Chellie Pingree: “I thank the chairwoman for yielding the time. I thank her and Ranking Member Granger for their leadership on this…”

“I thank the chairwoman for yielding the time. I thank her and Ranking Member Granger for their leadership on this committee. I rise to support the fiscal year 2022 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. I also want to thank Ranking Member Joyce for his collaboration and partnership through this process. It is truly a privilege and a pleasure to work with him. I want to thank the hardworking committee staff, Rita Culp, who is our clerk; Jocelyn Hunn; Janet Erickson; Kusai Merchant; Tyler Coe; Marcel Caldwell; and also my personal staff, Evan Johnston, Lisa Pahel, and Katie Bergh. We couldn't do it without all of their hard work. For fiscal year 2022, the subcommittee is recommending a total of $43.4 billion for the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill. This is an increase of $7.3 billion over last year's enacted level, which is a 20 percent increase. I am proud this bill makes long-overdue investments to care for our planet, to fight climate emergency, and to meet our trust obligations to Tribal nations. The bill prioritizes the protection and preservation of our landscapes and biodiversity, providing $15.6 billion for the Department of the Interior. It supports the administration's initiatives on climate change, such as the Civilian Climate Corps, and affirms the role of science as the foundation for decisionmaking.…”