On the recordDecember 5, 2016
It is worth noting that before there were ever farmers and ranchers on the plains, before Coronado ever came up from the south, or Lewis and Clark crossed through the north, and even before our Native American friends first appeared in North America fire has been an important management tool in the ecosystem of the Great Plains--whether the northern plains where my colleague, Mrs. Noem, lives or the southern plains where I live--an important tool. Maintaining the health of the grasslands, addressing the woody plants that are invasive, this is an important tool. This is why today we rise together to ask for our colleagues to vote for this bill, to provide the ability for everyone who occupies the plains to comfortably work together to use this tool to maintain the health of the Great Plains. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join us in passing the bill. I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 3395. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
