On Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
H.R. 7269 (Rep. Randall), “Helping Our People Act of 2026”, To amend the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Act of 1989 to clarify that amounts in the Puyallup Tribe of Indians Settlement Trust Fund may be withdrawn by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians
H.R. 8674 (Rep. Begich), “Geese House Site Conveyance Act”, to convey to Doyon, Limited 21,000 acres of Denali National Park and Reserve
On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a legislative hearing.
Terry Wilbur, County Clerk, Oswego County, Oswego, NY [H.R. 1031]
Loren Riemer, Executive Director and CEO, Big Bend Conservancy, Austin, TX [H.R. 2323]
*. Beverly Vaillancourt, Owner and Educational Consultant, PowerUp Learning, La Valle, WI [H.R. 7495]
Deryl Wynn, Chief Policy Analyst and Executive Advisor, Office of Mayor Christal E. Watson, Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas [H.R. 8276]
Michael D. Pegues, President, John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation, Tulsa, Oklahoma [S. 1051]
Sara Otte Coleman, Director of Tourism and Marketing Division, North Dakota Department of Commerce, Bismarck, ND [S. 1377]
Matthew McCombs, State Forester and Director, Colorado State Forest Service, Fort Collins, CO [H.R. 9999] [Minority Witness]
Edward Stierli, Vice President of Government Affairs, National Parks Conservation Association, Washington, D.C. [H.R. 1031 and H.R. 2323] [Minority Witness]
Legislation:
H.R. 1031 (Rep. Tenney), “Fort Ontario Holocaust Refugee Shelter National Historical Park Establishment Act”
H.R. 2323 (Rep. Pfluger), “Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act”
H.R. 7495 (Rep. Fitzgerald), To authorize the establishment of memorials to the Wisconsin infantry officers and enlisted men who fought in the Battle of Antietam and the Second Battle of Bull Run, and for other purposes.
H.R. 8276 (Rep. Schmidt), “Quindaro Townsite National Historic Landmark Act”
H.R. 9104 (Rep. Norton), “Rock Creek National Park Act of 2026”
H.R. 9148 (Rep. Hill), “Scipio Jones House Assessment Act”
H.R. 9999 (Rep. Pettersen & Neguse), “Mountain Pine Beetle Coordination Act”, To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to enter into cooperative agreements with states and tribes to address mountain pine beetle infestations and reduce associated wildfire risk, including by increased logging
S. 1051 (Sen. Lankford), “Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument Establishment Act”
S. 1377 (Sen. Hoeven), “Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horses Protection Act”
Oil and gas industry watchdog groups Fieldnotes and the Center for Climate Integrity will hold a virtual reporter briefing where experts will shed light on oil & gas corporations’ recent behind-the-scenes advocacy and their long history of working to deflect, delay, and defang methane regulations.
Fieldnotes will share a new investigation revealing how the oil & gas industry has worked to eviscerate methane regulations during the second Trump administration. New research based on candid remarks made by industry executives behind closed doors, internal trade group materials, documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, and public statements show how corporations are attempting to maintain the pretense of regulation, but only on their own terms—with their own math and without any strict requirements, meaningful third-party monitoring, or financial penalties that would hold them to account.
The authors of the Center for Climate Integrity’s recent investigation, “The Fraud of ‘Clean’ Natural Gas: How Big Oil and Gas Created the Myth that Natural Gas is a Climate Solution,” will present relevant findings from their investigation. This work exposes how industry has deceived the public and policymakers for decades, wrongly convincing them that gas is a climate solution. It also traces the origin of many arguments industry is still making today as it works to gut regulations and avoid accountability, highlighting the recurrent patterns within the industry’s campaigns.
On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing.
H.R. 177 (Rep. McClintock), “Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act”, to significantly raise the annual rent that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission pays to the National Park Service for Yosemite reservoirs from $30,000 to $2 million a year
H.R. 3717 (Rep. Harder), “Golden Mussel Eradication and Control Act of 2025”, to establish a demonstration program for golden mussel control in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
H.R. 5935 (Rep. Calvert), “Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act”
H.R. 6869 (Rep. Leger Fernandez), To amend the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act to modify a provision relating to the extension of certain dates for the completion of the Regional Water System, and for other purposes.
H.R. 8546 (Rep. Issa), “Pechanga Band of Indians Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act”
H.R. 9017 (Rep. Donalds), “Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026”, to give the State of Florida the power to approve its own environmental permits for building and digging near wetlands, bypassing the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws
H.R. 10117 (Rep. Steube), “GATOR Act of 2026”, to order federal agencies to review the status of the American alligator as “threatened due to similarity of appearance,” a designation to stop wildlife traffickers and poachers from killing endangered crocodiles by pretending the hides are just common alligators, in response to increased encounters with American alligators due to rapid suburban development
proposed legislation to extend authorizations for aquatic ecosystem restoration projects, multi-benefit watershed health projects, and WaterSMART grants
H.R.1682, BELO’S Act, to amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide for lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes for family members of members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives while serving their country
H.R.900, Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025, to direct the Director of the United States Geological Survey to establish a program to map zones that are at greater risk of sinkhole formation
S.1568, LIT Act of 2025, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to modify standards for general service lamps
S.2644, Camden National Battlefield Park Study Act, to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to assess the suitability and feasibility of establishing the Camden Battlefield area in the State of South Carolina as a unit of the National Park System
S.4023, America’s Living Library Act, to establish the America’s Living Library Project
S.4103/H.R.2709, Save Our Sequoias Act, to use the threat of wildfires to sequoias to justify logging of old-growth California forests
S.4116, Geo POWER Act, to advance next-generation geothermal electricity generation demonstration projects in new regions
S.4166, SECURE Grid Act, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require States to include supporting the physical security, cybersecurity, and resilience of local distribution systems in State energy security plans
S.4489, Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authorization Act, to authorize the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System in the State of Montana
S.456, STEAM Act, to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to expedite geothermal exploration and development in previously studied or developed areas
S.4787, Free to Exit Administrative Tribunals (FEAT) Act to bypass the Department of Interior Office of Hearings and Appeals and send disputes to a fast-tracked federal court system
S.4846, TAAP Act, to amend the United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act to reauthorize the United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessment program
S.4870, Earth MRI Reauthorization Act of 2026, to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
S.4955, Gateway Arch National Park Boundary Revision Act of 2026, to amend the Act of May 17, 1954, to revise the boundary of Gateway Arch National Park
S.5048, Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act, to amend the Federal Power Act to modernize the hydropower licensing process
S.5101, Glenwood Hot Springs Protection Act, to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from taking any action to expand the Mid-Continent Limestone Quarry located near Glenwood Springs, Colorado
S.5169, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Boundary Expansion and Partnership Act of 2026, to expand the boundaries of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, to recognize and enhance the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District partnership model
S.5293, PREPARE Act, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to establish prepositioning protocols for aerial wildfire suppression for early-season fine fuel wildland fires
S.5338, Energy Efficiency Reform Act of 2026, to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prohibit the Secretary of Energy from prescribing any new or amended energy conservation standards for a product that is not technologically feasible and economically justified
S.5352, Desalination Reauthorization Act, to amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and the Water Desalination Act of 1996 to reauthorize certain desalination programs
S.5359, Pennington County Land Conveyance Act, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to Pennington County, South Dakota, certain National Forest System land
S.5360, Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program
S.5374, A bill to facilitate the conveyance of certain land in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, platted under section 2387 of the Revised Statutes, and for other purposes.
S. 2586, MARA Act of 2025, to require the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to establish an assessment program for commercial-scale offshore aquaculture through demonstration projects, to establish Aquaculture Centers of Excellence, to support aquaculture workforce development and working waterfronts
S. 3467, Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Reauthorization Act
S. 3929, Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act, to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to acquire and install certified airborne position reference tools at air traffic control towers
S. 4573, Regional Great Lakes Partnership Act of 2026, to designate the Great Lakes Commission as a Regional Great Lakes Partnership
S. 4749, JAWBONE Act, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to create a Federal cause of action to address jawboning
S. 4938, Bycatch Reduction Act, to reduce trawl gear impacts on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska, to establish gear performance standards, seafloor contact detection, and salmon excluder requirements, to improve Council transparency and participation, to prioritize ecosystem analyses, to modernize electronic monitoring, to prohibit unsustainable foreign seafood imports, and to establish a Bycatch Mitigation and Habitat Protection Assistance Fund
S. 4950, ITS Codification Act, to amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies
S. 5188, Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act of 2026, to amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to establish requirements for unified boxing organizations and to further enhance the well-being of professional boxers
S. 5224, Runway SAFE-T Act, to improve training for airport drivers in the movement area at commercial service airports through the establishment of a task force and the use of technology
HR. 7022, Mystic Alerts Act, to provide for the transmission of emergency alerts by satellite
Coast Guard Promotions:
Capt. Stanley P. Fields, PN1028 for Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
Jeffrey W. Novak, Gregory C. Rothrock for Rear Admiral, PN1148
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
H.R. 9298, the Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act (ANS)
H.R. 9503, the Officer Leslie Coffelt U.S. Secret Service Police Act (ANS)
H.R. 3342, the BOP Direct-Hire Authority Act (ANS)
H.R. 10335, the Restoring Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Act of 2026 (ANS)
H.R. 9834, the No Racketeers on our Shores Act (ANS)
H.R. 8330, the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 (ANS), to forbid all state and local climate-damages lawsuits and climate-damages laws that target the fossil-fuel industry (Hageman R-Wyo.)
H.R. 8330 would grant the fossil-fuel industry, including companies, executives, trade associations, and states or localities, immunity from climate-related laws and lawsuits. “Energy” is defined exclusively as “crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, or coal”.
The bill would prohibit any lawsuit, state law, regulation, or ordinance that seeks or requires damages, injunctive or declaratory relief, abatement, restitution, equitable relief, or compensatory payments from, or otherwise exposes to liability, any person engaged in the fossil-fuel business that the law, regulation, or ordinance deems, either directly or through an administrative process, responsible for costs or harms resulting directly or indirectly from climate change, including because of marketing, misrepresentation, failure to warn, or any other speech.
The Thriving Economy Project is a menu of policy ideas developed by SEEC Institute in partnership with Members of Congress, former senior congressional aides, officials from multiple presidential administrations, and leading energy and environmental policy experts. Grounded in the belief that a healthy economy and a healthy environment go hand in hand, the project pairs ambitious ideas with practical, actionable solutions to today’s interconnected challenges. Together, these recommendations offer a path toward meaningful progress for the greatest number of people in the shortest possible amount of time.
House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition
On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider legislation.
H.R. 181 (Rep. McClintock), To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that artificially propagated animals shall be treated the same under that Act as naturally propagated animals, and for other purposes. (ANS)
H.R. 184 (Rep. McClintock), “Action Versus No Action Act” (ANS), to fast-track forest management plans
H.R. 1555 (Rep. Bice), “Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act” (ANS), to fast-track directional drilling perits
H.R. 4598 (Rep. Leger Fernandez), “Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act”
H.R. 7254 (Rep. Huffman), To amend the National Trails System Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of designating the Bay Area Ridge National Scenic Trail, and for other purposes.
H.R. 7954 (Rep. Hurd), “Don Young Doug LaMalfa Indian Buffalo Management Act”
H.R. 8195 (Rep. Walberg), “Responsible Cormorant Management and Control Act of 2026”
H.R. 8483 (Rep. Issa), “Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2026”
H.R. 9269 (Rep. Clyburn), “Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act”
H.R. 9600 (Rep. Raskin), “Common Sense 250 Act of 2026”
H.R. 9640 (Rep. Wittman), “Earth MRI Reauthorization Act of 2026”
H.R. 9785 (Rep. Johnson of SD), “South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act”
H.R. 10136 (Rep. Westerman), “Crossett Experimental Forest Act of 2026”
H.R. 10306 (Rep. Amodei), “Technical Correction to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025”
S. 675 (Sen. Hoeven), “Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Act”
Under the current regulatory framework,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively, the
Services) are responsible for determining whether species should be listed as threatened or
endangered, as well as for designating critical habitat.
In many cases, the Services establish
recovery goals or population thresholds to guide conservation and mitigation actions. The ESA
does not explicitly require artificially propagated animals to be treated the same as naturally
propagated animals, leaving it to the Services’ discretion whether to consider them when making
determinations under the Act.
H.R. 181, introduced by Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA-05), and as amended by the
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS), amends Section 7(a) of the ESA to require the
Services to consider both naturally propagated and artificially propagated populations of a
species for purposes of consultations under ESA Section 7. The bill also requires the Services to
authorize the use of artificial propagation of a species for mitigation proposed by a federal action
agency or applicant under the ESA.
H.R. 5745 provides a more streamlined process for owners and operators to reef in place inactive
offshore oil and gas infrastructure within two years. At markup, an ANS will be offered that closes potential loopholes by shortening timelines,
adding withdrawal consequences to prevent abuse of withdrawals of notices of intent to reef in
place, and encouraging good-faith efforts. The ANS also removes pipelines from the bill and
shifts primary responsibility for the program to DOI
The debate over data centers—whether to build them, where to build them, and how they impact communities—has become a dominant issue in small towns and big cities, attracting national attention. While some communities have chosen to proceed with data center development, others have pushed back, citing opaque land use agreements, higher electricity bills, environmental concerns, and workforce concerns. Given that the opinions of residents are becoming increasingly critical in the consideration of these deals, the question is whether industry, community, and government can ever get closer to agreement on data center development.
On September 15, the Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) at Brookings will host a conversation that brings together community, economic development, and technology experts to explore the role that communities must play in managing data center development. Panelists will discuss policies and practices that advance equity in data center deals, and strategies to ensure communities are empowered to make choices that truly address their concerns.
Discussion:
Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va)
Nicol Turner Lee, Director - Center for Technology Innovation (CTI)
Panel:
Abre’ Conner, Director, Center for Environmental and Climate Justice - NAACP
Michelle Moore, CEO - Groundswell
Elena Schlossberg, Grassroots Coordinator - The Coalition to Protect Prince William County
Marie Sylla-Dixon, Founder and Principal - Tuckahoe Creek Strategies