▶ 0:09:36>> turn green. >> hey. Many will come to order. Good afternoon. And thank you to my colleagues for joining us to provide their testimony on the fiscal year 2027 interior and environment appropriations bill. I look forward to hearing from, uh, from you about projects and programs in the bill that are important to your districts and to communities across the country. Your input will be critical as we work to fund this.
▶ 0:09:59Agencies under the subcommittee's jurisdiction, including the department of interior, the environmental protection agency, the usa for the us forest service, the indian health services, and several others. We work to accommodate these priorities as best we can for fiscal year 2027 appropriations process. As the 2027 appropriation process moves forward. Thank you again to each of our colleagues who have taken time out of their busy schedules to speak with us today. We thank you for bringing these items to our attention.
▶ 0:10:29At this time, I'd like to yield to ranking member pingree for her opening statement. >> thank you very much. I echo the words of the chair and want to thank you all for taking your time to come and speak to us about your concerns. It'll be very helpful to know what would be best for you in your own districts as we work through this budget cycle. So thanks again for being here. I'll look forward to hearing your talk. >> thank you, ranking member pingree. Congressman titus, you may proceed with your testimony. Your official submitted testimony will be included in the record.
▶ 0:11:04>> yes. Perfect. >> and pull it a little closer to you. Yeah. Perfect. >> well, thank you very much, Mr. chairman. And the ranking member, pingree, for having us and the members of the subcommittee, because it's a great opportunity to speak today about some continued support that I hope you will give for the humane and sustainable management of our nation's federally protected equine population. Wild horses and burros. You are well familiar with this issue.
▶ 0:11:33It's especially impacts the west and also the protection of our national monuments. You know, the current approach to equine management by the bureau of land management is just simply not sustainable for taxpayers. It's for animal welfare or for the long term health of our public lands. Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, blm removed more than 41,000 horses and burros from the range.
▶ 0:12:01Today, over 64,000 of these animals are warehoused in short term um or in some long term holding facilities, and that number may soon exceed those that are left on the range. The strategy is not only inhumane, but it's also fiscally irresponsible. The agency's own data shows that the removal and lifetime holding of horses costs roughly $48,000 per horse.
▶ 0:12:27In 2024 alone, nearly two thirds of the entire program was spent on roundups and just warehousing these horses. Now the science is clear this is not just my opinion. The national academy of sciences has warned that repeated large scale removals without robust fertility control can actually accelerate population growth through compensatory reproduction. And congress has spoken on this before. You all have been involved in this since fiscal year 2022.
▶ 0:12:57Appropriations language has directed the blm, excuse me, to significantly expand the use of safe, proven, reversible immune contraceptive vaccines. In fy 26, we allocated $11 million for fertility control, but only a small portion of its budget really goes to these efforts. We can and must do better.
▶ 0:13:17So for fiscal year 2027, I request respectfully that at least 10% of the wild horse and burro program would be dedicated to using it for humane, irreversible, or reversible fertility control. That is, approach is science based, it's cost effective, and it's consistent with the intent of the language of the bill. These animals are iconic symbols of the american west.
▶ 0:13:43They're beloved around the world, and they deserve humane stewardship, not just a pipeline to holding kill pens. My second point, which is related, has to do with national monuments. Public lands, certainly across the west, are part of the fabric of who we are. They help tell our story and they signify our commitment to honoring the cultural heritage and traditions of indigenous communities. Public lands are also a major economic driver.
▶ 0:14:11If you look at last year alone, outdoor recreation contributed $1.2 trillion to the us economy. I'm proud that we've got national monuments in nevada. I've been working on this for many years. I've become a gold butte basin and range, tule springs. I invite you all to come and visit those wonderful sites, but I'm concerned about the new efforts to reduce those monuments and to sell off those lands.
▶ 0:14:36Now, when we had that attempt made before, uh, it was nice to to work across the aisle, Mr. zinke, to keep that from happening, keep our public lands from being sold off. I'm disappointed, however, that the new head of the blm, who has been moved out of committee on the senate side, uh, Mr. pearce has made public statements about reducing our public lands. And I, I just don't want to see that happen. So I thank you for the opportunity to speak.
▶ 0:15:04And as you consider this appropriation, I hope that you'll look at putting language in there to protect both our horses through economic means that makes sense, and also protect our public lands and keep them from being just sold off to the highest bidder. Thank you, Mr. chairman. >> thank you. And thank you for your testimony. Bring a couple subjects that are near and dear to my heart. We spent $144 million last year on horses and burros.
▶ 0:15:30I tell that to the public and they're stunned how much, how much it costs and stuff. And we have as you know, this committee has worked for years trying to figure out a way to handle, uh, the horses and burros and stuff. Uh, originally it was we shipped them out for slaughter and stuff, and the public didn't like that. Neither did I like that. But but, uh, we stopped doing that, and now it's. How do we control them? I don't have the answer to it, but I'm open to any ideas that somebody might have to control it because they are it.
▶ 0:15:58It's not healthy for them and it's not healthy for our public lands. So we've got to do something about that. And I, I haven't agree with you on the monuments issue too. So. >> well, thank you very much. Thank you for your time. >> are there any other questions? >> uh, no. I'll just say, uh, thanks for coming before us. Um, nice to see you here. Representative titus and I came in in the same class in congress, so we put in a lot of time together. And both of these are really helpful to hear from your perspective what's going on.
▶ 0:16:27I share your concerns, and I know it will be a priority for us to work on both these issues this year. So thanks. >> and and the public sentiment I think is on on our side on this. >> I think so too. >> yeah. >> thank you. Appreciate your testimony and for being here today. >> I'm not sure if I've got that on or off. >> that's okay. The next person will leave it on. Miss wasserman schultz, uh, thanks for being here today. And thanks for your testimony. >> thank you. Thank you so much.
▶ 0:16:54You may not see many appropriations family members, but I am not on this subcommittee. So I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to talk with you all. Um. Mr. thank you for the popcorn. Appreciate that very much. Um. >> bribing the other members of popcorn. >> I don't know. >> not jake ellzey never. So I'm here this morning, this morning, this afternoon, as a proud floridian, to talk about a few of the many issues that are critical to the sunshine state in the interior appropriations bill.
▶ 0:17:21And I know I'll have the opportunity to, you know, talk this through with you through our process during appropriations season, which was now begun, um, and in our markups. But it's good to give you a heads up and flag some things. So I want to start with an easy one. You've heard me and my colleagues talk about this ad nauseam for many years, and that's the florida everglades. We remain ever united on this. We don't have a lot of bipartisan issues these days. I wish we had more.
▶ 0:17:45But the florida delegation and so many others have been united in making sure that we can finish the largest environmental restoration project ever undertaken by the united states. And our goal is clear to reverse the decades of damage done to the largest subtropical wetland in the world. Its exceptionality should not be lost on anyone, and we are looking forward to hosting a bipartisan codell to the everglades, uh, next, next year, later this year, um, or next year.
▶ 0:18:14Um, the everglades is the only place where alligators and crocodiles coexist in the world, and its restoration remains one of the most bipartisan issues in our state. As I mentioned, this river of grass is a unesco world heritage site. It was the first us national park created specifically to protect its biodiversity, and we cannot abandon it. And I'm not concerned that we will be. But, you know, it's just so imperative. That's why I respectfully request the highest possible funding for the national park service and their operations in the everglades. In this cycle.
▶ 0:18:43That work is also made slightly more complicated by a critical, time sensitive project that we need to complete, which falls under energy and water and interior. So just a few months ago, president trump vetoed, you'll recall, an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill that passed both houses unanimously to designate an additional plot of land as part of the miccosukee reservation. That area is called the osceola camp, and it's history predates almost all the cities and towns built around the eastern side of the everglades.
▶ 0:19:11When the miccosukee moved to what is today everglades national park to survive, they formed temporary camps on tree islands. The water that flowed through was a source of food, hydration and the means of transit for them. But the construction of a major new roadway split their camp and dried up water that the camp relied upon, and forced the family to move to a different portion of the camp. Family members still live, visit, and protect the land where the home of depo tiger once stood.
▶ 0:19:38But here's the problem the everglades restoration work that we have already authorized and funded and funded is going to restore that waterway, um, whether the camp is ready for it or not. And so the bill the president vetoed included an authorization for the work necessary to protect the camp, to be done in coordination with the tribe, along with our government agencies protecting this land and the miccosukee ability to live there is not an issue that should be subjected to retaliation for unrelated matters.
▶ 0:20:05Our nation has made a commitment to the miccosukee tribe and the hundreds of other tribes to protect tribal lands, resources, and sovereignty. So I respectfully ask you to work with me and my colleagues to include a provision in the interior bill that addresses this critical issue and respects our tribal neighbors. And, Mr. chairman, ranking member, we cannot walk away from addressing this problem. I hope that we can work together in a spirit of bipartisan cooperation, and I commit to working with each of you to do that.
▶ 0:20:33The last issue that I want to raise today is the issue of big cypress oil drilling, also in the everglades. It's another bipartisan common sense measure that simply says we should not drill in an area of the everglades in a national preserve, that the federal government has invested billions of dollars, really billions of taxpayer dollars, to restore. This is akin to paying for a state of the art fire suppression system, only to start a fire in the kitchen and turn off the water. A report found that big cypress national preserve famous wetlands have not returned to normal.
▶ 0:21:01The same report detailed not only that the water would be at risk of contamination, but also the countless species of wildlife that would be in harm's way, too. If drilling is allowed. We have many tools in the toolbox to protect the environment, compensate the mineral rights holders, and protect our federal investments on all of these issues. I look forward to working with you and committee members to achieve real solutions. So thank you very much and look forward to working with you. >> thank you. Congresswoman.
▶ 0:21:27Uh, I've been to the everglades, as you know, and taken a tour of it and stuff. It's an amazing place. Uh, and it is a heritage for this country. And we've got to do everything we can to restore it to the to the glory that it that it once had and stuff. And I told the everglades foundation that I'll go down again when you get rid of those damn pythons, those big damn things. >> you know what I'm doing? I'm going out with the university of florida on a python hunt next week.
▶ 0:21:57>> is that right? >> yeah. They're the ones that came up with the way to start to try to rid. I mean, there's over well over 100,000 pythons. Everglades now. And they're obviously not a natural species in florida. Yeah. It's crazy. >> they took me in. They they took me to the center. And they, they they put trackers on them so that they can find out where they're going and stuff. And there's houses around there, and these are going through their backyards and all sorts of. Wow, I mean, you wouldn't let your dog out. One of these things. >> is the last town before the everglades begins.
▶ 0:22:26We get alligators in on in the lake on our backyard. And yeah, I'm hoping I haven't seen a python yet. I would be running screaming. >> oh, yeah. >> from our home. >> anyway, thank you for your testimony. We'll work with you on these issues and see what we can do to solve them. >> thank you. >> appreciate it. >> okay. Thanks for being here. >> thank you. Um, yeah, I look forward to coming to take a tour of the everglades with you. And obviously these are really important issues. So we'll look forward to helping you and working with you in any way.
▶ 0:22:57>> thank you, I appreciate it. See you soon. >> thanks. >> thank you. >> delegate randy fine. >> thank you, chairman simpson and ranking member pingree, for the opportunity to submit
▶ 0:23:28Testimony on the needs of american samoa for their budget under the interior department and their office of insular affairs. As a non-voting delegate, I rely on my colleagues to move forward on policies that protect the fragile interests of my district. And to that end, I want to thank you and the other members of the committee for your consistent support of the us territories.
▶ 0:23:51I won't take up much of your time, as you've heard this from me before, but americans are more remains one of the smallest economies in the nation. We continue to do our best to grow and make full use of the federal support we receive. However, it doesn't take much to set us back without a buffer, any projects and investments we make to bring the territory up to par are quickly undone.
▶ 0:24:14Therefore, I'm requesting a modest increase of $1 million for the american samoa government operations account at doi. This is in line with our approach from last year, and will offset inflation and keep american samoa from falling behind the rest of the country. I know these are difficult budgeting times due to inflation.
▶ 0:24:38Inflation, which is disproportionately affects the small distant territories due to higher transport, fuel and insurance costs. I'm accordingly keeping my request to $1 million, which is less than the 3% national inflation adjusted increase, far less than the local inflation rate.
▶ 0:25:01I also ask for the continued inclusion of report language to set aside $3 million from that account, specifically for our community college. Educating our young americans is the best way to maximize the use of this account and invest in our territory's future.
▶ 0:25:18We remain proud to have among the highest military enlistment rates in the country, and wish to continue contributing to this great country, not just through military service, but also by investing in the next generation of great thinkers and business owners.
▶ 0:25:35I'd also like the committee to consider a general increase in support for the office of insular affairs overall budget, so that they have more leeway to invest in educational projects in the territories. So I want to thank you again, chairman and ranking member, for your time and consideration of my request.
▶ 0:25:59While not a very large amount in the grand scheme of things, the small account which funds our hospital, judiciary and most importantly, our education system continues to do so much good for the people of american samoa. >> thank you. Thank you for your testimony. And as you know, we have no idea yet what our budget overall is going to be and stuff, but it's certainly something we'll take into consideration.
▶ 0:26:22Sometimes we forget about our territories, uh, when we do legislation and stuff, but thank you for being here to remind us of our responsibilities. >> thank you. >> miss pingree. >> yep. Just want to concur. Thank you so much for being here. I know you have to travel a long way, uh, to serve in this position. And we really appreciate your time and sorry in your representation of your community. So happy to look at that. Thank you. Apologize for that. >> do we need medical care for shelly? >> we do. >> we might.
▶ 0:26:54>> ahmad, it's good to see you. Thank you for. Thank you for coming. >> I'm good. I just. >> it's on. Okay. Thank you for coming today. Samoa is 5500 miles from where we sit today, isn't it? >> oh, it's almost, uh, 1000 miles away. >> 8000 miles away. Okay. >> it's about 18 hours one way. >> is that the farthest territory of the united states? >> guam and the northern marianas are pretty far away. They're in different parts of the pacific, but they're far away as well.
▶ 0:27:24>> what, uh, your population, somewhere around 40,000 growing. >> same as the population of greenland. >> okay, okay. 7000 on 40mi, something like that. 70. >> uh, yes. >> okay. >> 50. >> well, it it's I'm glad you're here. You're always such a wonderful presence here. You're one of the sweetest people I've ever met. And so, uh, you know what your ask seems very reasonable for for an american territory.
▶ 0:27:48As we look at, uh, growing threat region throughout the world, you are a territory of the united states. Therefore, we are responsible for the safe operation and the safety of the citizens of samoa. I'm glad you're here. And, uh, I appreciate you coming in here, but $1 million, compared to what we usually hear for asking anything, especially when you're talking about 100 and how much for horses? 144. 144 million for horses.
▶ 0:28:14I think that there's got to be some room for for american samoa and her fine citizens. And as you mentioned, and I have served with many samoans in the armed armed forces, is that per capita, it it's more than anybody else. And I'm from texas, so we're very proud of how many texans sign up. It's the largest of the in the 48 contiguous samoa is always there and always has been. So thank you for being here today. >> thank you.
▶ 0:28:42>> thank you, thank you again to our colleagues for taking time to join us today to discuss the issues that are important to their districts. This subcommittee now stands adjourned.