation, where our national debt is approaching $20 trillion, it provides the means necessary to fund the Department of Interior and environmental programs that protect and promote our natural resources within a responsible, yet sustainable budget.
The legislation includes funding for many important priorities, such as the PILT program that provides funds for local governments in 49 States to help offset losses in property taxes due to nontaxable Federal lands within their counties. Without congressional action, many rural communities would face huge budget shortfalls because of Federal land ownership, which would impact public safety, education, and other local government responsibilities.
The bill also rejects a White House proposal that would have raised fees on American ranchers for grazing on Federal lands, which is another costly Federal proposal that ranchers simply cannot afford. It allocates an increase for on-the-ground sage grouse conservation to protect the species, while also preserving Federal lands for public and private uses, such as energy development, ranching, recreation, as well as military training.
Finally, it provides the National Park Service with targeted funding increases for park operations and maintenance to help reduce the Park Service's maintenance backlog, which currently stands at an astonishing $12 billion, and we simply must address.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5538 also includes conservative policy provisions to stop the bureaucratic regulatory overreach that is harming the United States. Job creation and wage growth continue to be stifled by EPA and other Federal regulations.
In response, this bill denies funding for job-killing rules and contains provisions to stop the regulatory overreach that is restricting economic activity. Specifically, the bill reduces funding for the EPA by $164 million below the fiscal year 2016 level and $294 million below the President's request. Within this total, EPA's regulatory programs are reduced by $43 million from the current level.
Additionally, it rejects the President's proposal to increase staffing at the EPA and holds the agency to the current capacity of 15,000 positions, which is the lowest level since 1989.
Over the past few years, we have heard time and again about the EPA overstepping its authority, whether by lobbying for the misguided and unconstitutional WOTUS rule, or by providing funds to groups that openly advocate and lobby for antiagricultural policies and legislation, which happened in my State of Washington with the illegal ``what's upstream'' campaign.
To hold the EPA accountable and stop its antigrowth agenda of numerous harmful, costly, and potentially job-killing regulations, the bill contains a number of legislative provisions to halt these actions.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation also includes language prohibiting the Forest Service or the BLM from issuing new closures of public lands to hunting and recreational shooting, which will preserve public access so that everyone can enjoy these American pastimes on our treasured Federal lands and national forests.
Further, the measure prevents the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from closing fish hatcheries, a key salmon recovery tool in the Pacific Northwest and in other parts of the country, and continues a 1-year delay on any further Endangered Species Act status reviews, determinations, and rulemakings for the greater sage grouse.
Additionally, H.R. 5538 provides critical funding for the Department of Interior and the U.S. Forest Service to prevent and combat devastating wildfires. This is particularly important to me and the people of Washington's Fourth Congressional District. My State and much of the West have experienced catastrophic wildfire seasons over the last 2 years, with the State of Washington enduring back-to-back years of record-setting fires, which have been fueled by not only a lack of rainfall and extremely arid conditions, but also poor forest management. It also includes $575 million for hazardous fuels management, which is $30 million above the fiscal year 2016 level, and will help ensure our forests are cleared, healthy, and better prepared to withstand future wildfires, something that is badly needed not only in central Washington, but across the West, as we head into another dry fire season.
Mr. Speaker, this is a good rule that provides for consideration of the FY 2017 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which promotes the responsible use of our natural resources, provides the tools necessary to protect and combat devastating wildfires, and invests in programs and infrastructure to improve the quality of life for families across the country. However, most importantly, this is a fiscally responsible bill that reflects the priorities of House Republicans in tackling our yearly deficits and out-of-control national debt. I think it strikes a smart, intentional balance between funding essential programs and making responsible reductions to lower priority activities to make sure we meet our tight budget guidelines, which is why I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.
Motion Offered by Mr. Grayson of Florida
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