Bipartisan Federal Lands Legislation

On Thursday, September 18, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:

  • H.R. 309 (Rep. Nehls), “National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act”
  • H. R. 2196 (Rep. Hudson), To provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs.
  • H. R. 4284 (Rep. Leger Fernandez), “Small Cemetery Conveyance Act”
  • H. R. 4386 (Rep. Walberg), To amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to allow two motorcycles to entrance with one America the Beautiful interagency pass.
  • H. R. 4467 (Rep. Thompson of MS), “Vicksburg National Military Park Boundary Modification Act”, to transfer the welcome center to the State of Mississippi and the Friends of Vicksburg National Park
  • H. R. 5131 (Rep. Begich), “Public Lands Military Readiness Act of 2025”.

These bills are bipartisan in nature.

House Natural Resources Committee
   Federal Lands Subcommittee
1324 Longworth

09/18/2025 at 10:00AM

Moneyball for Climate: The 2026 Playbook

Downballot races hold the key to outsized climate impact. Join Climate Cabinet Political Director Jared DeLoof and New Mexico Land Commissioner candidate Juan Sanchez for an inside look at the strategy, data, and opportunities shaping our 2026 Moneyball playbook.

Climate Cabinet
09/17/2025 at 12:00PM

Nominations of Michael Graham to the National Transportation Safety Board, Ethan Klein to the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Joyce Meyer to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a nominations hearing for nominees of the National Transportation Safety Board, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Department of Commerce at 10:00 AM EST on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The hearing will immediately follow an executive session to reconsider the nomination of Dr. Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA Administrator). Jacobs was previously reported to the full Senate on a bipartisan basis by voice vote. However, possible changes in Senate floor procedure around nominations necessitates a roll call vote.

Nominees:

  • Michael Graham, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
  • Ethan Klein, of New Jersey, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
  • Joyce Meyer, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs to oversee the Census Bureau

Mike Graham is a current member of the NTSB, appointed in Trump’s first term.

Klein served as a technology policy adviser for OSTP for most of Trump’s first term. “After 2021, he served as a nuclear nonproliferation and international safeguards fellow with funding from the National Nuclear Security Administration and completed a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in nuclear science and engineering.” Klein is also nominated to be U.S. Chief Technology Officer.

Meyer served as the White House’s deputy director of legislative affairs during Trump’s first term, and was a long-time staffer of the former Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.). She would oversee the U.S. Census Bureau.

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
253 Russell

09/17/2025 at 10:15AM

Markup of Mining Deregulatory Legislation and Other Bills

On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider:

  • H.R. 1366 (Rep. Amodei), “Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025” (amendment in the nature of a substitute)
  • H.R. 2306 (Rep. Moolenaar), “The Adams Memorial-Great American Heroes Act”
  • H.R. 2815 (Rep. Begich), “Cape Fox Land Entitlement Finalization Act of 2025”
  • H.R. 2916 (Rep. Stefanik), To authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 3692 (Rep. Moulton), To reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Act.
  • H.R. 3872 (Rep. Fallon), To amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to make that Act applicable to hardrock minerals.
  • H.R. 4090 (Rep. Stauber), To codify certain provisions of certain Executive Orders relating to domestic mining and hardrock mineral resources, and for other purposes. (amendment in the nature of a substitute)
  • H.R. 4256 (Rep. Min), “Digital Coast Reauthorization Act of 2025”
House Natural Resources Committee
1324 Longworth

09/17/2025 at 10:00AM

Vote on the Nomination of Neil Jacobs to be NOAA Administrator

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene an executive session to reconsider the nomination of Dr. Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA Administrator). Jacobs was previously reported to the full Senate on a bipartisan basis by voice vote. However, possible changes in Senate floor procedure around nominations necessitates a roll call vote. The executive session will be immediately followed by a nominations hearing.

Nominee:

  • Dr. Neil Jacobs, of North Carolina, to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA Administrator)
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
   Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee
253 Russell

09/17/2025 at 10:00AM

Oversight of the US Army Corps of Engineers

Full committee oversight hearing.

Witnesses:

  • Adam Telle, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Department of the Army, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Works
  • Lieutenant General William H. Graham Jr., 56th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
562 Dirksen

09/17/2025 at 10:00AM

Vote on the Nomination of Jeffrey Hall to be EPA Assistant Administrator, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

EPW business meeting to consider:

  • Jeffrey Hall to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

Nomination hearing was on July 3rd.

Jeffrey Hall, previously a partner at oil-industry law firm Burke Law Group, is principal deputy assistant administrator in EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. At Burke, Hall represented Dr. Eithan Haim, an anti-trans surgeon who stole minor patient files and shared them with neo-Nazi activist Chris Rufo. The case against Haim was dropped by the DOJ days after Trump became president. Hall also represented the anti-trans organization Do No Harm. Hall also represented the State of Louisiana in arguments before the Fifth Court of Appeals in Texas v. EPA. The court ruled against Louisiana.

A March 12 memo from Hall lays out specific “initial guidance” on realigning the agency’s 2023 National Enforcement and Compliance Initiatives with the Trump Administration’s stated goals. The memo provides that “enforcement and compliance assurance actions shall not shut down any stage of energy production . . . or power generation absent an imminent and substantial threat to human health or an express statutory or regulatory requirement to the contrary.” Further, actions that “would unduly burden or significantly disrupt energy production or power generation,” among other consequences, must be approved by Mr. Hall.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
562 Dirksen

09/17/2025 at 09:50AM

Votes on 32 Department of State Nominations, including Jacob Helberg to be Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment

Full committee business meeting.

Nominees:

Department of State Assistant Secretaries and Under Secretaries:

  • Thomas DiNanno, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security
  • Michael DeSombre, of Illinois, to be an Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
  • Jacob Helberg, of Florida, to be an Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
  • Paul Kapur, of California, to be Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs
  • Chris Pratt, of Utah, to be an Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, vice Jessica Lewis, resigned
  • Todd Wilcox, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security
  • Riley Barnes, of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
  • Sarah Rogers, of New York, to be Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy
  • Caleb Orr, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs

United Nations:

  • Michael G. Waltz, of Florida, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the Rank of Ambassador, and the Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations, and to be Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations
  • Dan Negrea, of Connecticut, to be Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations
  • Lynda Blanchard, of Alabama, to be U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, with the rank of Ambassador

Ambassadors:

  • Nicole McGraw, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia
  • Somers Farkas, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Malta
  • Kenneth Howery, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark
  • Stacey Feinberg, of California, to be Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  • Howard Brodie, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Finland
  • Arthur Fisher, of North Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Austria
  • Nicholas Merrick, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Czech Republic
  • Roman Pipko, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia
  • Anjani Sinha, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore
  • Thomas Rose, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Poland
  • Richard Buchan III, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco
  • John Giordano, of Pennsylvania, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia
  • Michel Issa, of Florida, to be Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic
  • Sean O’Neill, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand
  • Julie Stufft, of Ohio, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan
  • Bill Bazzi, of Michigan, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia
  • Melinda Hildebrand, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica
  • William White, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium

Other Officials:

  • Leandro Rizzuto, of Florida, to be Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador
  • Benjamin Black, of New York, to be Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation

Jacob Helberg is senior advisor to Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies.

Ben Black is the son of billionaire Leon Black.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
S-116 Capitol

09/17/2025 at 09:15AM

An Examination of the State of the Specialty Crop Industry

Full committee hearing.

Witnesses:

  • Michael Frantz, President, Frantz Wholesale Nursery, LLC, Hickman, CA
  • Dr. Ramesh Sagili, Professor, Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
  • Dr. Tim Boring, Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Lansing, MI, on behalf of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
  • Dana Brennan, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Grimmway Farms, Bakersfield, CA
House Agriculture Committee
1300 Longworth

09/16/2025 at 11:00AM