Dyslexia

Floor Speech

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, today, one in five Americans are affected by dyslexia, making it the most common learning disability. Yet, there are still children in U.S. school systems that go without being diagnosed. Instead, they are written off as having a lack of effort, or a plain lack of intelligence.

Despite misconception, dyslexia is not connected to one's level of intelligence. In fact, where students have a difficult time reading, they often excel in creative thought and critical thinking. My bipartisan legislation, the 21st Century Dyslexia Act, will Federally define dyslexia and label proper treatments and diagnosis, enabling teachers, students, and parents to assist aspiring students to achieve successful academic careers, and to ensure that all children are granted equal opportunity in the classroom. Save Our Sequoias

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, 3,000 years; that is how long some giant sequoias have been alive. To put this into perspective, these trees started growing before the concept of democracy, the English language, and the birth of Christ.

The Mariposa Grove, the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park has been a source of inspiration for generations. When the Washburn Fire recently hit the Mariposa Grove, the fire's intensity dramatically decreased, thanks to 50 years of thinning and prescribed burns.

There is a stark contrast between areas that have a history of proper management and those that have been disregarded. While the fire subsided in the Mariposa Grove, surrounding areas that did not receive sufficient management were destroyed.

As a licensed forester, I take it upon myself to seek science-based solutions for the conservation of our forests. The Mariposa Grove serves as a prime example of how mechanical thinning and prescribed burns are necessary tools for proper forest management.

It is my hope that the grove continues its legacy of inspiration by encouraging a new generation of proactive forest management that will protect these iconic trees for the enjoyment of generations to come.

It is past time for the Natural Resources Committee to mark up the bipartisan Save Our Sequoias Act, and for the House to pass it to protect these iconic national treasures. Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Trees

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Mr. WESTERMAN. Madam Speaker, recently, we have talked a lot about the dire situation of some of California's most iconic trees, the sequoias. But we have yet to discuss the condition of California's oldest trees, the Great Basin bristlecone pine trees.

Great Basin bristlecone pines signify resilience, longevity, and perseverance. To cope in difficult times, they almost completely die off, leaving but a few strips of bark that can continue to grow along the ground or skyward for thousands of years. To ward off pests, bristlecone pines trap pests in their thick resin.

Due to severe drought, in mixed forests, bark beetles have been able to build up broods on other tree species and overwhelm many bristlecone pines, which succumb to bark beetles in a way they have never before.

The good news is, in the past month, a Forest Service pathologist confirmed that Methuselah, the nearly 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine thought to be the oldest tree in the world, has yet to face bark beetle infestation.

There is still time to act on the drought in a timely, commonsense manner to protect our Great Basin bristlecone pines. We must follow the bristlecone pine's example of resilience and perseverance, adapting our laws to the needs of the natural world to stave off catastrophic wildfire and severe drought. Devastating Year for Farmers and Ranchers

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the hardworking farmers and ranchers of Arkansas, who are being crushed by unprecedented drought and heat on top of out-of-control inflation that has created suffocating input costs for basic farming inputs such as fuel and fertilizer.

Although this devastating farm year can't be salvaged, hopefully the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress will realize how detrimental their actions have been on raising energy and food prices on those who can least afford it: low-income and fixed-income Americans.

There is still time to change directions on this dangerous path Democrats are leading our country down. I plead with my colleagues across the aisle to embolden common sense.

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