Bruce Westerman

“I want to pass this bill to protect our seafood industry. Stopping this work will cost 17,500 American jobs, hurt Maine's economy, and force us to buy more seafood from other countries.”

“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.”

“I want the House to pass this bill to give us more time. New technology to protect whales is close, but it is not ready yet. Forcing lobstermen to use it right now is dangerous.”

“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).”

“I support Maine's lobstermen. The whale population is growing, and Maine fishing gear has caused only one whale death in over twenty years. Current rules are already working to protect whales and save jobs.”

“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.”

“I want everyone to vote for this bill. It protects jobs.”

“Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York. Mr. LAWLER.--attacking me for standing up and working to protect jobs and support commonsense, bipartisan legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It delays new fishing rules until 2035 so lobstermen have more time to study how to protect right whales without losing their jobs.”

“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.”

“I am asking the House to take up this bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1499, I call up the bill (H.R. 9436) to amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to extend the time period for which certain regulations concerning the North Atlantic right whale are effective, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the bill.”

“My committee has worked across party lines to pass many bills. The Senate should take them up and pass them.”

“Mr. Speaker, I will add that the House Natural Resources Committee has done a lot of very good bipartisan work this Congress. We have sent a lot of bills to the Senate, and a lot of those bills are over there waiting to be acted upon. When we pass bills, we have hearings. We have markups. We go through regular order. We have done a lot of work that the Senate wouldn’t have to do if they would just take up these bills and pass them. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore), the lead sponsor of the House companion to this legislation.”

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“I want the House to pass this bill. It places a new monument for Medal of Honor recipients on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. These military heroes deserve a prominent place to be remembered.”

“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.”

“I want the House to pass this bill. It allows a monument to be built on the National Mall to honor Medal of Honor recipients.”

“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 858) to authorize the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a commemorative work on the National Mall to honor the extraordinary acts of valor, selfless service, and sacrifice displayed by Medal of Honor recipients. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:”