Insular Areas and Freely Associated States Energy Development

Floor Speech

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Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the
fiscal year 2015 omnibus appropriations bill. The Interior provision of
the omnibus is well balanced and reflects what can be achieved when all
sides work together to find common ground. This bill provides for
fiscal year 2015 funding for fire operations at the 10-year average and
provides additional resources to conduct critical hazardous fuels
reduction work on the ground.

The bill takes positive steps in promoting domestic energy and
mineral development both onshore and offshore.

The bill provides essential funding for the National Park Service,
which will enhance day-to-day maintenance, visitor services, and
responsible stewardship of more than 400 national park units. The bill
also provides investments to our national park system as it begins its
centennial celebration and prepares for the next 100 years.

This bill continues our efforts in meeting our moral and legal
obligations in Indian country and honors longstanding commitments to
American Indians and Alaska Natives; the bill promotes voluntary,
nonregulatory fish and wildlife conservation programs in partnership
with States and tribes; and this bill provides grant funding to States
to promote jobs and economic growth.

I want to take a moment to pay tribute to my good friend and our
subcommittee's ranking member and former chairman, Jim Moran. This is
Mr. Moran's last appropriations bill. I am happy to know that my friend
will be leaving this body that he loves on a high note,
enthusiastically supporting the work of the Interior Subcommittee.

Jim, we are grateful to you for your service, and we salute you.

I also want to thank Chairman Rogers for his incredible support,
leadership, and his role in bringing this omnibus bill forward.

Lastly, I want to thank the scores of Appropriations Committee staff
who have been working day and night and weekends on this package for
many weeks. They even worked through their Thanksgiving holiday to
produce this legislation. The staff of the Appropriations Committee
deserves our appreciation and gratitude.

This is a good bill, Mr. Speaker. I urge Members on both sides of the
aisle to support it.

With that, Merry Christmas.

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