According to a recent press release, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands reviewed four bills addressing issues from road construction to environmental protection, aimed at securing the southern border and safeguarding national parks.
During the legislative hearing on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the Subcommittee on Federal Lands discussed several bills aimed at addressing concerns surrounding the southern U.S. border and federal lands. The committee's agenda included H.R. 1727, H.R. 5283, as well as yet-to-be-numbered bills by U.S. Reps. Tom Tiffany and Bruce Westerman.
One of the key issues highlighted by the committee was the deteriorating state of the southern border since the Biden administration took office. The committee expressed concern over the record-breaking numbers of illegal border crossings and described the border policy as failing. They emphasized that these factors not only affect American citizens but also have a detrimental impact on federal lands.
"Our federal lands are being used and abused by the thousands of illegal aliens crossing over our wide-open southern border every week," said Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.).
To address these challenges, the bills under consideration aim to secure the border and preserve Americans' ability to use federal lands for recreational purposes. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman's bill calls for the construction of at least 584 miles of navigable roads on federal lands along the border. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany's TRASHED Border Act aims to mitigate environmental damage caused by border-crossing activities. U.S. Rep. David Trone's bill seeks to extend the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Commission. Additionally, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis's legislation aims to restrict the use of federal funds for housing specified aliens on federal lands.
Chairman Tiffany emphasized the importance of reversing the damaging environmental consequences caused by the Biden border crisis. He stated, "Republicans on the Federal Lands Subcommittee are determined to ensure our public lands can be enjoyed by Americans for years to come."
The Subcommittee on Federal Lands is actively working to address the challenges at the southern U.S. border and on federal lands by reviewing and considering various legislative solutions.
