Reauthorizing the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund

Floor Speech

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Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5715) to reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5715

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FUNDING REAUTHORIZATION.

Section 13 of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act (20 U.S.C. 5609) is amended--

(1) by striking ``through 2023'' each place it appears and inserting ``through 2029'';

(2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``$1,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''; and

(3) in subsection (c), by striking ``the fiscal year in which this subsection is enacted'' and inserting ``fiscal year 2022''. SEC. 2. AUDIT OF THE FOUNDATION.

The Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act (20 U.S.C. 5609) is amended by inserting at the end the following-- ``SEC. 14. AUDIT OF THE FOUNDATION.

``Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Department of the Interior shall conduct an audit of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.''. SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
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Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 5715, which will authorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund.

Congress established the Udall Foundation in 1992 as an independent executive branch agency to honor Morris K. Udall's lasting impact on the Nation's environment, public lands, natural resources, and his support for the rights and self-governance of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

In 2009, Congress enacted legislation to honor Stewart L. Udall and add his name to the name of the foundation.

The agency is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, and maintains an additional office in Washington, D.C.

The Udall Foundation accomplishes its mission through five major programs.

The important one is the John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution, which provides impartial collaboration, consensus building, and conflict resolution services on a wide range of environmental, natural, and cultural resources, Tribal and public lands issues involving the Federal Government.

In addition, the foundation runs numerous graduate, intern, and focus programs for Native American and Alaska Natives throughout the country, of which many here in Congress have benefited from those internships and fellowships within committees and in individual offices.

I thank the 13 members of the board of directors of the Udall Foundation for their support, the Council on Environmental Quality for their support, and urge consideration and support for the legislation.

House of Representatives, Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC, December 2, 2022. Hon. Raul Grijalva, Chair, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chair Grijalva: I write concerning H.R. 5715, a bill to reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund, and for other purposes. There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Labor.

In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Education and Labor does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of the Education and Labor Committee to any conference committee which is named to consider such provisions.

Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 5715 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely, Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, December 2, 2022. Hon. Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Chair, Committee on Education and Labor. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chair Scott, I write to you concerning H.R. 5715, a bill to reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Trust Fund, and for other purposes.

I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Labor. I acknowledge that your Committee will not formally consider H.R. 5715 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction. I am pleased to support your request that the Speaker name members of the Committee on Education and Labor to any conference committee to consider such provisions.

I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the committee report on H.R. 5444 and the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Raul M. Grijalva, Chair, House Natural Resources Committee.

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Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), the chair of the subcommittee.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I thank Chair Grijalva for keeping the vision alive of educating our future leaders that will bring to us the solutions and resolutions of conflict issues around Native American self-determination and so much more.

We feel the Udall Foundation's impact across our country, and certainly in New Mexico, from the Halls of Congress to environmental conflict resolution to our universities and students. In fact, New Mexico's very own Congresswoman Stansbury is a Udall Foundation alum, and over 255 American Indian and Alaska Native interns have worked in more than 60 congressional offices thanks to the foundation.

This bill from Chair Grijalva will ensure that the Udall Foundation can continue to implement its valuable mission and work for years to come. I thank Chairman Grijalva for keeping this vision alive.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I, as well, would like to thank my colleagues across the aisle for their thoughtful and important suggestions to the legislation. I am happy to incorporate them. Their suggestions make the program healthier and stronger, and I appreciate that.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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