FC Markup on: • H.R. 178 (Rep. McClintock), To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes. • H.R. 179 (Rep. McClintock), “Proven Forest Management Act of 2025” • H.R. 345 (Rep. Harder), “Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025” • H.R. 528 (Rep. Pettersen), “Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025” • H.R. 839 (Rep. Arrington), To prohibit the implementation of a Land Protection Plan for Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. • H.R. 1045 (Rep. Kennedy of UT), “Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025” • H.R. 1276 (Rep. Comer), To remove restrictions from a parcel of land in Paducah, Kentucky. • H.R. 2290 (Rep. Dingell), “World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act” • H.R. 2294 (Rep. Ezell), To reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009. • H.R. 2302 (Rep. McClintock), “Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025” • H.R. 2400 (Rep. LaMalfa), “Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025” • H.R. 3620 (Rep. Begich), “Southcentral Foundation Land Transfer Act of 2025” • H.R. 3857 (Rep. Hurd), “Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act of 2025” • H.R. 4285 (Rep. Maloy), "Semiquincentennial Tourism and Access to Recreation Sites Act" or the "STARS Act."
Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs
2025-07-23
Loading video...
Source: Congress.gov
Summary
The committee convened to discuss a range of legislation, including controversial bills related to wildfire suppression, forest management, and land use, alongside several bipartisan measures. [ 00:22:46 ] [ 00:28:32 ] The meeting included strong debates on policy approaches to environmental stewardship and federal land management.
Themes
Tone of the Meeting
The meeting was largely contentious, marked by sharp ideological divisions on key environmental and land management policies. Speakers frequently used strong language to criticize opposing viewpoints, with accusations of "reckless and destructive policy" and "government interference." However, moments of civility emerged, particularly during tributes to a departing staff member and in the successful unanimous passage of a package of less controversial bills, highlighting a capacity for bipartisan cooperation despite deep disagreements. [ 00:28:32 ]
Participants
Transcript
The committee will come to order. The chair notes the presence of a quorum pursuant to committee rules. Members of the committee may submit written opening statements for the record. Asset members may revise and extend the remarks on the bills to be considered at this markup and have those remarks included in the record without objection. So ordered. Without objection, I'm authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time. Pursuant to Committee Rule 3i, the Chair announces that I may postpone further proceedings today on the question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an amendment on which a recorded vote is offered. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good morning and thank you for joining us for this full committee markup. Today we have a great lineup of legislation for consideration that will help us restore common sense to wildfire suppression and forest management and unlock our public lands and more. As this Congress began, we saw horrific wildfires rage in Southern California, serving as a clear reminder that we have no time to waste. As I've said before, unlike hurricanes or tornadoes, wildfires can actually be prevented with proper forest management. We must come together and pass the long overdue reforms that turn the tide against our current wildfire crisis. Earlier this year, the committee acted in a bipartisan manner, passing the Bipartisan Fix Our Forest Act by an overwhelming margin. This committee is committed to advancing legislation that will restore the health of our nation's forests. We'll have another opportunity to advance common sense forest management reform today. H.R. 178, introduced by Representative McClintock, requires U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior to use all available resources to extinguish a fire within 24 hours of detection. This legislation cannot be timelier as we continue to watch the Dragon Bravo fire near the north rim of the Grand Canyon It's burned thousands of acres, it's destroyed historic, cherished lodges and buildings, and it's already racked up hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.
While this fire is alarming, what we don't realize is that the National Park Service's monitoring of this fire is allowed and is standard practice by federal land managers across the country. In fact, on July 14th, two days after the Dragon Bravo fire exploded, the National Interagency Fire Center reported that across the country, an additional 78 fires are being carefully managed using strategies beyond full suppression. Given the hot and dry conditions that exist across the West, this is 78 fires too many. In times like these, the goal should be to put out the fires. H.R. 179, also introduced by Representative McClintock, expands a successful 10,000-acre categorical exclusion in the Tahoe Basin to apply nationwide. In the words of Gwen Sanchez, a forest supervisor for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the forest management work done under the CE is the gold standard of fuels treatment and should be modeled across the country. Both of these bills also support and help advance President Trump's Executive Order 14308, empowering common sense wildfire prevention and response, which restores common sense to wildfire suppression and force management on all levels of government. H.R. 839 introduced by Congressman Errington prohibits the implementation, administration, and enforcement of the Biden administration's plan to increase the size of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. The plan part of the previous administration's 30 by 30 initiative, or the plan was part of the 30 by 30 initiative, and if fully implemented would result in a 100-fold increase in the size of the refuge, a significant loss in local tax revenues for the community, and increased management responsibilities for the National Wildlife Refuge System at a time when the system already faces $2 billion in maintenance backlog. Finally, we will consider 11 UC bills on which we have reached a bipartisan agreement.
These bills include creating a fee-free day for all on our public lands in honor of America's 250th birthday, supporting ocean monitoring activities, and establishing a wildfire research institute in Utah. Before I yield back, I would like to recognize and thank Anique Miller for her distinguished service to the Committee on Natural Resources. Anique serves as staff director for the Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Subcommittee and has been with the committee for over six years. Her leadership and tireless efforts have resulted in numerous legislative accomplishments, including the ACE Act, the Beach Act, the Klamath Basin Water Agreement Support Act, the Fishes Act, the Explore Act, and many, many more. Anika is one of the most knowledgeable staffers on Capitol Hill, and she has been instrumental in the success of the committee. She is also a tremendous mentor, manager, and teammate who is always up for a challenge and there to support her coworkers. Next month, Anique will be moving on to a new opportunity, and although she is leaving, she will always be team resources. We wish Anique, her husband Adam, and her daughter Emma the very best. Thank you, Anique, for your steadfast service and commitment to the Committee on Natural Resources and the House of Representatives. And with that, I look forward to the discussion today, and you'll back and recognize Ranking Member Huffman for five minutes.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before I begin, I hope you'll indulge me in thanking Anique for her contributions to this committee, and I wish her very well. You've always been so professional and courteous and delightful, just one of the real pros around here, and we appreciate you and wish you the best. And Mr. Chairman, also before I begin, I have unanimous consent request. I would like to enter into the record an article from the New York Times, July 21st, entitled Climate Change is Making Fire Weather Worse for World's Forests. This article discusses two new scientific studies examining the impact of climate change on forest fires, a timely subject.
Sign up for free to see the full transcript
Accounts help us prevent bots from abusing our site. Accounts are free and will allow you to access the full transcript.