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Support of S. John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act

Floor Speech

Date: March 5, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Natural Resources

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Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 47, John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. This legislation is critical to public lands management, and contains numerous important provisions.

This legislation protects three historic sites in my home state of Georgia--the Ocmulgee National Monument, Fort Frederica National Monument, and Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park. By doing so, the Natural Resources Management Act will provide Georgians with increased opportunities to appreciate our public lands.

Importantly, the Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act also includes the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act--legislation I have been working on for years.

I introduced the Open Book for Equal Access to Justice Act with my friends Representatives Cohen, Cheney, and Peterson, and Senators Barrasso and Coons. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation reinstates needed transparency and accountability requirements to ensure that the Equal Access to Justice Act is helping individuals, retirees, veterans, and small businesses as intended.

I want to thank my Senate colleagues for including the Open Book on Equal Access to Justice Act in S. 47.

My legislation requires the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) to develop an online searchable database that includes information on the number, nature, and amount of the awards, claims involved in the controversy, and other relevant information.

Agencies would be required to provide information requested by ACUS for the development and maintenance of the database.

As made clear in report language in previous years, it is our intent that ACUS take appropriate measures to ensure that individual-specific healthcare information, such as an individual's diagnoses and treatments, is not contained in the database.

This legislation ensures appropriate protections are in place, while facilitating critical public and Congressional oversight.

I am encouraged that S. 47 passed the House, and I look forward to its implementation.

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