Bruce Westerman · TranslatePolitics.com

House of Representatives

Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025

2026-09-02

“I want this bill to pass. The government should guarantee that mining projects can happen. The other side says we don't need this bill. They say the government can already do these things. That is not the point. This bill is about the future. Mining is important for our country. This bill will make mining easier. The Permitting Council says they can handle it. They can take on more projects. This bill will help our economy and our security. We need to pass this bill to protect our country.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in closing, this administration has sent a clear message that we must support our domestic miners and processors. This legislation isn't about our current administration. There is a bit of illogic in the minority's argument. On one hand, they say: Why do we need this legislation, because the administration already has the authority to do projects under FAST-41. They are exactly right, just as the Biden administration had authority to do projects under FAST-41. Anything this administration has been doing to permit mining projects, they can still do, whether we pass this bill today or not. This is about the future of mining in our country. This is about giving people certainty that if they go through the process to build a project, they will be able to invest and get a return on that project to supply those critical minerals and other mined products that are important to our country. It has also been said that the Permitting Council doesn't have the bandwidth to do more projects. The Permitting Council has testified that they are: ``well situated to bring in additional projects and continue to show that FAST-41 works for projects of all shapes and sizes.'' The bottom line is that supporting our mining industry is foundational to our economic and our national security. For the United States to reestablish American leadership in the mining sector, it is crucial that we pass this legislation to secure our mineral supply chains. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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“I want this bill to pass. It helps American mining. We already have laws to stop other countries from owning our mines. This bill makes it easier for American companies to mine. The other side wants more rules that will hurt American mining. Their rules will not stop China. Our bill is better. If you support American mining and want to stop China then you should vote for our bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would note that Congress has already addressed this issue of foreign ownership through previous legislation, and it has passed well-considered restrictions on Chinese ownership. The amendment that was offered would create an ambiguous standard that could inadvertently prevent non-Chinese publicly traded companies from mining domestically. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, already reviews foreign investments in American businesses to assess any national security risks. Mr. Speaker, if you support our domestic supply of critical minerals, this bill provides the regulatory certainty necessary to strengthen domestic mineral supply chains. If you support weakening China's global control over minerals, then I would say join us in voting for the Protecting Domestic Mining Act. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore).

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“Some groups agree with me. I want this bill to pass. I hope that their agreement will convince you.”

“I want to make mining faster. I don't think tribes need to be consulted. I want more concrete to be made in America. I hope that will lower the cost.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I will, again, point out no Tribal consultation and no environmental laws are waived. This is just a process to fast-track permitting. Also, I point out that when the ranking member talked about any old sand or gravel mine, that sand and gravel--gravel and then sand are the two main ingredients in concrete with Portland cement being the third, which is another product that we rely on about 20 percent of imports. Concrete is the main ingredient in housing and in public infrastructure. The cost of concrete affects the cost of housing and public infrastructure projects. It affects Americans. If we want to address high costs, we should be opening more of these sand and gravel mines and producing more Portland cement here so that we can have more supply and lower the costs here at home. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

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“My colleague made my point for me. Obama did not use FAST-41. That shows we need this bill. Mining permits take a long time. We need our mines to produce. We should not go back and forth on this. We need a firm process. That will help companies mine in America. This bill does that.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would say that my colleague just made the case for why we need this bill. As I have testified, the Trump administration has 60 projects on the dashboard. They have completed 22 projects. The previous administration completed zero projects under FAST-41. Both administrations had access to use the FAST-41 process, but some administrations choose not to use the process. These mining projects now take an average of 19 years to permit. That is down from 29 to 30 years just a few years ago because we have seen projects permitted more quickly under this administration. Our need for critical minerals and mining spans administrations. We need certainty in the process so that we can access the supplies of ore that we have here in the United States to meet our own demands. If we start playing political permitting ping-pong from one administration to the next, that gives no certainty to investors in America to use our own materials. That is exactly why we need to codify this, so that it gives everybody a fair shot to use the process. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Shreve), the lead sponsor of this legislation.

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“I want this bill to pass. It changes another law to help mining projects. We need mines. We rely on other countries for minerals. That is bad. China sells us many minerals. That is bad. We should mine here. This bill will help more mines get permits faster.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1501, the Protecting Domestic Mining Act of 2025, which extends FAST-41 eligibility to mining and mineral processing projects. I thank my colleague Representative Jefferson Shreve for introducing this important piece of legislation, which will bring much-needed efficiency and transparency to our domestic mining permitting process. On average, it takes 19 years to bring a new mine into operation in the United States. Permitting delays drive up costs, halt economic growth, stifle innovation, and increase our reliance on foreign adversaries. Since taking office, President Trump has moved swiftly to set America on a path to mineral dominance. President Trump's March 2025 Executive Order 14241 entitled: ``Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production'' identified mining as a priority for national security and directed the Permitting Council to publish additional mining projects to its FAST-41 dashboard. Under this administration, the Permitting Council has published 60 additional mining projects on the FAST-41 dashboard. Mr. Speaker, 22 mining projects and counting have completed the Federal permitting process under the dashboard. I will say, yesterday that was 21. They just completed another project this morning. This impressive record stands in stark contrast to the Biden administration, which over 4 years, did not complete a single Federal permitting process for a mining project through FAST-41. Permitting efficiency is crucial to building critical infrastructure projects. Extending FAST-41 eligibility to mining projects would help meet our Nation's increased demand for energy and mineral resources, and it would provide greater certainty for the domestic mining industry. It is not enough to just mine here at home. Our country also needs mineral processing capabilities to secure our domestic mineral supply chain. Crucially, this bill extends FAST-41 eligibility to both mining and mineral processing projects. We must have a comprehensive mineral strategy that engages and bolsters the entire supply chain. Developing domestic processing capabilities encourages the onshoring of industrial sectors and strengthens domestic supply chains from mining to manufacturing. H.R. 1501 would also prohibit any future administration from finalizing or implementing the Biden-era proposed rule to narrow FAST- 41 coverage to only critical mineral mining projects. Narrowing FAST-41 eligibility in this manner would further increase our country's dependence on foreign nations and adversaries for mineral production. The U.S. Geological Survey annually publishes the ``Mineral Commodity Summaries'' that provide astonishing data on our net import reliance of certain minerals. The report, which is illustrated behind me, highlights our Nation's overwhelming reliance on foreign sources of minerals, including from adversarial nations. If you look at this list, and I know the print is small, the major supplier for most of these critical minerals is China. Mr. Speaker, we need these minerals to build a better future. We have the safest, most sophisticated, efficient, and environmentally friendly mining technology in the world, and we also have the workforce to match it. The United States should be leading the world's mineral supply chain. Representative Shreve's legislation is an important step in strengthening domestic production, securing supply chains, and ensuring that America leads the way. I thank Representative Shreve again for his work on this legislation. I urge all my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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“I want this bill to pass. It changes another law to help mining projects.”

House of Representatives

Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act of 2026

2026-09-01

“I thank my friends. I want this bill to pass. It will help lobster fishermen. The government should pass this bill.”

“I went to Maine. I like lobster. Lobster is important in Maine. The government should help lobster fishermen. This bill will help. The government needs more time. The government should make rules to help the whales and the lobster fishermen. The government should use good science to make the rules. The Trump administration likes this bill. The government should pass this bill. It will help lobster fishermen and whales.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us today would provide much- needed certainty to one of the United States' most important and iconic commercial fisheries, Maine lobster. When I visited that beautiful State, I loved what they call it there, lobstah. When you think of lobster, you think of something that is woven into the fabric of the history, the ambiance, the beauty of Maine. When people from other States think of Maine, a lot of times what comes to their mind is lobster. Passing this legislation will give NOAA more time to craft regulations to protect the North Atlantic right whale and will ensure that these regulations are based on the best available science and ensure long-term operational certainty for the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries. The legislation before us helps to advance the goals laid out in President Trump's executive order, ``Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.'' The Trump administration has issued a Statement of Administration Policy expressing support for identical legislation, which I include in the Record. H.R. 8509--Amending the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to Extend the Time Period for which Certain Regulations Concerning the North

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“She wants to regulate more. I don't like that. If it moves, she wants to tax it. If it keeps moving, she wants to regulate it. If it stops, she wants to subsidize it. I don't want that. I want to protect jobs in Maine. There are 17,000 jobs there. She is wrong about the number of jobs. We need to help lobstermen now. More rules will not help them. More rules will make their life harder. That doesn't work. The current rules are working. We don't need more. I don't want more rules and taxes. I want to help lobstermen make a living.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, the argument for the motion to recommit reminds me of what President Reagan said--this is the Democrat philosophy--if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops, then subsidize it. Unfortunately, if it stops, who we are going to be subsidizing are foreign countries that we are importing seafood from. To correct the record, it is not 1,700 jobs in Maine; it is 17,000 jobs in Maine--over 17,000 jobs. We are talking about a serious economic impact, and we are also talking about the fact that what is happening right now is working. Why continue to regulate it? Why put more burdens on Maine lobstermen who are in a tough situation, as fishermen are, around the world? So the solution is to regulate them more? It is like, hey, we see you are having a hard time, so let's put some more regulations on you. That doesn't work. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden).

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“You are wrong. The other side wants to shut down our industry. They want to take away jobs from Americans. They want to buy seafood from other countries. That is bad. We should not do that. I yield time to an expert.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am confused by arguments coming from the left. They started off today talking about high prices and the cost of food. What is their solution? They want to shut down another U.S. industry. They want to shut down seafood production. We are already 80 percent dependent on foreign imports. Their solution is to reduce penalties on Canada and other countries that are our seafood suppliers, shut down 17,500 American jobs, shut down a $2 billion industry in the State of Maine, and ship more of our money overseas to other countries and let them supply our seafood. They don't have near the protections that we have for our other species. There is a lot of flawed logic in the argument that they are trying to make. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Golden), who understands Maine lobster fisheries more than anybody else probably in this town.

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“I want to talk about our policies. Our government is working on a system to find whales. Some technologies are ready. Some technologies need more time. I don't want to use ropeless gear now. Ropeless gear is not safe for lobstermen. This bill is good for lobstermen and whales.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, NOAA is in the process of building out an acoustic network that can provide near real-time whale locations along the entire East Coast. Meanwhile, NOAA has contracted with a private company to evaluate 11 technologies that have real potential to reduce threats to whales and identify their locations in real time. While several of these are fully mature, many promising technologies are close but need more time. My colleagues across the aisle would have you believe that the only solution is immediate deployment of ropeless gear, which creates unnecessary safety risks for lobstermen. We can protect America's lobstermen and the right whale. This bill strikes the right balance. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).

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“Some groups support this bill. I want my colleagues to vote for it. I say the current policy is working. There are more whales now. The current policy is an example of government and industry working together.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a link to letters of support from the State of Maine Department of Marine Resources, the National Fisheries Institute, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association, Maine Lobstermen's Association, Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association, Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen's Association, New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen's Association, and the Lobster Advisory Council: Https:// naturalresources.house.gov/uploadedfiles/binder1. pdf Mr. Speaker, I will say that what is happening in Maine is working. We should be celebrating this. We have seen a slight 2.1-percent increase in the population of right whales over the past 4 years. There has been one right whale death in the last, I think, 20 to 25 years attributed to Maine fishing gear. This is an example of how government and industry can work together to protect the fishery, plus continue this economic activity. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman), the chair for the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee.

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“I want this bill to pass. It helps the lobster industry. Some people attacked me for supporting this bill. I don't care. I want my colleagues to support this bill.”

“I want the House to pass this bill about lobster fishing. Lobsters are important to Maine's economy. Lobster fishing is a tradition. Some groups want to regulate lobster fishing more. I think that is bad. I want the government to pause new rules on lobster fishing until 2035. This will give Maine and lobster fishermen more time to research and adapt.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 9436, the Northeast Lobsterman Protection Act, which will protect one of the world's most iconic fisheries and the American jobs, communities, and families that depend on it. In Maine, lobster accounts for 75 percent of the total value of the State's commercial fisheries, supporting an estimated $2 billion in economic activity and 17,500 jobs. While critical to the State's economy, a robust lobster industry isn't just about dollars and cents. It is about individuals, families, and communities whose stories and traditions are directly tied to this industry that has operated for more than 70 years. However, Maine lobstermen have faced tremendous adversity over the past several decades. The American lobster fishery has been under attack from radical groups determined to end this way of life. These serial litigants have pushed for a regulatory regime that could shut down the entire fishery. For nearly 30 years, the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team has overseen the Maine lobster and Jonah crab fisheries. They have implemented and updated a take reduction plan with extensive regulatory requirements designed to minimize the fishery's impact on North Atlantic right whales. What they are doing is working. For decades, the industry has led conservation efforts to reduce right whale entanglements in their gear. Despite the American lobster fishery virtually eliminating its impact on right whales, the take reduction plan has faced repeated litigation, leaving the industry subject to regulatory whiplash. The American lobster fishery has been subject to four different biological opinions between 2010 and 2021, with ever more draconian restrictions. When the National Marine Fisheries Service issued its most recent biological opinion in 2021, unsurprisingly, the radical groups remained dissatisfied and continued to litigate. At the same time, Maine's Democratic Governor, Janet Mills, and the lobster industry argued that NOAA failed to utilize the best available science. Facing new regulations that threatened to shut down the entire fishery, the Maine delegation worked on a bipartisan basis in December 2022 to enact a regulatory pause for the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries. This pause provided ESA and MMPA coverage for the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries through 2028, providing the State and the industry more time to develop new gear innovations, prudent conservation measures, and conduct more research on the fishery's interactions with right whales. Since then, the State of Maine, the industry, and other scientific and research bodies have made progress, investing more than $90 million in research. However, it is clear that more time is needed to gather the necessary data and incorporate it into final regulations. Representative Lawler's bill would provide MMPA and ESA coverage for these fisheries through 2035, providing the necessary time to get these regulations right without the threat of more frivolous litigation. I thank Representative Lawler for carrying this legislation, and also I recognize the gentleman from Maine, Representative Jared Golden, for his tireless leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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“I want to talk about a bill. This bill will change rules about whales. I want the House to talk about this bill now.”

House of Representatives

Hershel "Woody" Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act

2026-08-31

“I want to honor Woody Williams. I want to honor people who received the Medal of Honor. This bill honors their memory. This bill honors their legacy. This bill shows commitment to their principles. I thank my friend for their work on this bill. I want the Senate to pass this bill. I want the President to sign this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill that honors Hershel ``Woody'' Williams, our Nation's heroic Medal of Honor recipients, and all those who have served. It honors their memory. It honors their legacy, and it reaffirms our unwavering commitment to upholding the principles for which they fought so valiantly. Once again, I thank Representative Moore of Utah and Senator Justice of West Virginia for their leadership in this effort. I thank the Senate for actually passing a bill even if they needlessly changed it. Now we can hopefully get something to the President's desk. I urge passage of this bill and look forward to seeing President Trump sign it into law. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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“I want the Senate to pass the bills we sent them. We did a lot of work on those bills. The Senate should do their job and pass them.”

“I want this bill to pass so we can build a monument for Medal of Honor winners on the National Mall. It will honor their service and sacrifice. Many people visit the National Mall. A monument for these heroes should be in a special place. I want it near the Lincoln Memorial. The Senate changed the bill. I don't like that. I want the monument near the Lincoln Memorial. I want to work with others to make that happen. I want my colleagues to support this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as Americans across the country celebrate our Nation's 250th anniversary this year, it is important to recognize that none of this would be possible without the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces. That is why the consideration of S. 858 is especially timely today, as it honors the valor and sacrifice of some of our Nation's bravest heroes: Medal of Honor recipients. Mr. Speaker, 163 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln awarded the first Medal of Honor in the midst of the Civil War. It remains our Nation's highest honor awarded to members of the Armed Forces and is bestowed sparingly on only those who have demonstrated the highest acts of valor. Fewer than 70 Medal of Honor recipients are alive today out of the more than 3,500 medals that have been awarded. As the highest and most prestigious military decoration in the United States, the Medal of Honor symbolizes extraordinary acts of bravery, selflessness, and sacrifice beyond the call of duty. By recognizing these remarkable individuals, the Medal of Honor inspires national pride, honors the memory of fallen heroes, and motivates future generations to embody the values of courage and honor. The Medal of Honor continues to symbolize the American people's profound respect and gratitude for the sacrifices recipients have made defending freedom and justice. The Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act would ensure that the monument honoring these brave heroes can be placed on what is known as the Reserve, which is commonly referred to as The National Mall here in Washington, D.C. A monument honoring our most exceptional military heroes deserves an equally exceptional location. According to National Park Service data, The National Mall receives upward of 25 million visitors each year. The monuments and memorials located on The National Mall are the centerpiece of this history, and it is appropriate to include a new monument honoring veterans who have displayed the most courageous acts of valor recognized by our country. In my home State of Arkansas, our State capital also has a memorial dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. I hope the monument in D.C., like the one in Arkansas, can inspire reflection, patriotism, and gratitude for our Nation's military heroes. Last Congress, the Committee on Natural Resources had the privilege of hearing from one of the 65 living Medal of Honor recipients, Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Britt Slabinski. In his inspiring testimony, he reminded us that the Medal of Honor represents those willing to go above and beyond in any circumstance, no matter how small. This monument will serve as an everlasting reminder of this country's greatness and the difference that one single person can make. As an example of the difference one singular person can make on the course of history, I note that this bill has been named after Hershel ``Woody'' Williams, who, sadly, passed away in June 2022. He was known for his extraordinary heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima during the Second World War. At the age of 21, he singlehandedly cleared a path for American troops against Japanese forces in an act of extraordinary bravery. The House has already passed this bill unanimously this Congress. It is an honor to do so again today and send it to President Trump's desk. As part of its consideration, the Senate made an unfortunate change to this legislation. It removed a portion of the findings section that expressed the sense of Congress that the Medal of Honor monument should be located near the Lincoln Memorial in recognition of President Lincoln's unique and integral role in the history of the Medal of Honor. While this section has been removed, Congress and living Medal of Honor recipients still overwhelmingly support locating this monument near the Lincoln Memorial. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to ensure such a location is ultimately chosen. I was proud to support the original legislation authorizing this memorial, and I am proud to support this legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore) for his leadership on the House companion to this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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“I want this bill to pass so we can build a monument for Medal of Honor winners. It will honor their service and sacrifice.”