Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed four Natural Resources Committee bills by recorded vote. Committee Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Our committee works hard to get practical and commonsense legislation passed for our constituents across the country. While it’s easy to focus purely on the political showdowns happening in Congress, legislation like this that often flies under the radar is arguably even more important, as these are wins that matter deeply to many Americans. The bills we passed today will aid Native American tribes and promote local economic development. I thank my House colleagues for their leadership on these issues, and I look forward to seeing our colleagues in the Senate pass them in a timely manner."

Background

H.R. 1975, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), directs the Department of the Interior to take approximately 721.12 acres of land in San Diego County, Calif. into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

H.R. 2008, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), allocates federal lands in Monroe County, Tenn., into trust for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

H.R. 3616, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Bear River National Heritage Area.

S. 108, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), allows the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease, sell, convey, warrant or transfer its real property that is not held in trust by the United States.