Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2023
Floor Speech
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2882) 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. 2882
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2023''. SEC. 2. INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
Section 8(b)(1) of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act (20 U.S.C. 5606(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Beginning on October 1, 2023, and thereafter, interest earned from investments made with any new appropriations to the Trust Fund shall only be available subject to appropriations and is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of this Act.''. SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE UDALL FOUNDATION TRUST FUND.
Section 13 of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation Act (20 U.S.C. 5609) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028'';
(2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''; and
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ``5-fiscal year period'' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting ``5-fiscal year period beginning with fiscal year 2024.''. SEC. 4. 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 complete an audit of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. 2882, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2882, the Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2023, as amended, would reauthorize the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation through 2028.
Congress passed the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation Act in 1992, intending to provide scholarships and internship opportunities for Native Americans. This program continues today and brings Native American students into the halls of government, providing opportunities for them to pursue public policy and work on issues that directly address their own experiences.
In 1998, Congress broadened the scope of the Udall Foundation and created the United States Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution. In 2009, Congress amended the act to add former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall's name to the Foundation.
The Udall Foundation was last reauthorized in 2019. In that reauthorization, Congress renamed the United States Institute to the John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution.
The Udall Foundation currently supports several programs that encourage research and study related to the environment, American Indian and Alaska Native healthcare issues, and Tribal public policy concerns.
H.R. 2882 reauthorizes the Udall Foundation through 2028. This reauthorization maintains currently authorized appropriations and has been amended to make interest income from the trust fund subject to appropriations.
The bill also requires the Department of the Interior's Office of the Inspector General complete an audit of the Udall Foundation within 4 years of passage. Past audits highlighted areas where the Foundation was then able to strengthen processes within the Foundation.
I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Ciscomani) for his work on this bill, and I encourage adoption of the legislation.
Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, January 3, 2024. Hon. Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Westerman: This letter is in regard to the jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Education and the Workforce (``Committee'') in certain provisions of H.R. 2882, the Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2023, which fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, the Committee is willing to waive the right to sequential referral. By waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill that fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of the Education and the Workforce Committee to any conference committee that is named to consider such provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 2882 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, Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, January 4, 2024. Hon. Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman, Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Foxx: I write regarding H.R. 2882, the ``Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2023.'' The bill was referred primarily to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and additionally to the Committee on Natural Resources, and was ordered reported, as amended, by the Committee on Natural Resources on November 15, 2023.
I recognize that the bill contains provisions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and the Workforce and appreciate your willingness to forgo any further consideration of the bill. I acknowledge that the Committee on Education and the Workforce will not formally consider H.R. 2882 and agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained therein.
I am pleased to support your request to name members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce to any conference committee to consider such provisions. I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill and will include such letters in the committee report on H.R. 2882. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation. Sincerely, Bruce Westerman, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, once again, this is important legislation to reauthorize the Udall Foundation to continue supporting Native American congressional interns, as well as the research and study that goes along with that.
As I mentioned earlier, it also works with Alaska Native healthcare issues and Tribal public policy issues.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentleman from Arizona for sponsoring this important legislation. I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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