Subcommittee Hearing: WOW Legislative Hearing

Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2019 Time: 02:00 PM Location: Longworth House Office Building 1324 Presiding: The Hon. Jared Huffman

On Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife (WOW) will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 925 (Rep. Mike Thompson, D-CA) A bill to extend the authorization of appropriations for allocation to carry out approved wetlands conservation projects under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act through fiscal year 2024. “North American Wetlands Conservation Extension Act” or “NAWCA”
  • H.R. 1747 (Rep. Rob Wittman, R-VA) A bill to encourage partnerships among public agencies and other interested persons to promote fish conservation. “National Fish Habitat Conservation Through Partnerships Act”
  • H.R. 2748 (Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-PA) A bill to establish an integrated national approach to respond to ongoing and expected effects of extreme weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States, and to maximize Government efficiency and reduce costs, in cooperation with State, local, and Tribal Governments and other entities.“Safeguarding America's Future and Environment Act”
  • H.R. 2854 (Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-NY) A bill to amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the use of neonicotinoids in a National Wildlife Refuge, and for other purposes. “Protect Our Refuges Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 2918 (Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-AZ) A bill to create dedicated funds to conserve butterflies in North America, plants in the Pacific Islands, freshwater mussels in the United States, and desert fish in the Southwest United States, and for other purposes. “Extinction Prevention Act”
  • H.R. 2956 (Rep. Ken Calvert, R-CA) To provide for the establishment of the Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge.
  • H.R. 3399 (Rep. Josh Harder, D-CA) A bill to amend the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2003 to include California in the program, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 4340 (Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY) A bill to assist in the conservation of highly endangered amphibians in foreign countries and territories of the United States. “Supporting Activities & Leadership Abroad to Move Amphibians Nearing Decline or Extinction to Recovery Act of 2019” or the “SALAMANDER Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 4341 (Rep. Jared Huffman, D-CA) A bill to assist in the conservation of critically endangered species in foreign countries, and for other purposes. “Critically Endangered Animals Act of 2019”
  • H.R. 4348 (Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-AZ) A bill to terminate certain rules issued by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce relating to endangered and threatened species, and for other purposes. “Protect America’s Wildlife and Fish in Need of Conservation Act of 2019” or “PAW and FIN Conservation Act of 2019.”

Witness List 

Panel I: Congressional Panel 

Representative Mike Thompson (H.R. 925) 

Representative Rob Wittman (H.R. 1747) 

Representative Josh Harder (H.R. 3399) 

Representative Nydia Velazquez (H.R. 2854) 

Other Members of Congress to be confirmed 

Panel II: Administration Panel 

Mr. Stephen Guertin (testimony)

Deputy Director for Policy 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Washington, DC 

Panel III: Wildlife Panel 

Mr. David G. Smith (H.R. 2918) (testimony)

Administrator 

State of Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife 

Honolulu, HI 

Ms. Marjorie Mulhall (H.R. 4348) (testimony)

Legislative Director, Lands, Wildlife, Oceans 

Earthjustice 

Washington, DC 

Ms. Aimee Delach (H.R. 2748) (testimony)

Senior Policy Analyst, Climate Adaptation 

Defenders of Wildlife 

Athens, OH 

Mr. Brian Seasholes (H.R. 4341, H.R. 4348) (testimony)

Executive Director 

Southwest Communities Coalition 

Benson, AZ