Rep. Harriet Hageman
Standing With Israel: Considering that this was the deadliest terrorist attack on Israel in the nation’s history, we now must rally behind one of our closest and most faithful allies, take actions to prevent future terrorism, and protect the American citizens trapped in this escalating war. In recent days, my colleagues and I have begun several efforts to voice America’s support for Israel and to prevent further violence.
H.Res. 771, which I am an original co-sponsor of, is an ardent proclamation that we stand with Israel as they defend their citizens and their sovereignty against Hamas, Hezbollah, and others who seek the annihilation of the Israeli people. This resolution also condemns Iran and Hamas directly and reaffirms America’s commitment to both Israel’s security and fully enforcing sanctions against Iran to prevent their continued funding of terrorism worldwide.
On Tuesday, I signed onto a bipartisan letter to President Biden exhorting him to re-freeze the $6 billion in Iranian funds that President Biden released to Iran’s authoritarian regime as part of a prisoner exchange. The letter also requests additional actions to prevent Iran from using other financial tools to continue its bankrolling of terrorism across the Middle East and the full enforcement of sanctions on Iran. I’ve also cosponsored H.R. 5947 with Reps. Pfluger, Hern, Wilson, and Gallagher to permanently block Iran’s access to the assets and immediately refreeze the $6 billion that Biden wrongfully released.
At this time, we do not yet know how many Americans are trapped in Israel and Gaza; the State Department has initiated its assisted departure plan to help evacuate our citizens m the developing war zone. If you know of friends or family that are in the region, please contact one of my offices so my staff can provide guidance on the evacuation process.
Highlights of bills Rep. Harriet Hageman is cosponsoring:
• H.Res. 768 and H.Res. 771, which affirm America’s commitment to Israel during their fight against Hamas and other terrorists.
• H.R. 5283, the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act, which prohibits the use of federal funds to provide housing to illegal aliens on federal land.
• H.R. 5488, the Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act, which increases oversight and prohibits funding from foreign entities.
• H.R. 427, the SAVE Moms and Babies Act, which blocks the FDA from approving any new drugs intended to terminate a pregnancy and imposes additional restrictions on currently approved drugs.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and 14 of their colleagues in sending a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to request they withdraw the proposed rule for designation of ‘critical habitat’ for the Rice’s whale.
“Designation of a critical habitat may lead to severe restrictions of area activities, including those conducted by federal agencies, requiring a federal permit or license, or are federally funded. In designating any particular area as a critical habitat, NMFS is required to use the best available science to consider the economic impact, the impact on national security, and any other relevant impact. Unfortunately, NMFS failed to do so in this case, vastly underestimating the proposed rule’s economic and national security impacts,” the senators wrote.
BACKGROUND:
In 2021, NOAA determined that the Rice’s whale was a new species, distinct from Bryde’s whales, and estimated their population at less than 100 whales. The Rice’s whale has been consistently located in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, along the continental shelf break between 100 and about 400 meters depth.
On July 21, 2023, the day after NOAA’s Commerce Committee budget hearing, NOAA entered into an undisclosed proposed settlement agreement with the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Earth to immediately reform a new multi-year biological opinion. The deal also would make six million acres of the Gulf of Mexico off limits to oil and gas leasing in the next lease sale as well as punish those receiving leases by imposing a 10-knot speed restriction with night-time and visibility restrictions on vessels engaged in oil and gas servicing, all in the name of supposedly protecting the Rice’s whale. This plan implemented with no public input. Litigation has been temporarily paused.
On July 24, 2023, NOAA published a proposed rule under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to formally create a critical habitat area for the Rice’s whale. The public comment period for this rule closed at midnight on October 6.
Last week, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced the Warding Off Hostile Administrative Lease Efforts (WHALE) Act to prevent the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Interior from issuing maritime rules related to the Rice’s Whale that would shut down offshore energy development and impede military activities.
