[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1176 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1176

  Expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative 
               entered into by the Biden administration.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 2024

Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. 
     Bentz, Mr. Rosendale, and Mr. Zinke) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative 
               entered into by the Biden administration.

Whereas about 95 to 98 percent of juvenile fish survive after passing through 
        each of the 8 Federal dams within the Columbia-Snake River System;
Whereas 90 percent of the renewable energy generated in the Pacific Northwest 
        region of the United States is provided by the Columbia-Snake River 
        System;
Whereas roughly 1,800,000 homes receive clean energy generated by the Ice 
        Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite Dams, 
        collectively known as the 4 Lower Snake River dams;
Whereas the 4 Lower Snake River dams generate more than 1,000 megawatts of 
        carbon-free hydroelectric energy and have the capability to generate 
        over 3,000 megawatts;
Whereas between 50,000,000 and 60,000,000 tons of cargo worth approximately 
        $3,000,000,000 are barged annually through the Columbia-Snake River 
        System, including through the 4 Lower Snake River dams;
Whereas between 40 to 60 percent of all United States wheat exports are shipped 
        through the Columbia-Snake River System, mostly on the Lower Columbia 
        River through deep-water draft ports;
Whereas an environmental impact statement published on October 8, 2020, by the 
        Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville 
        Power Administration found that the 4 Lower Snake River dams should not 
        be breached and that Federal restoration efforts should instead be 
        focused on improving and maintaining hydroelectric power assets while 
        working to improve salmon passage;
Whereas on October 15, 2021, the State of Washington announced plans to assess 
        whether to breach the 4 Lower Snake River dams;
Whereas on October 21, 2021, the Department of Justice announced a settlement 
        reached between the parties of National Wildlife Federation, et al. v. 
        National Marine Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01-cv-00640-SI) 
        (in this resolution referred to as ``NWF v. NMFS''), which included a 
        stay on the case until July 2022 and led to mediated discussions to 
        resolve the litigation;
Whereas on September 13, 2023, members of Congress sent a letter to the Council 
        on Environmental Quality expressing concerns with the mediation 
        discussions resulting from NWF v. NMFS and urging the Council to utilize 
        the remainder of the stay on the litigation to productively engage with 
        all the parties in the mediation process;
Whereas on September 27, 2023, the Biden administration released a memorandum 
        titled ``Restoring Health and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other 
        Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin'' (88 Fed. Reg. 
        67617), outlining a plan for fish migration in the Columbia River Basin;
Whereas on December 14, 2023, as a product the mediation discussions resulting 
        from NWF v. NMFS, the Biden administration entered into a memorandum of 
        understanding with Washington, Oregon, the Confederated Tribes and Bands 
        of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
        Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of 
        Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's 
        Associations, the Institute for Fisheries Resources, the Sierra Club, 
        Idaho Rivers United, the Northwest Sport Fishing Industry Association, 
        the NW Energy Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation, Columbia 
        Riverkeeper, the Idaho Conservation League, and Fly Fishers 
        International to implement the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative;
Whereas throughout the mediation discussions resulting from NWF v. NMFS, key 
        stakeholders and community members directly impacted by the litigation 
        were left in the dark as negotiations proceeded behind closed doors;
Whereas the Biden administration and dam-breaching advocates are intent on 
        achieving a de facto breach of the 4 Lower Snake River dams by opening 
        the gates to reduce the water below the minimum operating levels for 
        hydroelectric power generation;
Whereas the decision to breach the 4 Lower Snake River dams ultimately lies with 
        Congress, which must authorize the matter, not the Biden administration;
Whereas the Biden Administration has irresponsibly made commitments regarding 
        the Columbia River Basin, which are dependent on congressional 
        appropriations that have not been promised, negotiated, secured, or 
        allocated: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
             (1) recognizes that the 4 Lower Snake River dams are the 
        lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States 
        and are vital to a strong all-of-the-above energy strategy; and
            (2) disapproves of the Columbia Basin Restoration 
        Initiative, as proposed in the memorandum of understanding 
        filed on December 14, 2023, in the District Court for the 
        District of Oregon in NWF v. NMFS.
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