Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1450 is the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act introduced by my colleague from Idaho, Representative Fulcher. This bill updates the Good Neighbor Authority program to update the incentives for Tribes and counties to partner with the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management on restoration projects designed to enhance resilience and promote healthy landscapes. As climate change intensifies, it is crucial that land managers utilize collaborative, consensus-driven tools such as Good Neighbor Authority to facilitate conservation, restoration, and resiliency of Federal lands and neighboring lands. However, under current law, only States are authorized to retain revenues from timber sales and contracts executed through this program. This legislation provides parity for Tribes and counties to increase community participation in the restoration of our public lands. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.”